KL Rahul and MS Dhoni play very different roles for their respective franchises. The top two spots in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) have been ascertained, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) yesterday. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will try to keep their position beyond doubt and will probably top the table if they take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their 53rd match on Thursday, October 7.

Despite being one of the best teams in the competition, CSK has lost each of their last two matches. Delhi Capitals crossed the line in a thriller before Rajasthan Royals beat them by seven wickets. But the Men in Yellow have rested and rotated well in the last two games and will look to get their 'A' game ahead of the playoffs.

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While PBKS has not been officially scrapped from IPL 2021, only a mathematical miracle can save them from another league stage exit. The perennial underachievers in the IPL have gone L, W, L, W, and L in the UAE stage of the tournament and are sixth with five wins from 13 matches and a negative run rate. They would like to give some of their fringe players a chance to impress.

In the first meeting between the two sides in IPL 2021, CSK Cruise won by six wickets with 26 balls to spare? PBKS managed only 106/8 in an embarrassing batting performance, which was slightly salvaged by Shah Rukh Khan's 47, with Deepak Chahar taking four wickets in the powerplay.

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A CSK executive recently claimed that MS Dhoni is not planning to retire any time soon, and the person himself hinted at saying that the team's fans will see him in action at Chepauk in the future.

While there are question marks over Dhoni's batting form, he remains arguably CSK's most important player. His exceptional handling of an average bowling attack, coupled with several tactical changes to the batting order, has helped the three-time champions punch above their weight.

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Suresh Raina missed the previous game with a knee issue, and Robin Uthappa did not set IPL 2021 on fire in his first outing of the season. Will Dhoni keep his faith in Raina or will Uthappa be given another chance to impress? Whatever happens, the opening combination will be much more important than the middle order structure.

Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi may have to work their magic early in the powerplays, with Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad scoring brilliant runs. KL Rahul will have a powerplay threat of his own to counter. Deepak Chahar sliced through the PBKS batting order earlier in the season and is due for a good run.

CSK rarely loses two in a row, and losing three in a row is almost unheard of for them. The Men in Yellow could be backed to make some small adjustments in their batting order and come up with a pace-inducing win before IPL 2021 promises to be an exciting conclusion.

Prediction: CSK to win Match 53 of IPL 2021

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