Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad are placed at the bottom half of the points table after 3 games. MS Dhoni-led CSK has not yet come to the party, and they missed some of their first-choice players so far. David Warner’s men came back strongly against DC after two consecutive defeats. It will be a must-win game for both the teams.
CSK will be boosted with the return of Ambati Rayudu, who was the architect in chief for their opening match victory over MI. They will also be helped by a one-week long gap between games, so they might have done something to regroup after a disastrous start. With Bravo and Tahir are available for selection, CSK will be hopeful for better performance.
SRH opened their account in this IPL after a convincing victory over a strong DC team and confidence coming into this came. The team’s top 4 seems to be in great touch with each of them getting starts in this tournament. SRH”s batting lineup looks much more stable with the inclusion of Kane Williamson at no.4 and form of Rashid Khan with the bat.
Key players from both sides:
Batsman – Faf Du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Kane Williamson, and David Warner.
The return of CSK’s Ambati Rayudu will add them great value and strengthen their batting order, which looks short of intent & confidence. He, along with Faf, will be crucial in the chances of men in yellow going forward in the tournament. They require a desperate win and hope they can make a turnaround. Kane Williamson batted well on his return to the side after missing out on the first few games, and Warner will be, as usual, is a massive player for them.
All Rounder- Sam Curran, Rashid Khan, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Sam Curran has been the standout for CSK this season, playing in the absence of DJ Bravo. The young player has been one of the few positives of CSK this season. Jadeja has been taken to the cleaners on all 3 occasions, and we should wait and see if the break has helped him in any way. Since the SRH is top-heavy, their lower middle order is not strong, so Rashid will have to contribute with the bat and give his good returns with the ball last game.
Bowlers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Deepak Chahar, and Imran Tahir.
The fast bowlers of SRH Bhuvi and Natarajan had a great last game. After a mediocre outing in the first 2 games, the former came back strongly, picking wickets while the latter was very good with the ball in the death earning him praise. Deepak Chahar never looked at his best, but CSK will hope he can make a strong impression in this game. Imran Tahir may get a game finally this season, and the last year’s highest wicket-taker for CSK will be relied upon once again if he features.
Battles to look forward
- Shane Watson vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Faf Du Plessis vs Rashid Khan
- Imran Tahir vs Kane Williamson
Shane Watson will like ball on to bat when he is new to the crease, and his faceoff with Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be good to watch. Watson hasn’t had a great outing with the bat yet, while Bhuvi seemed to be back in his usual self. Faf is the highest run-scorer for CSK and is a good player of spin. Rashid Khan was impressive with the ball last game, and his battle with the former may decide the flow of CSK innings. If Imran Tahir plays today, it will be interesting to see how the Kiwis skipper fare against him.
Head to Head between CSK and SRH.
- Matches Played: 12
- CSK Won: 9
- SRH won: 3
Significant Approaching Milestones.
194- MS Dhoni will play his 194th IPL game. Most by any player in IPL
50- Ravindra Jadeja requires 50 runs to reach 2000 IPL runs.
50- Rashid Khan will play his 50th IPL game.
Match conditions
Venue: Dubai international cricket stadium, Dubai.
Date & Timings: October 2, 2020, at 7.30 PM IST.
Weather: Clear with the temperature around 33 C.
Pitch: Likely to be slow batting surface with possible due later on.
