CSK face RR in battle of laggards

New Delhi: The contest between laggards Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals holds no significance in the context of the play-offs, but both teams will aim to accelerate their rebuilding process with the MS Dhoni-led side looking to transform itself.

Tuesday’s match is last of the 2025 edition for the Royals, who have nothing to savour except finding exceptional talent in Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who forced the cricket world to take note of his unexpected coruscating show.

The bad bowling picks at the auction has hurt the Jaipur-based side the most apart from a non-impressive show by the middle order.

If they are at No. 9 in the table out of the 10 teams, mostly it has been because of a mediocre show by their bowlers and over dependence on top-order batters.

Letting go of Jos Buttler from the squad and not-so-impressive show from Jofra Archer left the Royals with plenty to contend with. The absence of a premier Indian bowler who could put the opposition under the pump has been their biggest bane.

If Mumbai Indians were able to revive their fortunes, it was because they had Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. If Gujarat Titans are a force to reckon with, it is because Mohammad Siraj and Prasidh Krishna have done their job, sharing over 30 wickets between them — even on punishing flat Indian tracks.

Royals never had that cushion or luxury. They did cherish a few fiery starts, like the one on Sunday against Punjab Kings when they scored 70-plus runs in the first five overs, but still found a way to lose the contest. This has been their story this season. They can only play for pride and end on a high, avoid the wooden spoon by winning Tuesday match against a side that has already gone into transformation process.

The formula of packing the side with and relying on tried-and-tested players has proven outdated, severely hampering CSK’s performance this season. CSK have expected too much from Rahul Tripathy and Deepak Hooda.