FANTASY
Follow UsIt’s a clash between the table toppers (Chennai Super Kings – CSK) and the table footers (Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH) in the 23rd match of IPL 2021 and the first at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi for this season. The momentum has tilted towards CSK as they romped home against Royal Challengers Bangalore with a 69-run win. On the other hand, SRH are yet to make an impact this season. They have only one under their belt in the five matches they have played so far.
When it comes to overall head-to-head record, CSK have been extremely successful against them with a win percentage of 71.4. Against no other team have they had a better record in IPL, but in the last five matches, it has been a mixed bag. CSK have the slightly upper hand with three wins.
HEAD TO HEAD IN IPL
OVERALL: MATCHES – 14, CSK – 10 Wins, SRH – 4 Wins
LAST FIVE MATCHES: CSK – 3 Wins, SRH – 2 Wins
SUGGESTED TEAM
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your own team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. Based on algorithms, we have come up with one team.
GROUND DETAILS
As the caravan moves to two different cities, four teams will be stationed in Ahmedabad and four in Delhi. Match number 23 will be the first one at Arun Jaitley Stadium this season. In IPL since 2018, 14 matches have been played at this venue. On an average, 166 runs have been scored in the first innings. A touch on the slower side, compared to Wankhede but better than Chepauk. Throughout a match, runs have come at a run rate of 8.4, which is the fourth-lowest among the venues. But, smaller boundaries have resulted in more sixes. On an average 14.1 sixes have been hit at this venue.
The wickets have come at regular intervals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. A balls/dismissals ratio of 19.2 is evident enough. The spinners have been the ones who have been able to provide early breakthroughs. Among the six venues of this season, their bowling strike rate of 19.9 since IPL 2018 is the second-best. The 24.5 runs conceded by spinners for a wicket is also the second-lowest.
TEAM COMBINATION
Both teams possess a great set of tweakers and with the venue supporting the spinners, we suggest you fill the team with spinners. In our team, we have gone with five batsmen, including the wicket-keeper, two all-rounders, and four bowlers. There hasn’t been a huge difference in terms of the percentage of wickets taken between pacers and spinners. Pacers have bagged 55.2 percent of the wickets and spinners have 44.8. However, the spinners have been way better than the pacers in all departments.
The spinners have bagged wickets at a balls/dismissal ratio of 19.9 as compared to 22 by pacers. When it comes to containing runs, yet again, the spinners (7.4) has the upper hand over the pacers (8.8).
The likes Ravindra Jadeja, Imran Tahir, and Rashid Khan should be the primary picks among the bowlers. Jagadeesha Suchith who had a decent last game with both, bat and ball, has some experience of playing in Delhi as he was a part of the Delhi Capitals team in 2019.
There could be few interesting match-ups
“Chinna Thala” Suresh Raina has been a good player of spin, especially against leggies and left-arm orthodox spinners. But, Rashid Khan is one of those bowlers who has troubled the greatest of greats. In the six innings face-off between the two, Rashid is the clear winner with three dismissals at an average of 15.3.
Ravindra Jadeja was exceptional in his last match and would like to carry the same confidence when he is facing one of his nemesis. David Warner has scored runs at a strike rate of 172.3 against the likes of the left-arm spinner. A left-arm spinner against left-handed batsmen, the match-up ends up against the bowlers most times and this is also one.
SUGGESTED CAPTAIN
JONNY BAIRSTOW: For the first few matches Jonny Bairstow had batted at number four. Since the time he started to open the innings, he has been providing explosive starts. He is currently the fourth-highest run-scorer and the best for SRH. His ability to start from the word go is what makes him a player to watch out for. His strike rate of 176.1 in the Powerplay being the best is a testimony of it.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts Jonny Bairstow could score 26-40 runs in the match against CSK
X-FACTORS
Kane Williamson: The ice-cool kiwi batsman, had almost pulled it off for SRH in the last match, scoring 66 in the last game that eventually went into the super over. Kane Williamson has a great record against CSK in IPL. He has 300+ runs at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 139.3. More or so, his record against a few of the main bowlers of the current CSK unit is also one of the reasons why he is our X-factor.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Kane Williamson could score in the match against CSK.
Faf du Plessis: The senior opener from South Africa has lit up the tournament for CSK at the start. After a few failures at the start, du Plessis has backed it up with successive 50+ scores in the last two innings. Du Plessis has been exceptional at the start, his strike rate of 146.5 is the fourth-best among batsmen who have faced 30+ balls. If he provides the start like he has been doing, he is certainly an x-factor to watch out for.
Our Criclytics player projections predicts, Faf du Plessis could score 44-66 runs in the match against SRH.
Ravindra Jadeja: An all-rounder is somebody who can fetch points in every aspect of the game and if that allrounder is Jadeja, it is a guarantee. Massacre with the bat, exceptional fielding and loads of wickets in the last match, certainly is a confidence booster. With only one left-hander in the SRH middle order, Jadeja has the chance to run through them. With the ability to contribute to every aspect of the game, Jadeja is one of our X-factors.
Our Criclytics player projection predicts, Ravindra Jadeja could score 16-24 runs and pick 0-1 wickets in the match against SRH
