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The 13th edition of the IPL is finally underway and we have already witnessed a couple of low-scoring thrillers. In the very first match of the season, the Chennai Super Kings registered a fine 5-wicket win against defending champions Mumbai Indians at Abu Dhabi. Chennai will now take on the Rajasthan Royals on the 22nd of September at Sharjah in what should be an exciting contest.
Rajasthan Royals
Last season, the Rajasthan Royals had finished 7th on the points table and hence had no chance of making the play-offs. They have been below-par for the last few seasons and would be hoping for a change in fortunes this time around. Captain Steven Smith will be the key in holding the batting order together while the likes of Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, and Ben Stokes could be the impact-makers. Another one to watch out would be youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal who is making his IPL debut.
Rajasthan’s bowling department is weaker with only Jaydev Unadkat and Jofra Archer as the experienced stars. It will be interesting to see if they give a chance to young seamer Kartik Tyagi.
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai will be riding high on confidence after their fantastic win against Mumbai. With Faf du Plessis (58*) and Ambati Rayudu (71) both making fifties in the last game, their middle-order looks settled. If Shane Watson can come good at the top and if Sam Curran, Kedar Jadhav, and captain MS Dhoni can provide the finishing touches, they will be hard to beat.
On the bowling front, Chennai has plenty of options with Deepak Chahar, Sam Curran, and Lungi Ngidi taking care of the seam department while Piyush Chawla and Ravindra Jadeja ensuring their spin duties.
Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings Cricket Betting Tips
If the first two games are anything to go by, we should expect more low-scoring thrillers in the days to come. In the last 5 matches between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, the Royals have won only one game while Chennai has won 4. Moreover, looking at the strengths and weaknesses of both the squads, Chennai has a lot more experience in its ranks and is being led by the most successful IPL captain, MS Dhoni. Thus, the Super Kings will start as favourites for this game.
The team batting first would target a total between 160-170. Anything in the 170s would be a match-winning score on the Sharjah Cricket Stadium pitch as it slows down later on. Both the teams have the right bowlers for this surface and they should do well. However, the experience of Chennai gives them the advantage. The best chance for Rajasthan is if Butler or Smith gets going for them.
Thus, expect another low-scoring and tight game. But Chennai’s overall strength and experience should help them dominate this match and yet achieve another victory against Rajasthan.
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