(Cricket news) The first two finalists of the first IPL are set to face each other in a top of the table clash at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. CSK after a tough last season, have become the most explosive team with the bat this season. Their pace bowling is a bit weak but they are posting big totals which gives the added luxury to the bowlers. Even though they might be among the top teams on the table, Royals are under threat of losing momentum this season after two successive losses.

Royals’ have used Jason Holder the batter rarely as it remains a mystery why the team management is not sending him up the order, he has just faced two balls in seven matches, and has been sent behind R Ashwin regularly. Last match when they needed 10 off two balls in the as even Ashwin was dismissed, they chose to send Abdul Basith, an IPL debutant with a highest T20 score of 27, ahead of T20 World Cup winner in Holder.

Rajasthan Royals

The last match in Jaipur the pitch was extremely slow and scoring was difficult. The pitch is going to be somewhat similar as Royals might want to include Adam Zampa instead of Holder who they have used just as a specialist bowler.

Possible XII: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Jos Butter, 3 Sanju Samson (capt. & wk), 4 Devdutt Padikkal, 5 Riyan Parag, 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Dhruv Jurel 8 R Ashwin, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Yuzvendra Chahal, 11 Sandeep Sharma, 12 Adam Zampa/ Jason Holder

Chennai Super Kings

CSK will most likely play the same team as they have found a fixed combination in the last three matches. But knowing the Jaipur pitch there might be a temptation to go in with Mitchell Santner in place of Matheesha Pathirana. Ambati Rayudu will continue as the impact player in the side.

Possible XII: 1 Devon Conway, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3 Ajinkya Rahane, 4 Moeen Ali, 5 Shivam Dube 6 Ambati Rayudu 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), 9 Matheesha Pathirana/ Mitchell Santner, 10 Tushar Deshpande, 11 Maheesh Theekshana, 12 Akash Singh

Also read: “It’s encouraging to see Devon Conway assume the reins as the senior CSK batter” – Matthew Hayden