The Chennai Super Kings lost their first two IPL 2024 games as a result of being outmatched in both categories.
With their second victory in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) rose to fifth place in the standings. They destroyed the Mumbai Indians earlier, and in their own ground, the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, they now thoroughly defeated another five-time champion. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have now lost two straight games after being outmatched in both areas.
The SRH bowlers put up a strong display to limit the visitors to a below-par score after winning the toss. Although Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube kept the scoreboard moving, Rachin Ravindra fell early. Dube performed as expected, scoring 45 runs off of 24, while Rahane scored 35 runs at an unsettling strike rate.
Cummins sent the dangerous Dube back to the hut, but the hosts were able to recover. The host team’s slower balls proved to be effective as they contained a potent CSK unit. A strong batting lineup that last week recorded the highest score in tournament history (277) never faced serious danger from the scoreboard.
Abhishek Sharma, batting in reply, got off to a scorching start as he blasted 27 runs past Mukesh Choudhary in the second over. The pyrotechnics were put out by Deepak Chahar, but the harm had already been done. They were well ahead in the chase because to the aggressive play of Aiden Markram and Travis Head. After reaching a half-century, the Proteas batsman went out, but he made sure the game was well within his grasp.
View the IPL 2023 Points Table as well.
Before their next game against KKR, Chennai Super Kings need to make the following three adjustments:
1. Release Daryl Mitchell and allow Moeen Ali to have a steady run
It appears that Daryl Mitchell is an oddball in the CSK lineup. The Kiwi batsman hasn’t shown much aggression in his hitting thus far, which hasn’t given their middle order the much-needed boost. Mitchell scored nearly 30 runs in just one innings against Delhi Capitals, setting a record for best strike rate in this competition at 130.
Neither CSK nor his all-around skills are helping them. All of this emphasises the necessity of benching Mitchell in favour of Moeen Ali, who has excelled for the previous team. Despite being selected for the match against SRH, the English all-rounder was unable to bat. But he took a few crucial wickets and stopped the opposition’s run-scoring momentum, demonstrating his durability in the lineup of the reigning champions.
Ruturaj Gaikwad has had a difficult start to the season based on his stats. This time around, there’s a similar pattern, but the opening batter now has to lead the team and take the lead. This season, Gaikwad has not yet reached a half-century and has not given the squad a strong powerplay.
However, Rachin Ravindra, his opening partner, has already demonstrated the correct intentions. CSK doesn’t have the best powerplay if the Kiwi batter fails, and that’s what happened in the match against SRH. As he did in the earlier rounds, the right-hander will need to come up and play a significant knock in the next games.
3. It’s time to introduce Shardul Thakur.
The fact that skilled campaigner Shardul Thakur hasn’t been given much of an opportunity this season is really unjust. In the IPL, the right-arm bowler has claimed 89 wickets while also showcasing his batting ability on multiple occasions.
To give their bowling unit more experience against SRH, CSK ought to have started Thakur instead of Matheesha Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman. To get back on the winning track, Chennai’s bowling unit needs to be strengthened with the addition of Thakur starting in the upcoming game.
