IPL 2018, CSK vs KXIP: 5 players battles to look forward to

By the time the game begins, the Kings XI Punjab will have known their fate in this season’s IPL. If Mumbai Indians win in the afternoon game, then they are out but it Delhi Daredevils manage to beat the defending champions, then KXIP will have to win their game and hope to upstage Rajasthan Royals' net run rate. Either way, Ravichandran Ashwin’s team would still want to win their last game, considering the fact that it is their poor recent form (three losses in last three) that has landed them in this predicament.

Their opponents tonight are the Chennai Super Kings and after their surprise defeat to DD in the previous game, Dhoni would want his team to sign off with a victory as well. The result of the game would ultimately depend on some of the individual battles that will take place tonight and here is a look at the 5 most important ones.

#5 Ambati Rayudu v Ravichandran Ashwin

CSK have been brilliantly served by their opening batsman Ambati Rayudu and he has almost always succeeded in getting the team off to excellent starts. He is their top-scorer with 585 runs and has recorded an average of 48.75, to go along with a strike rate of 155.23. If KXIP are to have any chance of winning this game, then they must keep him quiet or better still, get his wicket.

The man for the job could well be their captain Ravichandran Ashwin, who has an excellent record against him. In the 57 deliveries that he has bowled to Rayudu in the IPL, Ashwin has dismissed on four occasions and has only given away 64 runs. In the possible absence of their best bowler, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, KXIP’s captain would have to rise to the occasion and tackle the threat posed by the CSK player. It is going to be an absorbing contest.