Follow UsRobin Uthappa turns back the clock
When Devon Conway did not walk out to bat, it was a shock for the Chennai fans, who were expecting the Kiwi batter to play an integral role in the 2022 IPL season. But then there was Robin Uthappa, who came out of the syllabus for the Lucknow Super Giants at the top of the order. And Uthappa did not disappoint, taking on the 10-crore pacer, Avesh Khan.
At the top of the order, the Kerala batter, scores at a strike-rate of 146.2, added 45 runs off just 21 balls, equaling his best tally of runs in the first six overs. There was an evident pattern of play in the first few overs, with the Super Giants peppering the right-hander with short balls. But what came in short went long as Uthappa thwarted the short-ball strategy towards the leg-side.
While it might not be a long-term plan for the Super Kings, it definitely shows that there is still an evident use of having Uthappa at the top of the order, something that CSK got the best use of, in the clash against Lucknow.
Ravi Bishnoi causes mayhem where batters made merry
"Bishnoi has a big heart, he's a fighter for a little guy, shows the character he has to bounce back [from the last game] with a wet ball. Really happy for him, he wants to grow, wants to learn, and good to see that,” said Rahul in praise of the young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.
On a day where 421 runs were scored, Bishnoi was made of a different cloth. He time and again had shown great control and precision but on tracks that had some aid for the spinners. In Brabourne, however, the case was starkly different, there was little to no assist for the spinners. And when he walked out to bowl, CSK were well-placed at 82/1.
He not only bamboozled Uthappa with a well-controlled flipper, with the right-hander being caught dead in front. On a night where boundaries were easier for the batters to find, the leg-spinner only conceded three.
So, it begs the question: has Bishnoi sealed himself a place in the flight to Australia, considering the conditions?
CSK and Pretorius might be a match made in heaven
When CSK signed the South African all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius for INR 50 lakhs, there was an element of doubt, on whether he would even be getting any game time. But as things stood on Thursday, he did not just make his debut but he showed CSK that he could be a good asset in conditions such as the one in Brabourne.
On a night where most of the pacers struggled, the Proteas all-rounder stood out. He mixed his pace, his line and lengths and even bowled the tough overs for the four-time IPL champions. In the 11th over, he not only struck to dismiss the well-set KL Rahul but also saw the back of his South African teammate Quinton de Kock.
However, for CSK, the selection might come in tricky, considering that Adam Milne only missed this encounter because of a side strain. Whether Milne would back into the setup in Chennai’s next encounter against Punjab is a big question. Having said that, Pretorius’ form might be handy for the four-time champions, especially in such a long season.
The Evin Lewis headache for Lucknow
Prior to this encounter, Lewis had just played twice at No.4 and in both situations, he failed in that role. Having Lewis in the squad alongside Quinton de Kock was always a questionable one, especially considering that KL Rahul was always going to open the innings. So, when Lewis walked out at No.4, against the Super Kings, there was a question over how well he could do in that role?
In the two encounters prior to the one at No.4, he had scored five runs, off 13 deliveries. At 106/2, Lucknow wanted that version of Lewis to stay as far away from the country, forget city. And then he attacked and when he started, there was no stopping. Off the first ten balls, the left-hander smashed the Chennai bowlers, with 22 runs, attacking 80% of the deliveries.
"Very good wicket, get the chance, capitalise... I backed my skills. On the big stage I try to keep it simple and do the best for my team and myself,” Lewis said after the match.
And then he only grew more and more in confidence, finishing the things with 14 runs off his last three deliveries, striking at 466.67, where he was in total control. With Marcus Stoinis set to return in a week’s time, how and where can the Lucknow management find a way to fit the left-hander?