How Can MS Dhoni's Men Counter Nicholas Pooran Threat In CSK vs LSG IPL 2025 Match?

How can MS Dhoni's CSK dismiss Nicholas Pooran? [Source: AP]

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League has been forgettable for Chennai Super Kings so far. The five-time champions have been miserable across departments, losing five of their first six matches in the tournament. 

As if the inconsistent returns from their batters and bowlers were not enough, the Super Kings suffered a huge setback as their regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the tournament due to an elbow injury. 

Despite being in troubled waters, CSK are gearing up to face one of the most challenging opponents, as the in-form Lucknow SuperGiants are set to meet them in a riveting clash at Ekana Stadium this evening. 

Nicholas Pooran: A Huge Threat To CSK

(Nicholas Pooran's stats in IPL 2025)

• As evidenced by the above stats, Nicholas Pooran has undoubtedly been LSG's best batter in the IPL 2025. With Rishabh Pant struggling with poor form, Pooran has emerged as LSG's go-to man with the bat, striking at an unbelievable rate of 215.43. 
• Moreover, Pooran has scored 29.08 per cent of LSG's total runs in the IPL 2025. Out of his 349 runs, the swashbuckling southpaw has hammered 166 runs off just 63 balls against all kinds of spin bowling this season. 
• He has particularly targeted the mid-wicket, long-on and long-off region, dispatching anything full or short straight into the stands. So, considering his red-hot recent form, Pooran could be the biggest threat to CSK in the upcoming IPL match. 

Noor Ahmad And Matheesha Pathirana: CSK's Weapons To Tackle Pooran

(Nicholas Pooran's stats vs Noor and Pathirana)

• Despite showcasing his hard-hitting prowess in T20 leagues across the world, Nicholas Pooran has struggled to get going against Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana. 
• While Pathirana has got the better of Pooran four times in 39 deliveries, Noor has dismissed the West Indies batter twice inside 16 balls in T20 cricket. In fact, Noor has been more impactful against left-handed batters (Average 14.9, SR 13.4) as compared to the right-handers (Average 26.3 and SR 21.2) in T20s. 
• Thus, as soon as Pooran enters the middle, MS Dhoni should bring either of these two bowlers to dismiss him early in the innings. If Pooran manages to read Noor's variations, Pathirana's extra pace and body-line bowling could script his downfall in the high-voltage match tonight.  

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