Today is the 37th match of IPL 16 series, today match will be played between Rajasthan Royals (RR) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.

Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, 37th Match

Today the match of Chennai Super Kings is at their home ground, due to which Chennai had to lose the last match to Rajasthan at their home ground, so today they will look to avenge that defeat.

Chennai Super Kings are on a roll. They have now won three games on the trot and the last two in particular were in convincing fashion. However, their most recent defeat came at home against their opponents for Thursday (April 27). Rajasthan Royals arrived in Chepauk and pulled off a job. They will now come into this contest on the back of two defeats but that win in Chennai will hold them in good stead.

Rajasthan Royals

Jos Buttler, who hasn’t fired in the last few games, delivered in that contest in Chepauk a couple of weeks ago and Royals were also aided by contributions from R Ashwin, Devdutt Padikkal and Shimron Hetmyer. Buttler’s form has directly coincided with RR’s fortunes without a doubt. The English swashbuckler hammered over 200 runs in the first four games but has managed just 40 in the last three, including two ducks.

Apart from Buttler, the Royals also need a significant contribution from their skipper. Sanju Samson started off with a bang, scoring 97 runs in the first two games. But he has made only 84 in the next five. What could add to Samson’s challenge is the surface in Jaipur. Batting wasn’t exactly easier in the only game played here so far. That could play into their hands given how CSK have been putting up big scores.

What the Royals wouldn’t want on Thursday is another loss. They won four out of their opening five games but have stuttered a bit in the last two games. A third loss on the trot would put them under a bit of pressure. CSK on the other hand have seen their fortunes turn after that loss to Royals in their own den. Injuries have hampered them big time but this side still keeps winning games. Ajinkya Rahane’s form has provided them an extra bit of spark in that top order and they have found new heroes with the ball in the form of Tushar Deshpande and Akash Singh.

Big picture: Royals are under threat of losing steam

Not for a long time have these two teams been thought of and spoken of as the two finalists of the first IPL. Fifteen years later, halfway into the 16th IPL, you think of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals as the top contenders because they have been that good.

Without making drastic changes in personnel, CSK have become the most explosive team with the bat even though they like to start a little conservatively. Their pace bowling is slightly thin but they are putting up large totals to give them the cushion.

Team news: RR vs CSK

Before their last match, the CSK coach Stephen Fleming had said Ben Stokes had “another little setback” on his road to recovery. Deepak Chahar is also unlikely to return to action soon.

The last match in Jaipur was played on a slow and low pitch where scoring was difficult. Assuming a similar pitch is in the offing, Royals might like to include Adam Zampa in their plans, especially considering how they have been using Holder just as a specialist bowler.

CSK have had great success with a fixed combination for the last three matches, but if the pitch is slow there might be temptation to go in with Mitchell Santner in place Matheesha Pathirana. Ambati Rayudu will continue to be the batter to not field.

Now let’s talk about yesterday’s match KKR vs RCB

Kolkata Knight Riders end their 4-match losing streak on the back of a good all-round performance. Chasing 201, RCB came out all guns blazing scoring 30 runs off the first two overs. Nitish Rana quickly turned to spin and Suyash Sharma, the 19-year-old leggie, provided the crucial breakthrough in his very first over by removing the leading run-getter of this IPL – Faf du Plessis. He trapped Shahbaz Ahmed in his following over and Chakaravarthy nipped out Maxwell in the final over of the powerplay.

For the first time in this season, RCB had lost three wickets inside six overs and they’d lost two of their in-form batsmen as well in the process. Lomror, who had a quiet tournament so far, took the aggressor’s role as he and Kohli forged a half-ton partnership. KKR fought back as they removed both the set batters within a span of five deliveries. While Lomror fell to a short ball, a superb catch from Venkatesh Iyer ended Kohli’s knock. Post that, the visitors kept chipping in with wickets and never allowed RCB back into the game. Earlier in the evening, Jason Roy scored a blazing fifty, the Kinght Riders lost a bit of momentum but captain Rana made RCB pay dearly for those two drops. And then, Wiese and Rinku Singh applied the finishing touches to take their team’s total to 200.

RCB vs KKR results in Bangalore since 2016:

2016 – KKR won by five wickets
2017 – KKR won by six wickets
2018 – KKR won by six wickets
2019 – KKR won by five wickets
2023 – KKR won by 21 runs