Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has previewed the much-anticipated contest between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings to be played at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday, May 20. If the Royals beat CSK, they will be able to finish in the top two and get two opportunities at winning the IPL title. This is the first time both these teams are playing each other in IPL 2022.
A win against CSK will help RR to finish in the top two courtesy of a better NRR than LSG. Talking to Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh said that the Royals will be disappointed if they fail to win against CSK which will deny them a second chance at the title. If the Royals lose the game, they will play the Eliminator against the fourth-ranked team.
Beating Chennai Super Kings Is Never Easy: Harbhajan Singh
“It is a golden chance for Rajasthan Royals to finish in the top two and give them an extra shot at fighting for the trophy. Beating Chennai Super Kings is never easy for any team but Royals will be disappointed if they fail to win as they’ll lose the opportunity” said Harbhajan.
Former South African skipper Graeme Smith who was a part of that discussion as well believes that the Royals will need to be good in all departments and Jos Buttler will need to score crucial runs with the bat.
“Jos Buttler should look to get another big knock under the belt. We’ve all talked about the importance of finishing in the top two and giving yourself an extra chance of playing in the knockouts. So that will be key for Rajasthan as well. They’ve played good cricket, they’ve found the form” Smith stated.
Smith further said that the Royals would benefit from the return of Shimron Hetmyer who missed a couple of matches due to the birth of his child.
“Hetmyer is back after the birth of his first child so that’s a positive. They would just be hoping that they click in all the departments against CSK. The top two will need to give them a good start” he further added.
Also Read: IPL 2022: Give Yourself An Extra Chance – Graeme Smith Reckons RR Should Push Hard For Top-2 Finish