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IPL 2018 CSK vs RR: 5 player battles to look forward to between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals

Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings celebrated the return to their Chennai fortress with a superb win against the Kolkata Knight Riders, but today they will play their first game at their adopted home in Pune, when they take on the Rajasthan Royals tonight.

This is a battle between the 4th and 5th, but CSK seem to be in better shape. They have won 2 out of 3, and while they lost the last game, MS Dhoni’s batting form will be a huge positive for them. On the other hand, RR have lost 2 out of 4, and their efforts in the previous game against KKR was nothing short of limp.

Needless to say, a win is crucial for either team, and as ever, the contest is going to be decided by some head to head battles between the players from either side.

Here is a look at 5 key battles that would have a huge bearing on the outcome of tonight’s game.


#5 Ambati Rayudu vs Dhawal Kulkarni

Australia v India: Carlton Mid ODI Tri Series - Game 5
Ambati Rayudu

The CSK opening batsman might not have scored big in any of the games yet, but he got off to starts (22, 39, 49) in each of the three games, and perhaps today might just be the day that Ambati Rayudu finally delivers. He has a strike rate of 137.50 and is averaging 36.66, getting CSK off to brisk starts in all games.

He will have a good chance of cashing in tonight against RR opening bowler Dhawal Kulkarni, who has still not been at his best yet.

However, it is also important to point out that Kulkarni has been one of the better bowlers in the IPL over the past few seasons. He would definitely need to be at his best tonight so that Rayudu’s opening burst is contained. It promises to be a key opening battle that could well decide the direction of the CSK innings. 

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