A bottom-of-the-table clash beckons as tenth-placed Chennai Super Kings (CSK) host ninth-placed Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 60 of IPL 2025 (Indian Premier League). Due to a logistical decision stemming from security concerns, this match will be played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, even though Chennai are listed as the hosts on paper.
It has been a while since CSK last played a match in the tournament. But their previous game against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata was quite a ride. KKR’s top order was motoring along until Andre Russell’s blitz helped them post a respectable total. Kings’ chase ran into all sorts of trouble as both their openers were dismissed for ducks.
The debutant Urvil Patel struck some impressive shots, but KKR kept hitting back, and half of CSK’s side was sent back before the field restrictions were even lifted. Shivam Dube and Dewald Brevis set out to rebuild the innings one step at a time, but all the pressure KKR had built came undone. In the 11th over, Brevis took on Vaibhav Arora, smashing 30 runs in that single over, and from there, it was smooth sailing. MS Dhoni saw the chase through in the last over, and CSK secured a rare win in an otherwise struggling season.
RR’s last match was also eventful. Against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Jaipur, they came out on the losing side of a see-saw contest. Tushar Deshpande’s powerplay strikes put PBKS on the back foot, but Nehal Wadhera and Shreyas Iyer brought Punjab back into the game. After their partnership, Shashank Singh’s quickfire fifty propelled PBKS to a record total.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi got off to a whirlwind start, putting up 76 runs in under five overs. PBKS’ Impact Player Harpreet Brar completely shut down the hosts during the middle overs, prising out both openers. Dhruv Jurel tried his best in the end overs but couldn’t take his team across the line.
Both teams are now playing for pride, but CSK will also want to prevent a season double from RR. Their last game in Guwahati was an easy win for RR. Even with wickets tumbling around him, Nitish Rana remained unperturbed and completed his fifty in the powerplay itself. Rana’s blitz compensated for the lacklustre performance from the other batters. Jofra Archer’s economical spells in the powerplay kept RR ahead of the game.
Wanindu Hasaranga then struck in the middle overs with crucial wickets, including that of half-centurion Ruturaj Gaikwad. From that point, CSK were left playing catch-up. MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja attempted one of their trademark finishes, but CSK came up short.
IPL stats at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
The last match played here showcased a surface that gradually eased up after being challenging at the start.
Matches Played
95
Matches Won Batting First
45
Matches Won Batting Second
47
Matches With No Result
01
Matches Tied
02
Average First Innings Score
174
Highest Team Total
266
Highest Total Successfully Chased
219
Player battles to watch out for in CSK vs RR, Match 62 of IPL 2025:
1. Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Khaleel Ahmed
So far in the IPL, Yashasvi has been dismissed twice by the left-arm seamer Khaleel, while scoring 34 runs off 17 balls at an average of 17 and a strike rate of 200.
2. Shivam Dube vs Wanindu Hasaranga
Dube has had a challenging IPL 2025, but his reputation as a spin-hitter precedes him. So far in the IPL, he has hit 43 runs off just 20 balls against Hasaranga at a strike rate of 215 while being dismissed only once.
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