In the final IPL match of the season, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have opted to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Despite having lost eight of nine chasing efforts, RR is sticking with their approach, indicating faith in their batting line-up’s ability to pursue targets. Notably, Fazalhaq Farooqi has been excluded, making room for Yudhvir Singh. This decision leaves RR with only three overseas players initially, suggesting that Lhuan-dre Pretorius might make his IPL debut in the chase phase.
Meanwhile, CSK has maintained their unchanged side from the previous fixture. MS Dhoni expressed satisfaction with the team’s batting progress, looking ahead to the next season.
Both teams currently sit with six points, although CSK has an additional game to play. This fixture is RR’s last opportunity to avoid finishing at the bottom of the table, though even a win won’t guarantee it. CSK, on the other hand, could sidestep their first-ever last-place finish with a victory.
Reflecting on the season, RR coach Rahul Dravid acknowledged that fortunes might have differed had they prevailed in several close contests. “We’ve ended up on the wrong side of five tight finishes, including one tie,” he noted, pointing to their misfortune at a venue where victory seemed within reach.
Chennai Super Kings Line-up:
1. Ayush Mhatre
2. Devon Conway
3. Urvil Patel
4. Ravindra Jadeja
5. Dewald Brevis
6. Shivam Dube
7. MS Dhoni (captain & wicketkeeper)
8. R Ashwin
9. Noor Ahmad
10. Anshul Kamboj
11. Khaleel Ahmed
Impact Player Options for CSK: Matheesha Pathirana, Deepak Hooda, Vijay Shankar, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ramakrishna Ghosh
Rajasthan Royals Line-up:
1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. Vaibhav Suryavanshi
3. Sanju Samson (captain & wicketkeeper)
4. Riyan Parag
5. Dhruv Jurel
6. Shimron Hetmyer
7. Wanindu Hasaranga
8. Kwena Mphaka
9. Yudhvir Singh
10. Tushar Deshpande
11. Akash Madhwal
Impact Player Options for RR: Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Shubham Dubey, Kumar Kartikeya, Ashok Sharma, Kunal Rathore
As the season concludes for RR, the focus will be on delivering a performance they can be proud of, while CSK will aim to avoid a historic low.
