CSK VS RR MATCH 61

Right then, that's all from this entertaining game where Chennai came out on top in their last league stage at home. On the other hand, Rajasthan will have to wait to get the 'Q' next to their name, and as it stands, Kolkata are the only team to have made it to the playoffs yet. The action on this Super Sunday continues as the second game of the day between Bengaluru and Delhi has already started. Switch tabs and join us for all the action there. Cheers!

Simarjeet Singh is the Player of the Match for his fine spell with the ball. He says that he is thankful to the management. Adds that the physio and trainer treated him well over the last year and he feels blessed. Mentions that bowling after the powerplay was a part of the plan and he and the skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, decided on the lengths to bowl after the powerplay was done. Ends by sharing that he is happy to play for Chennai.

The captain of Chennai, Ruturaj Gaikwad says that it is a wonderful feeling to get the win in the last home game of the league stage. Shares that his job was to rotate the strike and stay till the end. Feels that one or two wickets can allow the opposition to get back into the game and it was important for him to bat through. Tells that they would love to play on such wickets where their spinners get into the game. Mentions that their plan was to bowl into the pitch on this surface.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Daryl Mitchell is in for a chat. He says that it is nice to get the win on a slow track. Feels that the way they bowled in the Powerplay was exemplary. Adds that the spinners in the middle phase did a great job. Shares that the talk was about maximizing the Powerplay and it was awesome that Ruturaj Gaikwad managed to get the job done. Reckons that communicating with your partner is key and it is important to constantly adapt. Ends by saying that he feels lucky to play in front of this crowd.

Sanju Samson, the skipper of Rajasthan, says that the wicket was slow and two paced. Shares that the ball was not coming as they expected. Adds that they were targeting 170 and fell around 25 runs short. Lauds Simarjeet Singh who bowled well for Chennai. States that they were not sure about the wicket in away games so batting first made sense to them. He felt that the wicket might slow up in the second innings but it played much better. Mentions that during the day games, the wicket gets heated up but Chennai batted well. Adds that they are focussing on things in their control. Shares that things haven’t gone their way in the last three games but they are playing well and need to follow the process. Ends by saying that he is hoping for a better result in the next game.

Earlier in the day, Sanju Samson called it right and opted to put runs on the board, but Rajasthan's innings never really took off. The visitors were off to a conservative start as Jos Buttler and Yashasvi Jaiswal found it hard to get the ball away in the first three overs or so. With only 42 runs in the Powerplay, both batters felt the need to get a move on and perished in their quest to do so. Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson were content with picking the ones and twos before the latter suffered the same fate as the two openers. Dropped when he was on 15, Parag held one end up for his side. Coming in at number 5, Dhruv Jurel injected some much-needed impetus into the innings. He could not bat through, but Parag did and helped Rajasthan reach 141 with an unbeaten 47-run knock. For Chennai, Simarjeet Singh was the star with the ball, exploiting the conditions perfectly to dismiss Rajasthan's top three. Tushar Deshpande played his part too, and more importantly, during the death overs, to deny Rajasthan the finishing kick they were after.

As for Rajasthan, they fought hard with the ball but just did not have enough runs on the board. Sanju Samson-led unit have suffered their third successive defeat and their campaign seems to be derailing towards the business end of the competition. That said, they continue to hold the second place in the points table but a win here in Chennai would have helped them book their place in the playoffs. Trent Boult bowled a tidy first over but could not back it up in the following over while his new ball partner, Sandeep Sharma was expensive in his first couple of overs. Ravichandran Ashwin helped them break the opening stand but they could not really build on that scalp. Ashwin, Chahal and Burger chipped away at the wickets in the middle phase but they were not able to keep the pressure on for prolonged periods and eventually ended up on the losing side.

CHENNAI RETURN HOME AND RETURN TO WINNING WAYS! With 14 points, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Co. climb to third spot in the standings and inch closer to qualifying for the playoffs. In pursuit of 142 runs, Chennai were off to a brisk start. While Ruturaj Gaikwad was happy to knock it around, Rachin Ravindra and Daryl Mitchell had only intent on their minds and took their chances. Neither of the two Kiwis could kick on and get a big score, but Gaikwad held the fort. Moeen Ali had a scratch stay at the crease, and it looked like Rajasthan would claw their way back into the game. Shivam Dube took the wind out of their sails, and although his stay was short, he made sure that Chennai were ahead of the rate. Ravindra Jadeja fell on 5 as he deliberately got in the way of a throw from Sanju Samson, but his dismissal did not derail Chennai's chase as the Impact Player, Sameer Rizvi, along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, ensured there were no more hiccups in the chase.

FOUR! That's it! Sameer Rizvi finishes off with a boundary! A wide full toss, Sameer Rizvi reaches out to it again and steers it through point for another boundary! Chennai beat Rajasthan by 5 wickets!

FOUR! Scores level now! A half-tracker from Trent Boult, around off, and Sameer Rizvi is very severe on it. He reaches out and drills it through covers for a boundary.

Too short and on middle, Ruturaj Gaikwad leaves it alone. Just 5 needed now!

Fuller one, just outside off, Ruturaj Gaikwad looks to push it but misses.

SIX! Right out of the screws! Shorter and on middle, Ruturaj Gaikwad swivels and pulls it all the way over deep square leg for a maximum!

Slower one, outside off, Sameer Rizvi steers it to deep backward point for one.

Oh! Length and outside off, it shapes in a touch, Sameer Rizvi looks to guide it but gets beaten.

Fuller one, on middle, Ruturaj Gaikwad eases it to mid on for one.