- CSK thrashed RR by 64 runs in their early-season meeting
- RR are heading into the match on the back of a 15-run win over KXIP
- The Royals will don pink jersey on Friday as part of a cancer awareness campaign
Rajasthan Royals (RR) host Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a must-win Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday, May 11.
RR vs CSK: How to watch it live?
The 43rd match of IPL 2018 will start at 8 pm IST, 3:30 pm BST.
Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports 1 Hindi, and Star Sports Select 1 will provide live television coverage of the match. The live stream will be available on Hotstar.
CSK vs RR - Preview
The Super Kings will become the second team to qualify for the playoffs of the ongoing season after Sunrisers Hyderabad, but only if they manage two points against the Royals in this match.
MS Dhoni's men are heading into the match on the back of a five-day break. In their last league outing (on May 5), they had demolished Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by six wickets at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
The rejuvenated Chennai unit hope to seal their qualification as early as Friday and not leave it to their last three games. Notably, CSK are sitting on the second spot with 14 points from 10 matches.
Meanwhile, the Royals who are placed sixth with eight points from 10 games, cannot afford another defeat if they are to keep their chances alive.
CSK star as favorites
CSK will start as favorites, given their positive head-to-head record (12-6) against the RR. A Shane Watson ton set up a massive 64 run-win for the visitors the last time they meet the Royals in Pune, on April 20.
However, the wicket in Jaipur seems to be bowler-friendly in the ongoing season. The Royals were able to defend a 158-run total in their last outing at the venue against the Kings XI Punjab on Tuesday, May 8.
On what could be described as a slowish surface, Andrew Tye, with his umpteen variations, posed a lot of trouble to the Kings XI big-hitters. Off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham also shone with a two-wicket haul.
Despite having found success as recently as Tuesday, the Royals need to be at their best against the Super Kings, who have an all-condition batting unit.
On the contrary, Rajasthan Royals have been too reliant on opener Jos Buttler, who has hit three half-centuries on the trot. The likes of skipper Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes, and Sanju Samson need to step up if they are to pose a challenge to high-flying CSK.
CSK will be handed a huge boost if fast bowler Deepak Chahar, who has been on the road to recovery after suffering a hamstring injury last month, gets fit in time for Friday's outing.
RR vs CSK - Team News
Rajasthan Royals possible playing XI: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson (wk), Ben Stokes, Mahipal Lomror, Stuart Binny, K Gowtham, Ish Sodhi, Jofra Archer, Jaydev Unadkat, Dhawal Kulkarni.
Chennai Super Kings possible playing XI: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Dhruv Shorey, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Deepak Chahar, Lungi Ngidi
IPL 2018 global TV listings and live streams
UK: TV - Sky Sports; Live stream - skysports.com, Sky Go
USA: Willow, Hotstar
Pakistan: TV - Geo Super; Live stream - www.geosuper.tv, www.geo.tv
