On a normal Chepauk surface on Wednesday, May 10, Chennai Super Kings easily defeated Delhi Capitals to maintain their second-place position in the standings. After their batsmen assisted them in scoring 167, CSK seized command by grabbing three wickets in the powerplay and never let the lead slip away as they won by 27 runs to go to 15 points.
A typical surface in Chepauk?
Yes, since the start of the season, the surface in Chennai has attracted a lot of interest. Surprisingly, this season has seen some high scores, but the match against MI showed that the wickets are finally getting old. The game tonight served as further evidence of that, as the ball occasionally gripped and didn’t come onto the bat, making life challenging for the batters. Both teams’ spinners performed admirably, but the home team came out on top.
Powerplay conflict
On both occasions, CSK triumphed. Ruturaj Gaikwad delivered some crucial blows in his innings tonight, while Ajinkya Rahane contributed with a few boundaries during the fielding limitations to help CSK reach 49/1 despite Devon Conway’s dismal performance.
On the other side, the Capitals had a terrible start. Deepak Chahar, who batted first and presented difficulties, once more demonstrated signs of regaining his best form. David Warner was easily removed for a two-ball duck, while Phil Salt had a hard time adjusting to the swing at the other end. He did seem to be teeing off, but Chahar eventually won the joke. Mitchell Marsh was then severely let down by Manish Pandey after a terrible mix-up resulted in the Australian being run out. The two extra wickets were essential because the Capitals were evenly matched in terms of runs.
Spinning choking
After the powerplay against the spinners, the going got tough for both teams. Gaikwad mistimed a pitch, giving Axar Patel another wicket, while Kuldeep Yadav devoured Moeen Ali at the other end, worrying the CSK team. Ajinkya Rahane attempted to force the pace and hit one straight down the ground, which Lalit Yadav made the surface count by efficiently scooping it up himself.
Similar to how they did in the chase, Moeen, and Ravindra Jadeja found a lot of traction on the ground and made sure DC never gained any momentum. As it took Rilee Rossouw and Manish Pandey 51 balls to reach their half-century stand, the two spinners were not simple to dismiss.
Who oversaw CSK’s comeback?
Both Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni were crucial. Additionally, players like Ambati Rayudu and Ravindra Jadeja made a difference. All of these batters weren’t here for the long term, but they still contributed significantly. Before failing in his attempt for the fourth major, Dube broke the chains in the middle overs by taking down spin as he cleared the ropes three times. Although Rayudu and Jadeja contributed as well, CSK still needed a cameo toward the end to help them get closer to 170.
When Dhoni, who entered the batting order with roughly four overs remaining, faced Khaleel Ahmed and battered him for a few sixes, Chepauk reacted as one might expect. It appeared that CSK had enough runs on the board even though he and Jadeja were both out in the final over.
Was DC able to recover in a similar way?
Absolutely not. Despite the spinners giving little away, Rossouw and Pandey did add more than 50 runs, but they had to consume many deliveries in the process. The game was nearly over when Matheesha Pathirana removed Pandey with a superb delivery since DC needed 80 runs from their remaining six overs. Rossouw was eliminated by Jadeja, and the Capitals subsequently made a mistake by demoting Axar, who had been playing well throughout the competition. The all-rounder was swallowed by Pathirana’s slower delivery despite Axar’s impressive 11-ball 21. DC needed 48 runs in the final two overs, which was thought to be essentially unachievable.
What are these two teams’ future plans?
CSK is advancing toward a playoff position. However, they won’t look any farther ahead than the two points they earned tonight. A victory versus KKR in their upcoming game would help them accomplish their next goal of 17 points. The Capitals will first play twice against Punjab Kings before playing CSK once more, this time at home.
