Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings - Indian Premier League Cricket Preview

While Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings have made the early running in this year’s Indian Premier League, the nature of the competition means that there are plenty of opportunities available to reach the knockout stages. Thus, this closely matched encounter between top of the table outfits Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals promises to be one of the most interesting in the competition so far.

Unquestionably, everyone watching the IPL this year will be keen to see the Australian Glenn Maxwell take to the crease. There is usually one dominant batsman in IPL, and the 2014 IPL has been characterised by Maxwell battering the bowling to all corners of every stadium in India. Nearly 150 runs ahead of any other IPL performer other than Dwayne Smith, Maxwell has definitely been the outstanding performer in this year’s competition, and has already made four explosive fifties.

But the aforementioned Smith is on the CSK team, and he has actually gone one better in the fifties department, scoring five already. This is an outstanding performance by a player who has perhaps not lived up to his potential at international level. But T20 cricket certainly suits his style of play, as it does with many of the West Indies players, and this match between Kings XI and Chennai will be seen by many as a shootout between two of its best and most aggressive batsmen.

With Chennai also having the brutal hitting of Brendan McCullum in its line-up, the scorer of the first ever hundred in IPL cricket back in the first ever match, the Super Kings truly have a formidable batting line-up. It’s perhaps not surprising then that CSK are one of the early leaders and in with a very good chance of winning this year’s IPL competition.

This is something that Rajasthan haven’t achieved since the inaugural IPL when Shane Warne helped steer them to victory. But they look to have their best chance since that 2008 IPL iteration this year, thanks to a solid batting line-up built around the talents of Ajinkya Madhukar Rahane, and the wily leg-break bowling of the 41 year-old leggie Pravin Tambe one of the leading wicket-takers and surprise hits of this year’s competition.

Chennai can also call upon the services of a God of Indian cricket in Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and look likely to sustain a genuine title challenge. They look to have a very experienced bowling line-up as well, with Nehra, Sharma and Ashwin at the heart of it, and I certainly think they look a very well balanced line-up on paper.

Rajasthan will be looking for their Aussie dominated top order to take on the lack of place in the Chennai bowling line-up, and it could be a fascinating contest between bat and ball. But I see Chennai Super Kings as the best all-round side in this season’s competition, and I think they are well capable of not merely winning this match but the whole IPL 2014. I’m tipping Chennai to win this one.

Tip: Chennai Super Kings (4/7 with BetVictor)

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13/05/2014     © Frixo 2026