IPL 8 CSK vs RCB: Wounded Chennai Super Kings seek redemption
Men in yellow would be eager to get back to winning ways when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore
By : c. santhosh kumar
Update: 2015-05-04 01:59 GMT
Chennai: The wounded lions of Chennai Super Kings would be eager to roar back to winning ways when they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Monday. There is no place like home for M.S. Dhoni & Co who are eyeing a resurrection after suffering back-to-back defeats in away matches. The fact that CSK haven’t lost their home match this season and the visiting RCB’s poor record at Chepauk should come as balm for the fans of yellow brigade. The only time RCB tasted success in Chennai was back in the inaugural edition in 2008.
The lack of form of key players such as Suresh Raina and Faf du Plessis can be attributed to the inconsistency which has surprisingly seeped in to haunt Chennai. Dhoni’s decision to play with the same four overseas players — du Plessis, Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Bravo — hasn’t really done wonders to persist with the same combination for nine matches. The likes of Kyle Abbott (South African pacer), Andrew Tye (Aussie all-rounder who is a star in Big Bash league), Matt Henry (NZ pacer) and Michael Hussey are startlingly cooling their heels.
Mohit Sharma, who began the season on a bright note, has been leaking runs off late and his short balls proved ineffective against David Warner whose blitzkrieg took the match away from CSK.
The number of runs (58) conceded by Mohit in Saturday’s match against Sunrisers was the highest by a CSK bowler. It’s time Chennai rang in some changes. R. Ashwin, who split his middle finger in a match against KKR last week, is doubtful for Monday’s clash. CSK’s manager Russell Radhakrishnan said the team “would assess Ashwin on Monday morning.”
Royal Challengers are coming off a thrilling victory achieved through a rain-truncated 10-over ‘lottery’. RCB have turned their fortunes around after a horrendous start to the season thanks to Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc’s return from an injury. A potential showdown between Starc and McCullum throws up excitement as the sight of Aussie left-armer cleaning up the Kiwi in the first over the World Cup final is still fresh in one’s memory.
The young guns such as Mandeep Singh and Sarfaraz Khan have complemented the likes of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, but Dinesh Karthik is yet to do justice to his potential. Chennai should also be wary of a ‘Gayle storm’.