IPL 2023, 17th Match: Rajasthan Royals 175 for 8 (Buttler 52, Padikkal 38, Jadeja 2-21, Deshpande 2-37, Akash 2-40) beat Chennai Super Kings 172 for 6 (Conway 50, Dhoni 32*, Ashwin 2-25, Chahal 2-27) by three runs

It was set up just right. The whistles at Chepauk were getting stronger with every second as MS Dhoni took hits with 21 required off six balls. Sandeep Sharma hit a yorker after two wides, but Dhoni erred in length and hit back-to-back leg-side sixes.

Even after Sandeep went around the wicket and pulled things back, bringing the equation down to five needed off the final ball, Dhoni was leading Chennai Super Kings for the 200th time in the IPL and had the opportunity to write another fairytale. This was still Dhoni’s domain, however Sandeep nailed another ideal yorker from around the stumps and Rajasthan Royals possibly managed with a three-run win to go top of the table after four games.

With Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni still new to the crease, Super Kings needed an unlikely 54 off 18 balls. Dhoni started the attack with a four and a six in Adam Zampa’s last over before Jadeja took over in a 19-run penultimate over bowled by Jason Holder, hitting him for a four and two sixes.

However, Sandeep Sharma nearly maintained his composure, and Royals became the first team this season to defend a total below 190

Ashwin, Chahal, Zampa storm CSK’s spin fortress

In the third over, Super Kings, chasing 176, lost the prolific Ruturaj Gaikwad. However, Devon Conway and Ajinkya Rahane added 68 out of 43 balls to keep the pursuit on target. Rahane, who had scored a bursting 50 years against Mumbai Indians in his last trip, was fast off the blocks once more, getting Jason Holder through midwicket and lurking down the track to store R Ashwin over the long-off limit while hurrying to a 19-ball 31.

In Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Effect Player Adam Zampa, nonetheless, Royals had a twist assault made for Chepauk conditions, and they removed a lot of procurement even with dew beginning to kick in. The Royals’ fortunes changed when Ashwin fired Rahane. Super Kings went from 78 for 1 in the 10th over to 122 for 6 in the 17th.

Zampa gave up 14 runs in the 18th over when Dhoni chased him, but even with that, the Royals’ spinners only gave up 95 runs in 12 overs and took five wickets, while their Super Kings counterparts gave up 84 runs in 10 overs and took three wickets.

Buttler and Padikkal set the tone

Yashasvi Jaiswal has been in great form for Royals this season, and after Super Kings chose to bowl, he hit two fours off the left-arm quick Akash Singh in the first over, threatening to go on another boundary spree in the powerplay. However, in the subsequent over, Jaiswal was bowled out by Tushar Deshpande, Super Kings’ primary bowler in the absence of Deepak Chahar. Royals moved the left-right blend along by advancing Devdutt Padikkal, who passed on the match against Delhi Capitals, to No. 3.

In Maheesh Theekshana’s first game of the season, Padikkal and Jos Buttler hit him for four fours and a six in his first two overs, both inside the powerplay. That got them into groove for a 77-run second-wicket organization off only 41 balls, which took Royals to a considerable 88 for 1 in the 10th over.

Bowlers keep CSK in the game

With the wickets of Padikkal and Sanju Samson taken by Jadeja in just three balls, Super Kings were able to recover, and Royals responded by moving Ashwin up the order, a strategy that is now commonplace. After Royals failed to score in five consecutive overs, the scoring rate dropped for a while before Ashwin ended the streak with a four off Theekshana in the 14th. He then smacked Akash for progressive sixes in the fifteenth, prior to falling later in the over for a 22-ball 30.

When Buttler lost Padikkal, he was 34 off 17 but didn’t hit another boundary, ending up with a 52 off 36 balls. He also scored 3,000 runs in the Indian Premier League, becoming the third fastest player to do so in terms of innings played.

Shimron Hetmyer entered at about his preferred time, with five overs remaining, despite the Ashwin promotion’s apparent intent to delay his entry. He contributed in the end with an unbeaten 30 off 18, but Royals only managed 40 in their final five overs due to a lack of support from the other end.

They ended the game on 175 for 8, having appeared on track for 200 at one point. In the final over, Deshpande bowled out Holder and Zampa.

Impact Player Strategy

Royals acquired Zampa as their Effect Player: he left to bat at No. 10 to confront the last wad of their innings, supplanting Buttler. The finger injury Buttler got before in the opposition might have had an impact in his evacuation. Sisanda Magala was injured while taking the catch to dismiss Ashwin, and Super Kings yanked him off after his two overs totaled 14 runs. Ambati Rayudu, who batted for the Super Kings at No. 6 and endured only two balls.