CSK vs RR IPL 2019 match report: Dhoni's unbeaten 75 helps Chennai to a hat-trick of wins

An undefeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced off an win-less Rajasthan Royals (RR) at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai for the match 12 of IPL 2019 .

RR skipper Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and chose to bowl first. Rajasthan went into the contest with an unchanged XI from its match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

On a slow and low track, CSK had a sedate start to its innings with openers Ambati Rayudu (1) and Shane Watson (13) getting out inside first four overs. Rayudu edged a delivery from Jofra Archer to Jos Buttler while Watson was caught by Archer off a Ben Stokes delivery. Kedar Jadhav too could not get going and was dismissed in the fifth over by Dhawal Kulkarni as he edged a delivery to Buttler.

Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni reconstructed CSK’s innings with a 61-run stand. Raina made 36 off 32 balls before he was clean bowled by Jaydev Unadkat in the 14^th over. Dhoni kept batting in tough conditions and completed his 21^st IPL fifty. Towards the fag end of the innings Dwayne Bravo played a cameo of 27 off 16 balls and was dismissed in the 19 the over by Archer. Dhoni’s late innings pyro techniques- four sixes in 20^th over- propelled CSK to 175/5. Dhoni remained unbeaten on 75 off 46 balls.

Rajasthan’s chase began much like Chennai’s Innings. RR’s top three of Rahane, Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson were back in the dugout inside first overs. Rahane was out on a duck as he was caught by Ravindra jadeja at backward point off a Depak Chahar delivery. Chahar then accounted for Samson‘s (8) wicket as the young batsman was caught by Suresh Raina. Buttler made just 6 before he was caught by Bravo at mid-off on a Shardul Takhur delivery.

In the middle overs Steve Smith and Rahul Tripathi put up a 61-run stand. Imran Tahir was introduced into the attack by Dhoni for the first time in the 10^th over and the leg spinner struck on the last ball of his first over. Tripathi played a ball straight back to Tahir. The 40-year-old spinner then dismissed a well-set Smith (28) in the 14th over.  Smith was caught by substitute fielder Dhruv Shorey at the long-off boundary.  Thakur came back to bowl the 17th over and accounted for the wicket of Krishnappa Gowtham. The RR all-rounder departed after making just 9 off 8 balls as he was caught by Raina at cover. England all-rounder Ben Stokes played a fighting innings of 46 off 26 balls and took the match all the way down to the last over of the match. Bravo bowled the last over and dismissed Stokes off the very first delivery. Shreyas Gopal (0) too perished in the last over trying to play a big shot but was caught by Tahir at third-man.  Archer remained unbeaten on 24 off 11 balls.

In the end RR fell short of CSK's total by 8 runs. Dhoni was the Player of the Match for his match winning innings.

Turning Point of the match

CSK were 147/5 at the start of the last over of its innings still some 15-20 runs short of a comfortable total. Jayadev Unadkat was given the responsibility to bowl the last over with Ravidra Jadeja on strike. At the other end was MS Dhoni. Jadeja and Dhoni blasted Unadkat for 28 runs and powered their team to a competitive 175/5 in 20 overs.

Best Dismissal

Ajinkaya Rahane was dismissed on a duck in the very first over of RR's innings by Deepak Chahar. Rahane looked to drive with hard hands but edged the ball to backward point where an air-borne Ravindra  Jadeja took a great catch just inches off the ground.

Batsman of the match

On a pitch where the likes of Shane Watson, Ajinkya Rahane, Jos Buttler and Steve Smith found it difficult to score runs, MS Dhoni's unbeaten 75 off 46 balls was a masterful innings. Dhoni's innings consisted of four boundaries and four sixes. Three of the four sixes came in the last over. CSK skipper's masterful innings helped his team post a strong total of 175/6 when at one stage the team was struggling at 27/3.

Bowler of the match

Although his performance came in a losing cause but Jofra Archer's spell of 4-1-17-2 was the bowling performance of the match. Archer accounted for the wickets of opener Ambati Rayudu and Dwayne Bravo.

Whats next? 

CSK next meet Mumbai Indians on April 3 in Mumbai's home ground of Wankhade Stadium. CSK would like to keep their winning ways going. RR doesn't have much time to rest as they meet Royal Challengers Bangalore at home on April 2. Both RR and RCB are yet to  get their first win of the season.

Points Table

With three wins off three matches CSK are at the top of the points table with six points. RR are yet to get the first of the season and are struggling at seventh with a NRR of -0575. Check out the updated points table here.