Struggling Chennai Face Royals Test

Ahemdabad: On a roll with three successive wins, Rajasthan Royals will strive to carry on the momentum while snapping the three-match losing streak will be high on Chennai Super Kings' agenda when the teams clash in an Indian Premier League match on Sunday.

The Shane Warne-led side started their IPL campaign on a dismal note losing three matches on the trot, but recaptured their rhythm of late and are now sitting third in the points tally with three wins from six outings.

On the other hand, Chennai is lacking the consistency and are now placed sixth in the points tally with two wins from six matches.

After losing the first match to Deccan Chargers, they got their momentum back and registered two successive victories over Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils respectively. But soon they slumped to three more defeats.

With all-rounder Yusuf Pathan in stupendous form, the Rajasthan batting line-up is going all guns blazing.

Yusuf, who cracked an unbeaten 34-ball 73 during their comprehensive eight-wicket win over Deccan on Friday, is the backbone of Rajasthan batting order.

Besides, Englishman Michael Lumb who struck a 32-ball 45 against the Hyderabad side, and Naman Ojha have produced some solid opening stands for the Rajasthan side and the team will expect another rollicking start against Chennai on Sunday.

Their batting order also has players like Adam Voges and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala down the order, who are able to repair Rajasthan innings in case of any initial hiccup.

Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait will lead the Rajasthan bowling charge, while skipper Warne and Sumit Narwal will be there to help him.

Tait, who took three wickets in the last match, has an unmatched ability to produce timely breakthroughs, while Delhi Ranji Trophy pacer Narwal has also impressed with his bowling.

On the other hand, despite regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's return, things are not going the right way for Chennai Super Kings.

Their batting line-up, which boasts of Australian Matthew Hayden and Suresh Raina, impressed in the last match against Mumbai Indians.

In that match, Chennai had piled up a challenging 180 and also they have to repeat the performance to set or chase down a stiff target.

Dhoni himself is there to strengthen the middle order along with Albie Morkel and Sri Lankan Thissara Perera.

Sri Lankan spin great Muttiah Muralitharan has to fetch from his experience while others like Morkel and Lakshmipathy Balaji will have to fire in unison to make the Rajasthan Royal batsmen's life miserable

Team from

Rajasthan Royals: SK Warne (capt), SA Asnodkar, J Botha, FY Fazal, AA Jhunjhunwala, Kamran Khan, MJ Lumb, DR Martyn, AD Mascarenhas, M Morkel, S Narwal, NV Ojha (wk), MM Patel, YK Pathan, AG Paunikar (wk), SA Quadri, AS Raut, A Singh, GC Smith, SW Tait, SK Trivedi, A Uniyal, SB Wagh

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), R Ashwin, HK Badani, S Badrinath, GJ Bailey, L Balaji, C Ganapathy, MS Gony, ML Hayden, MEK Hussey, SB Jakati, AB Karthik, JM Kemp, JA Morkel, M Muralitharan, M Ntini, JDP Oram, PA Patel (wk), NLTC Perera, SK Raina, T Thushara, S Tyagi, M Vijay 

Stats and trivia

• Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa are the only batsman in the tournament (min 50 runs) to have hit more sixes than fours
• Suresh Raina has taken the most catches in the competition - six.
• Rajasthan won all matches between the two teams in the first season, including the final, but Chennai beat them easily in both games in South Africa - first by 38 runs and then by seven wickets.

Match facts
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Start time 16:00 local (10:30 GMT)