Following their five-wicket defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson admitted his side aimed for a higher total around 170 after batting first at Chepauk on May 12. RR could only post a total of 141/5 which was easily chased down by CSK with five wickets intact. Samson anticipated the pitch to slow down in the second innings, aiding their bowling attack. However, their plan was thwarted by a fighting knock from Chennai Super Kings' skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and a crucial three-wicket haul from pacer Simarjeet Singh. Ultimately, CSK secured a convincing five-wicket victory over the Royals.
Sanju Samson rues RR's loss
After the match, in the post-match presentation, Samson said:
"I think after the powerplay, the message was the wicket was slow and two-paced. The bounce was also not as much as we expected. When I was batting in the middle, the score I was expecting was around 170. We were 20-25 runs short. We tried our best, they knew the conditions and they bowled smartly. Simarjeet bowled well today. We are not very sure what to expect in away games. Looking at the venue, we thought batting first might be better. I think when you have a score to chase, on these wickets, they had a better idea and a better hand in this."
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"We expected it to be slower in the second innings but it was a touch better. When you play here in night games, it is a no-brainer (to chase) with all the dew coming in. The summer is getting hotter in India and as the wicket heats up, I was expecting it to slow down.
They also batted well. The way the game went to the 18th over, the wicket was tough to bat on. It is very normal to keep thinking about the qualification at this stage. The conversations we are having are to control what we can do. At the team brief, I will probably ask them to continue the process and hope to get on the better side next game," Samson added.
RR batters struggle on a tough pitch
Rajasthan Royals, after winning the toss, opted to bat first. However, the going was tough on a challenging surface, restricting their scoring potential.
Despite a promising 43-run opening partnership between Yashasvi Jaiswal (24 runs off 21 balls) and Jos Buttler (21 runs off 25 balls), the middle order faltered. It was only late cameos from Riyan Parag (47* off 35 balls) and Dhruv Jurel (28 off 18 balls) that propelled RR to a somewhat respectable total of 141 for 5 wickets in their 20 overs. Credit for restricting the Royals goes to the CSK bowlers, with Simarjeet Singh picking up 3 wickets for 26 runs and Tushar Deshpande chipping in with 2 wickets for 30 runs.
CSK cruise to victory despite stuttering start
Chasing a modest target of 142 runs, CSK witnessed wickets fall at regular intervals. However, composed knocks from skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (42* off 41 balls) and contributions from Rachin Ravindra (27 off 18 balls) and Daryl Mitchell (22 off 13 balls) ensured a comfortable five-wicket victory with 1.8 overs to spare. While wickets fell, CSK's batting line-up displayed enough depth to chase down the target with ease. Ravichandran Ashwin emerged as the most successful bowler for RR, picking up wickets but unable to prevent the inevitable defeat. For his stellar performance with the ball, including a three-wicket haul, Simarjeet Singh was deservedly awarded the 'Player of the Match' title. This victory propels CSK to the third spot in the points table with 14 points (7 wins, 6 losses). Rajasthan Royals remain in second place despite the loss, sitting comfortably with 18 points (8 wins, 4 losses).
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