New Delhi, May 20 (HS): The playoff hopes of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals have long been extinguished in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Both teams will now take the field at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi only for the sake of honor.

The biggest question in this match will be—who can escape the bottom position of the season, also known as the ‘wooden spoon’?

The season’s narrative for CSK and Rajasthan Royals has ended similarly, but their paths have been quite different. Rajasthan Royals lost four matches that were within their grasp, while Chennai’s team has remained merely a shadow of its glorious history. This has perhaps been the franchise’s most disappointing performance to date.

While there is no significant motivation left at the team level, this match could prove crucial for individual performances of several players. Young players and star players on the sidelines will have another opportunity to prove themselves, making this ‘dead rubber’ match worth watching.

In the previous match at this venue, Gujarat Titans easily achieved a target of 200. Although changes in the pitch conditions are possible, aggressive batting is generally favored here.

In head-to-head statistics, CSK has a slight edge over Rajasthan at 16-14, but since 2020, Rajasthan has won 7 out of 9 matches against Chennai.

Rajasthan’s captain, Sanju Samson, has not been able to play with a high strike rate against Chennai’s spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja. Despite the smaller ground, this pair could trouble him.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar