Follow UsWe are here to talk only about Match 11 but it feels like we are moving on from the early days in the tournament. Both Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings have played two games each. Chennai have suffered their worst start to an IPL season. This is the first time they have lost their first two games. Punjab have suffered an indifferent start; winning one match in the most ballistic fashion but falling flat on their face in the other.
Both teams have showcased vulnerabilities in their bowling line-up. For Chennai, they are bigger than ever. For Punjab, it’s a well-known territory. Given the free wielding batting philosophy of both sides, the contest could well come down to which side covers their bowling chinks or minimize the damage to the maximum degree.
Chennai’s bowling left exposed
The loss against Lucknow has opened a can of worms for Chennai’s bowling. It has cleared that their age-old strategy of finding crucial overs from part-time spinners and a makeshift medium pacer will not work on the true tracks in the competition at present. Their fifth bowler’s quota against Lucknow (scattered between three bowlers) conceded 60 runs.
Punjab may have bundled out for 137 against Kolkata but they are a dangerous batting unit that might get bolstered by Jonny Bairstow’s inclusion.
Hence, Chennai need more bowling cover: a frontline spinner and more convincing seam options. They are a side that stays away from making changes. However, it’s a need of the hour. A lot will bank on Adam Milne’s fitness as well who missed the last match due to a niggle.
Contrasting tales for openers on both sides
Shikhar Dhawan will be a key man for Punjab. He averages 41.3 facing Chennai, his highest against any of the existing sides in the IPL. The average escalates to 66.8 in five matches 2020 onwards. Considering his batting partner, Mayank Agarwal has a poor record against Chennai (17), the onus on Dhawan increases manifolds.
A similar contrasting tale exists in the other camp. Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Orange Cap winner from the previous season, is going through another slow start. In the first two games, he has 1 run to his name. His struggle against high pace at the start of the innings makes him susceptible in the third game as well. In the first 10 balls against pace, he has been dismissed 42% of times and has got going at a strike-rate of 89. Gaikwad will have to counter Kagiso Rabada to get his season underway.
On the other hand, Uthappa is enjoying a late dream run in his career. He ended the previous season with impactful scores of 63 and 31. While the previous season matters little, he has begun this edition on a similar note. In the season opener, he scored 28 while batting at number three. Against Lucknow, however, he appeared at his best, scoring 50 off 27 balls. Presumably, he has made that spot his own and will have to take the mantle of scoring using the pace in Punjab’s attack.
How will Punjab fit Bairstow?
Jonny Bairstow is likely to be available for selection. In his absence, Bhanuka Rajapaksa has grabbed his chances. The question now arises, how will Punjab fit Bairstow in their side. It is necessary since Bairstow in the middle-order will provide a sense of calmness to a mercurial batting arsenal.
Odeon Smith seems to be the only candidate to make way for him. In that case, Punjab will have to make at least one more change to accommodate a fast bowler. One of Sandeep Sharma or Ishan Porel will stand a chance.
Probable XIs
Chennai Super Kings
It is unlike Chennai but they will need to change their bowling setup. There can be a straight swap between Maheesh Theekshana and Mukesh Choudhary that will grant Chennai a frontline spinner. If Adam Milne is fit, he can take Choudhary's place too, keeping Theekshana waiting for his IPL debut. There are many other combinations possible including Rajvardhan Hangargekar. all rests on how the management is feeling about their options.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Dwayne Bravo, Dwaine Pretorius, Maheesh Theekshana/Adam Milne, Tushar Deshpande
Punjab Kings
Bairstow's inclusion lends Punjab their full-strength look for the first time in the tournament.
Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa (wk), Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Ishan Porel/Sandeep Sharma, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh
Venue: Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
Date & Time: Apr 3, 07:30 PM IST