CSK vs RR Rivalry: Four Memorable Encounters

The CSK vs RR rivalry is one which goes back a long way but is often unspoken about. Both sides were in the first ever IPL Final, both have trophies and both teams have a handful of wins against each other. While the Rajasthan Royals may not have the best record overall in the IPL, they have often come out on top against the Chennai Super Kings when not many sides expected them too.

CSK vs RR, IPL Finals 2008

The first thrilling encounter between the two sides was the 2008 IPL Finals. RR came into the match as underdogs against a side full of superstars. Having won the toss and choosing to chase, RR conceded 163 runs. Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni threatened to take the game away from the Royals as both got decent starts, while Dhoni gave a strong finishing kick.

With a stiff chase in a high-pressure game at that time, Yusuf Pathan bailed the Rajasthan Royals out. He made a half-century, while Shane Warne took his side home on the last ball of the game, capping off a thrilling CSK vs RR encounter.

CSK vs RR, Chennai 2010

CSK came into the game against Rajasthan Royals with a lot of work to do. They needed a string of wins to qualify and had lost their previous encounter against the Royals in the same season. With a tough ask ahead though, the Chennai Super Kings batting line-up stepped up and did the job for the Chennai Super Kings. Murali Vijay came out that day and batted the Royals out of the game. He scored 127 runs in an innings with 11 hits over the boundary, and his partnership with Albie Morkel took the Chennai Super Kings to a mammoth 246.

The score was big, but the game was not over yet. The Rajasthan Royals showed some fight themselves and made a valiant effort to reach the target. Naman Ojha responded to Murali Vijay with a 94 of his own while Shane Watson matched Albie Morkel with a 25 ball 60. The knocks though were not enough as lack of contributions from the others saw RR fall 23 runs short in this CSK vs RR encounter.

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CSK vs RR Pune 2018

Unlike in 2010, this time around Rajasthan Royals were in need of a desperate turnaround. They came into this game needing a string of wins to qualify and were made to field first. Like in 2008, Suresh Raina threatened to take the game away from Rajasthan while MS Dhoni gave a finishing kick of his own. The Chennai Super Kings though were restricted in the middle-overs thanks to Ish Sodhi and eventually ended at 176.

The target was still a steep one on a slow Pune track. Jos Buttler though, promoted up the order played an innings that changed his career. He attacked and batted till the last over to seal the game in the penultimate ball. He finished with 95, and his tournament took an upward curve from that game as he cemented his spot as an opener for both Rajasthan and England.

CSK vs RR, Jaipur 2019

The CSK vs RR game in 2019 saw one of the more controversial IPL events take place. The game was a nail-biter, overshadowed by an event in the final over. Chasing 151, CSK made a meal of the chase losing four early wickets. A partnership which saw Rayudu and Dhoni make fifties bought CSK back in the game, but the task was still a stiff one as the game reached its final over.

With 18 needed of six balls, Ben Stokes probably bowled one of the most eventful final overs in the IPL. The first ball saw Ravindra Jadeja hit a six as he and Ben Stokes both fell onto the pitch during the delivery. There was a no-ball and then a perfect Yorker which saw Dhoni get bowled. The very next ball, there was another controversy as a no-ball was called by one umpire for height, while the square leg umpire said it wasn’t a no-ball.

Amid all the confusion, MS Dhoni walked out to see what was going on and in the end the no-ball was revoked. With three needed of the final delivery, Mitchell Santner cleared the ropes, sealing what was a very thrilling encounter between the two sides.