Chennai Super Kings have already started their IPL 2020 campaign on an impressive note with a win against defending champions Mumbai Indians by five wickets on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. On Tuesday, as they head to Sharjah, MS Dhoni's men would be looking to make it two in two and take an early lead in the points table. Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, are yet to start their campaign in the UAE, and would hence look to make a winning start. However, heading into the evening, they have already been troubled over the unavailability of Ben Stokes, while Jos Buttler too will miss out the opener owing to quarantine measures. Although captain Steve Smith has been declared fit for the CSK tie.
Head-to-head tie: Chennai Super Kings have a dominating record against Rajasthan, winning 64 per cent of their total 14 T20 encounters - 14 wins and eight defeats. And since 2018, Chennai have won three of their four meetings. But Rajasthan Royals, who will be considered as the home team on Tuesday in Sharjah, have an overwhelming record as the hosts team winning 67 per cent of their games.
Away from home and at neutral venues: At Chepauk, against Chennai, Rajasthan have managed only a solitary win in seven encounters. And at neutral venues, the Royals have picked up four wins in eight matches.
Crucial stats...
- Rajasthan Royals will dearly miss Buttler in the opener, who has been a key reason behind RR's impressive powerplay batting average last year. The England wicketkeeper-batsman averages 62 in the powerplay while scoring at 9.54 runs an over in the phase.
- David Miller will be a key batsman for Rajasthan in the middle over. He had the third-highest strike rate in the UAE-leg of IPL 2014 among batters with 100-plus runs in five league games.
- In the bowling department, Jofra Archer will be a key bowler with the new ball given his good record against Shane Watson and Ambati Rayudu. The English pacer has dismissed the Aussie once and git rid of Rayudu twice. Rajasthan had an economy rate of 11.33 in the death overs last season. Archer might prove to be a solution for that issue as well as he has an economy rate of 8.15 in that phase - the third best among bowlers. His strike rate is 12.6 in the death overs.
- The average first innings score at the Sharjah Stadium since 2019 is 162. Team batting first at the venue have won 62 per cent of the matches in the last 10 years. Fast bowlers and medium pacers average less than pacers but at a more economy rate.
