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IPL 2020: CSK desperately need a win against SRH

Chennai Super Kings desperately need a win against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday to keep hopes alive for playoffs.

It has been a strange Indian Premier League campaign in Abu Dhabi as the ever-consistent Chennai Super Kings find themselves in a state of bother after seven games. MS Dhoni’s men need a win against Sunrisers Hyderabad on October 13 at Dubai International Stadium.

CSK has struggled to chase down totals as they are yet to bat first in the IPL 2020. The batting unit has found it difficult to score quick runs in middle overs to keep up with the asking run-rate. Moreover, the form of senior batsmen has been a cause of worry for CSK. Dhoni’s men suffered a heavy defeat against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last game.

Meanwhile, SRH is enduring a mixed campaign. They have won three games in the first half of the season, sitting fifth in the table. A win on Tuesday will help SRH to break into the top four due to a superior net run rate. SRH come into this game on the back of a narrow defeat against Rajasthan Royals last weekend.

CSK is currently relying on Faf Du Plessis to score the bulk of the runs in every innings. The South African batsman has posted three 50+ scores in the tournament, but he found it difficult to accelerate in powerplay overs in the last couple of games. The form of Shane Watson and MS Dhoni is a concern for CSK as the duo has struggled to score consistently this season.

The bowling department of CSK has done fairly well to restrict opponents from posting big totals. Deepak Chahar has been the standout bowler for Chennai based franchise, while the return of Dwayne Bravo has helped the team leak fewer runs in the death.

SRH rely on their openers to have a good performance from the batting unit. David Warner and Jonny Bairstow have picked up form in the past few games, so SRH is looking a much better side. Manish Pandey has also been consistently contributing the bat, while Indian youngsters in the middle order provide explosive hitting.

Hyderabad’s strength lies in bowling as they have a group of bowlers that can defend any total. The injury to Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been a big blow, but the form of T. Natarajan has been the biggest positive for SRH this season. Natarajan has been accurate with yorkers this season, bowling most yorkers in IPL this season. He stops the flow of runs in the death overs.

In the slow bowling department, SRH has Rashid Khan, the best spin bowler in T-20 format. After a slow start to the season, Khan is back to his best. The Afghanistan international is picking wickets in the middle, becoming the match-winner with the ball.

Both sides need a win to gain some momentum in the tournament, so the contest on Tuesday is likely to be tight. CSK is in dire need of a win to move up the table while SRH can become a firm contender for the top 4 by winning on Tuesday.

 

By Kiran Thakare

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