CSK will be very disappointed with how they played at the Ekana Stadium on Friday. The bowlers, in particular, had a weak performance, managing to pick up only 2 wickets despite decent bowling conditions. As the team returns to their fortress, CSK hopes to maintain their position in the top 4. It was a rare failure from Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shivam Dube, as the duo was dismissed quite cheaply. Ajinkya Rahane had a good start at the top of the table but couldn’t convert it into a big inning. Rachin Ravindra and Samad Rizvi have a long rope, but they will need to start performing soon if they want to keep their place in the eleven. Two all-rounders, Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja, truly add depth to the game, while MS Dhoni played a couple of excellent cameo roles and may come in handy again. Mustafizur Rahman remains the team’s top player with 11 wickets, joined by Tushar Deshpande with the new ball. Matheesha Pathirana’s ability to pick up wickets makes him a valuable asset during the death overs. CSK at home is a completely different team than the one that travels away!
After consecutive defeats, LSG finally managed to turn things around by defeating CSK on Friday. Not only does this give the team two crucial points, but it also gives them a lot of confidence. The bowlers did a great job of containing the explosive CSK lineup. Yash Thakur and Mohsin Khan were accurate in their line and length, while Krunal Pandya and Marcus Stoinis maintained pressure during the middle overs. At times, the bowlers were expensive, and they will need to stick to their lines and lengths as they head to the batting-friendly Chepauk pitch. Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul held the fort in the last match and have been very consistent throughout the season. Nicholas Pooran is a valuable asset in the middle order due to his clean hitting. However, the bowling at the lower order wasn’t the best, and the all-rounders will need to step up with the bat. We’ve seen LSG thrive in matches with relatively low scores but struggle when the ball surface requires them to score more freely. This could be what holds them back in this match, although some of their players are showing signs of good form.
