MS Dhoni's 200th game as Chennai captain ends in tense defeat to Rajasthan

Wicketkeeper-batsman's unbeaten 32 off 17 balls not quite enough as Super Kings fall to three-run loss

MS Dhoni's late-innings knock was not quite enough to prevent Chennai Super Kings falling to defeat against Rajasthan Royals. AP

MS Dhoni marked his 200th match as Chennai Super Kings captain with a brisk 32 not out off 17 balls but it was not quite enough to avoid defeat as the Rajasthan Royals sealed a tense three-run victory in the Indian Premier League on Wednesday.

Chasing 176 for victory, Chennai were 113-6 when Dhoni (32) joined Ravindra Jadeja (25) and the pair put on an unbeaten stand of 59 but fell short of Rajasthan's 175-8 on the last ball.

Dhoni, 41, rolled back the years to smash Sandeep Sharma for two sixes in the final over with Chennai needing 21 to win from the last six balls. But the medium-pace bowler, who started with two wides, kept his nerve to bowl two yorkers to deny Dhoni and Chennai a miracle as the hosts ended on 172-6.

Chennai coach Stephen Fleming revealed after the game that Dhoni has been struggling with a knee injury at the start of the season.

"He is nursing a knee injury, which you can see in some of his movement, which is hindering him somewhat but still what you saw today is a great player for us," Fleming told reporters.

"His fitness has always been very professional. He comes a month before the tournament starts, so he doesn't get the opportunity to do a lot."

England white-ball skipper Jos Buttler stood out with his 52, guiding last year's runners-up Rajasthan to a total which was just enough for the team's third win in four matches and sent them top of the 10-team table.

Buttler was helped along by Devdutt Padikkal (38) and Ravichandran Ashwin, who started slowly but smashed two sixes in his 30-run cameo.

Jos Buttler starred with a half-century for Rajasthan Royals. AFP

Rajasthan's spinners and Sandeep then combined to restrict Chennai, with Ashwin taking an impressive 2-25 including the key wicket of Ajinkya Rahane for 31.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal struck twice in one over, removing Chennai impact player Ambati Rayudu (one) and then New Zealand's Devon Conway soon after the opener reached 50.

Rajasthan's impact sub Adam Zampa, who came in for Buttler, was expensive with his leg spin but got the wicket of Moeen Ali.

Rajasthan Royals players celebrate after beating Chennai Super Kings. AFP

Dhoni, the once premier finisher in the game, raised the noise at the MA Chidambaram Stadium with a four and six off Zampa and more big hits, but the asking rate remained too high.

Earlier Chennai's bowlers, led by left-arm spinner Jadeja, who returned figures of 2-21, kept chipping away with wickets, but Buttler stood firm.

Rajasthan benefitted from some sloppy fielding as Chennai's Moeen dropped two catches at slip and missed a run out. Moeen, though, made some amends when he bowled Buttler with his off spin after the in-form batsman reached his fifty in 33 balls.

West Indies big-hitter Shimron Hetmyer finished unbeaten with 30 off 18 balls.