With Impact Player rule, you always need to score above par: Gaikwad

Against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 19 (Friday), Chennai Super Kings (CSK) slipped to their third defeat in four away games in IPL 2024. Asked to bat first on a sluggish Lucknow surface, Chennai posted 176 on the back of a fine knock from Ravindra Jadeja (57* off 40) and a stunning cameo from MS Dhoni (28* off 9).

However, the target was eventually chased down rather easily by LSG, who got over the line with an over to spare, losing just two wickets. 

Post the game, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad reckoned that his side were 10-15 runs short. He asserted that, with the impact player rule in place, it’s imperative that teams always score above par.

“We finished well with the bat, couldn't have asked more with the situation we were in. After powerplay we couldn't capitalize on the start we got and we kept losing wickets at regular intervals. I would say we were 10-15 runs short. Slightly difficult with such a total, with the impact sub rule you need 10-15 or even 20 runs extra,” Gaikwad said at the post-match presentation.

Gaikwad, post the game, singled out his side’s inability to pick wickets in the powerplay. 

On the night, CSK did not take a wicket in the powerplay, with LSG putting on a 134-run opening stand eventually. After seven games, the Super Kings in fact have only picked seven wickets in the powerplay, which is the second-lowest among all sides.

“One area we would like to improve in taking wickets in the powerplay. That will put pressure on the opposition. We need to work on it,” Gaikwad said of CSK’s powerplay woes.

Lucknow’s skipper and Player of the Match, KL Rahul, said that his side took a conscious approach to take down the CSK spinners. Jadeja and Moeen Ali bowled only 4 overs but, between them, the pair conceded 37, with Jadeja himself going at an E.R of 10.70.

Rahul said that LSG were ‘lucky’ that the aggressive approach paid off.

“I have been trying to assess the situation and today it came off,” Rahul said.

“With Chennai's spinners, they tried to put brakes on us. We tried to get to a good start. Tried to take them down, luckily it came off. When your partnership goes on, you can take a few more chances. Glad that it happened.”

Both LSG and CSK have three days off, before taking each other on again on April 23 (Tuesday) in Chennai.

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