Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will face Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Match 62 of IPL 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on May 20 at 7:30 PM IST. While the stakes may not involve a playoff spot, both teams will be desperate to finish a disappointing season on a positive note. With both sides already out of contention, this game becomes more about pride, experimentation, and perhaps offering chances to fringe players.
CSK currently sit at the bottom of the table with just 3 wins from 12 matches. However, they’ll draw some confidence from their recent victory over Kolkata Knight Riders, which broke a string of poor performances. Rajasthan Royals haven’t fared much better, managing only 3 wins in 13 games and enduring a three-match losing streak. They occupy the ninth spot, only marginally better than CSK.
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Sunday’s match at the same venue saw Gujarat Titans chase down 200 with ease, though that was on a batting-friendly surface. Depending on the pitch on match day, strokeplay could be slightly more challenging. Yet, with Delhi’s traditionally short boundaries, attacking cricket is still the way forward. While CSK have historically led the head-to-head with a 16-14 advantage, RR have dominated recent meetings, winning 7 of the last 9 encounters.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
The English duo of Sam Curran and Jamie Overton have not returned to India after the IPL’s mid-season suspension, leaving Punjab’s and Royals’ options thinner. For Rajasthan, one concern is Sanju Samson’s ongoing struggle against spin, particularly against seasoned campaigners like R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Even on a compact ground like Arun Jaitley Stadium, the experienced CSK spin pair could keep Samson quiet during the middle overs.
Probable XII: Ayush Mhatre, Devon Conway, Urvil Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Nathan Ellis/Matheesha Pathirana
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Interestingly, while Jadeja has shown intent with the bat—striking at 145.83 since being promoted to No. 4—his record against spin remains a concern. Since 2020, Jadeja’s strike rate drops to 102.9 against spin, making him a potential target for even part-time options. Although RR’s spin unit has lacked bite this season, Riyan Parag’s occasional off-spin might be used strategically against Jadeja. It’s a minor match-up on paper but could play a key role in controlling CSK’s scoring rate.
Probable XII: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Wanindu Hasaranga, Kwena Maphaka, Tushar Deshpande, Kumar Kartikeya, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Ashok Sharma/Shubham Dubey
Fantasy XI Suggestion 1:
Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal (c), Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Ravindra Jadeja (vc), Riyan Parag, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana, Tushar Deshpande
Fantasy XI Suggestion 2:
Sanju Samson, Devon Conway, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Riyan Parag (c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Noor Ahmad, Matheesha Pathirana
