Key match-ups, analysis, form, team news, weather forecast, tickets, TV and streaming information, odds, predictions and more ahead of the latest encounter in the 2023 IPL
Chennai Super Kings take on Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
The match will be played on Wednesday, April 12 with play commencing at 7:30pm local time (3pm GMT).
The game will be played at the MI Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Both sides have identical records after three games, winning twice and losing once. Rajasthan Royals, however, could go top of the table with a win due to their impressive net run rate (2.067).
CSK have won their past two matches, defeating Lucknow Super Giants by 12 runs and comfortably chasing 158 versus Mumbai Indians. In the latter match, Ajinkya Rahane scored a blistering half-century, striking 61 runs from 27 balls.
Ruturaj Gaikwad is second in the overall run-scoring charts, scoring 189 runs (two half-centuries) at a strike rate of 161.53.
The Royals produced dominant victories over Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals either side of a five-run defeat against Punjab Kings. They are yet to score fewer than 190 runs in an innings with the bat and have strangled opposition batters thanks to the brilliance of Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Boult has taken five wickets at an average of 17.40 and an economy of 7.33 runs per over, whilst Chahal has controlled the middle overs, taking eight wickets with an economy of 7.83.
CSK have confirmed that Ben Stokes missed the win over Mumbai Indians due to a minor toe injury and he, alongside Deepak Chahar (hamstring), will sit out the next few games. Moeen Ali (illness) was also absent from their most recent outing.
In more positive news, young Sri Lankan duo Maheesh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana have arrived. The latter may be in MS Dhoni's plans given his side's lack of fast bowling options.
Rajasthan Royals have no injury concerns.
Trent Boult has been in good form for the Royals [Biju Boro/Getty Images]
So far, no combination of bowlers have been able to tie down the Royals' deep and talented batting lineup. CSK's lack of firepower in the powerplay and at the death means responsibility will fall to Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen in the middle overs.
If MS Dhoni fancies playing high risk, high reward, then we may see Jadeja's flat, accurate darts in the first six against Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
As for the bowling, Chahal was taken down by Shikhar Dhawan and Prabhsmiran Singh in the Royals' second game, but he and Ashwin are so often indomitable.
The likes of Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Rahane and Moeen will need to be selective in their attacking intent and pick the bowlers to attack.
Matches played: 27
Chennai Super Kings wins: 15
Rajasthan Royals wins: 12
It is forecast to be 35 degrees Celsius and sunny during the day in Chennai before cooling ever so slightly ahead of the first ball being bowled.
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (c), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, Shaik Rasheed, Nishant Sidhu, Kyle Jamieson (injured, replaced by Sisanda Magala), Ajay Mandal, Bhagath Verma
Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Devdutt Padikkal, Jos Buttler, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Prasidh Krishna, Trent Boult, Obed McCoy, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Sen, Kuldip Yadav, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, KC Cariappa, Jason Holder, Donavon Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Adam Zampa, KM Asif, M Ashwin, Akash Vashisht, Abdul PA, Joe Root
*squads are for the 2023 season as a whole and not specific to this match
Ruturaj Gaikwad has scored two half-centuries in three innings [Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images]
Chennai Super Kings: Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Mitchell Santner, Sisanda Magala, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirama
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jason Holder, Trent Boult, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal
Rajasthan Royals are the favourites to win, with odds of 10/11. Chennai Super Kings are available at 1/1.
It's going to be a tight one, with two in-form sides brimming with star quality and experience.
Chennai may feel they have the edge with the home crowd but from a purely cricketing perspective, I have to keep backing Rajasthan Royals: an elite pace and spin attack mixed with gun opening batters and lethal finishers.
In the UK, Sky Sports have exclusive rights to this year's tournament, with matches available on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket.
Fans in India can watch all the action on Star Sports.
Elsewhere in the world, viewers in Australia can watch the IPL on Fox Sports while in New Zealand, Sky Sport will provide coverage.
Willow TV and Flow Sports will broadcast the tournament in the United States and the Caribbean, respectively.
Fans in MENA can catch the action on beIN Sports while in South Africa, SuperSport have the rights.
If you are watching from the Middle East, you'll be able to view the game on Times Internet.
People from Bangladesh can watch the game on Gazi TV.
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