Dhruv Jurel returned for the Royals while Maheesh Theekshana will be boosting the Super Kings bowling line up as the Sri Lankan replaced Mitchell Santner.

CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad said that he will open alongside Rachin Ravindra meaning veteran Ajinkya Rahane's poor stretch of form has cost him his place in the side.

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Rachin Ravindra, Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w), Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh, Maheesh Theekshana

Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson(w/c), Riyan Parag, Shubham Dubey, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Sandeep Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal

Rajasthan Royals Impact Subs: Rovman Powell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Nandre Burger, Tanush Kotian, Keshav Maharaj

Chennai Super Kings Impact Subs: Ajinkya Rahane, Sameer Rizvi, Prashant Solanki, Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary

Chennai Super Kings face a tough challenge from Rajasthan Royals as they look to find some momentum to make a decisive run to the Indian Premier League 2024 playoffs.

The two teams meet for the first time this season on Sunday afternoon at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

The Royals are sitting at the second spot in the table separated from Kolkata Knight Riders by virtue of net run rate. The Sanju Samson-led side has eight wins and three losses in their 11 games but have still not confirmed their entry into the final 4.

A win against CSK on Sunday will not just boost their playoff chances but will also help them finish in the top 2.

CSK have six wins and six losses and have struggled for consistency this season. A strong finish to the league stage is what their fans would be hoping for.

A loss against RR could really damage their prospects and put them at the mercy of others if they want to go to the knockouts.