CSK vs RR, Match Highlights: Jos Buttler, Spinners Help Rajasthan Breach Chennai's Fortress, Register 3-Run Win
IPL 2023, CSK vs RR: This was Rajasthan's third win in four matches and one that has taken them to the top of the points table.
Rajasthan Royals defeated the Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai by 3 runs to register their third win of the season on Wednesday. Even though it was CSK who won the toss at their home stadium and invited RR to have a bat first, the inaugural champions posted 175/8 riding on a half-century from Jos Buttler (52 off 36) along with contributions from Devdutt Padikkal (38 off 26), Ravichandran Ashwin (30 off 22) and a brisk unbeaten cameo from Shimron Hetmyer (30* off 18).
In response, Rajasthan even without Trent Boult, who missed out due to niggle, managed to get an early breaththrough with Sandeep Sharma getting rid of Ruturaj Gaikawad. Chennai looked set to be in control of the chase when Ajinkya Rahane (31 off 19) and Devon Conway (50 off 38) were in the middle of a 68-run stand for the second wicket. However, after that CSK kept losing wickets in quick succession with RR spinners taking charge.
Ashwin after his performance with the bat, returned with bowling figures of 2 for 25. Yuzvendra Chahal also scalped 2 wickets, conceding just 27 in his 4 overs. Adam Zampa did concede over 10 runs an over but also picked up a wicket, after having conceded 43 runs in his 4 overs.
In the end, MS Dhoni (32* off 17) and Ravindra Jadeja (25* off 15) did try and brough the Men in Yellow close in what was Dhoni's 200th match as the captain of the franchise but eventually Chennai could not end up on the winning side with Sandeep bowling a superb final ball to defend 5 off the last ball with the master finisher Dhoni on strike. Earlier, Jadeja was also the pick of the bowler for the Men in Yellow as he finished with figures of 2/21.
He had removed Devdutt Padikkal and Sanju Samson off successive balls to put Chennai on top in that phase of the game after Padikkal and Buttler were looking in great touch and produced the highest partnership of the match worth 77 runs from 41 deliveries.