May 20, 2025
Two teams. One last hurrah. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), languishing at the bottom of the IPL 2025 standings, face off in Delhi on Tuesday in what promises to be a showdown of pride, promise, and planning for the road ahead.
This match was originally scheduled for Chennai, which led to the inevitable speculation: Have fans already seen the last of MS Dhoni at Chepauk? As uncertainty looms over his future, the spotlight turns to what’s left of CSK’s campaign — and what’s to come next.
While both teams have endured disappointing seasons, Tuesday offers more than just a fight to avoid finishing last. For RR, it’s their final game of the season, and a defeat would consign them to the wooden spoon — only the second time in franchise history, the first being in 2020.
Despite the setbacks, there have been green shoots. CSK have unearthed talent like Dewald Brevis and Ayush Mhatre, while RR can take heart in the fearless batting of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi and the leadership potential shown by Riyan Parag.
Recent Form
CSK: W L L L L
RR: L L L W L
Players to Watch
Noor Ahmad (CSK):
The 20-year-old Afghan wristspinner has been CSK’s biggest positive this season, with 20 wickets — the second-highest tally this IPL. His all-phase effectiveness was on display against KKR, where he took four scalps across the middle and death overs. Among bowlers with 15+ wickets, Noor boasts the best average (17.25), marking him as a player CSK could build their future around.
Riyan Parag (RR):
Parag’s development has been a silver lining in RR’s campaign. He’s on the brink of another 400-run season and has shown maturity with the bat and as a stand-in captain. With the 2026 T20 World Cup on home soil approaching, Parag will hope to sign off with a standout knock.
Probable XIs
Chennai Super Kings
- Ayush Mhatre
- Urvil Patel
- Devon Conway
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Dewald Brevis
- Shivam Dube
- R Ashwin
- MS Dhoni (capt & wk)
- Anshul Kamboj
- Noor Ahmad
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Matheesha Pathirana
Rajasthan Royals
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi
- Sanju Samson (capt & wk)
- Riyan Parag
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Dhruv Jurel
- Shubham Dubey
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Kwena Maphaka
- Tushar Deshpande
- Akash Madhwal
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
It remains to be seen if young South African batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius gets a debut opportunity.
For all his T20 pedigree, Wanindu Hasaranga has struggled. With just 10 wickets at an average of 34.40, the Sri Lankan star has been unable to deliver the incisive spells RR would have banked on. R Ashwin’s numbers for CSK are even starker — just five wickets in eight games at 48.40 apiece.
Delhi Conditions
Arun Jaitley Stadium has been a batting haven this season. With five matches already played, the average first-innings score sits at 192. Dew, short boundaries, and a hot evening point toward another high-scoring contest. Gujarat Titans chased 200 with ease here just days ago.
Key Stats
- CSK and RR have met 31 times in the IPL; CSK lead 16-15.
- CSK’s top three have collectively averaged just 23.68 — the lowest in the league.
- RR’s bowlers have the worst average (44.84) and economy (10.02) of all teams this season.
Prediction
Back the home side to get the advantage of RR in front of the home fans.