Chennai Super Kings will look to consolidate their position at the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 table when they take on Rajasthan Royals in a crucial encounter in Jaipur on Thursday. The MS Dhoni-led side have been extremely impressive in the competition so far and they secured the top spot with a comprehensive win over Kolkata Knight Riders. Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube were the star performers with the bat, while Mahesh Thikshana and Mathisha Pathirana did well with the ball as the four-time champions looked extremely comfortable in that clash.
Against RR, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway are once again expected to open the batting. Both the batsmen have enjoyed good form so far and will be instrumental in laying the foundation for a big innings. The in-form Rahane will bat at No.3 and currently enjoys the best strike rate in the competition. Shivam Dube and Moeen Ali will star in the CSK middle order.
Ravindra Jadeja will be the key all-rounder in the lower middle order and Dhoni will come out to bat in the death overs of the match his crucial runs have proved valuable for his team so far.
In the bowling department, Tikshana will be the spin option, with Pathirana, Akash Singh, and Tushar Deshpande strong but a little weak in terms of experience.
CDK’s predicted XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Tushar Deshpande, Mahesh Thikshana, Mathisha Pathirana, Akash Singh