Spinners are anticipated to play a significant role in the strategy of the home team, Chennai Super Kings, in the IPL encounter against Punjab Kings on Sunday. Both sides enter the game having suffered losses in their previous games. CSK lost to Rajasthan Royals by 32 runs, while PBKS lost to Lucknow Super Giants by 56 runs.
However, CSK will be relieved to be back in familiar surroundings where spin is king and their cunning captain M S Dhoni will try to suffocate the PBKS batters. In Jaipur, a high-flying CSK was ambushed as the batters fell short of the required 203 runs to defeat the Royals.
The CSK batting lineup, which has proven effective, struggled against RR. Despite being in excellent form, opener Devon Conway struggled. In addition to Conway, CSK’s notable hitters have included opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ajinkya Rahane, and Shivam Dube, who has demonstrated his ability to score quickly.
The CSK think-tank may be concerned about Ravindra Jadeja’s lack of runs, but the all-rounder more than makes up for it with his excellent bowling and fielding. The fans would be ecstatic if the talismanic captain faced even a few deliveries because Dhoni seemed to be on a farewell run. When the Royals went on the offensive, Dhoni turned to his spinners, and Maheesh Theekshana and Ravindra Jadeja were able to stop the bleeding right away.
Come Sunday, the skipper will once again rely on his spinners to turn the ball and bamboozle the opposition. CSK is likely to continue with its three-pronged spin attack of Jadeja, Theekshana, and Moeen Ali. In the pace department, Tushar Deshpande, with 14 wickets, albeit at an economy rate of 12.57, has put his hand up in the absence of an injured Deepak Chahar and will look to put his best forward, while young Aksah Singh and Matheesha Pathirana will look for an improved show.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have struggled for consistency, and the return of skipper Shikhar Dhawan did not help the team’s cause on Friday. Up against a daunting target, the PBKS batters scored at a decent pace and did their best to reach 200 but couldn’t take the side over the line. They will have their work cut out against the spin-heavy CSK.
The top-order, comprising Dhawan, Prabhsimran Singh, and Atharva Taide, needs to get going, while Liam Livingstone is yet to come into his own and get a big score. Sam Curran led the way against the Mumbai Indians, and his contribution with both bat and ball holds the key for the team.
Pacers Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada, who were taken to the cleaners by LSG batters, will have to regroup quickly. Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar’s spell in the middle overs would also be crucial on a Chennai track, which is usually slow and low.