The Indian Premier League for the Chennai Super Kings has reached a point from where they can’t do anything until and unless they start winning. For the Royal Challengers Bangalore, they can still take it a bit easy as they have already accumulated three wins in their favour.
However, this game would be a test for Kohli and Co. as they face a Chennai which would not only be giving their best to show the world what they are made up of, but also because they have been pushed to the wall so back that they only way out is forward.
While in the last game, Chennai was particularly beaten by their own mistakes again as it got all stuck in the web created by Dinesh Karthik as the master captain of Kolkata Knight Riders. Bangalore, on the other hand, were overwhelmed by Delhi Capitals in a classic one-sided affair.
Half the season is gone and yet the Super Kings seem to find themselves in a peculiar position of not being able to execute their chases. It is ironic that MS Dhoni, considered the master of chases is not being able to pull out even one chase. Along with the strategy change of playing a finisher in place of Kedar Jadhav, the other batsmen like Ambati Rayudu and Faf du Plessis need to buck up as well.
Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran need to play the dual role they have been entrusted with. A team wouldn’t be able to win if a batsman coming in the 18th over is playing with a strike rate of less than 100, therefore that needs to change.
The Challengers in every season have had the problem of death bowling. But added to that is the decline in the form of their captain charismatic Virat Kohli this season. It is during this patchy form of his that others like de Villiers and Finch need to work out on their batting skills and provide the support needed to young Devdutt Padikkal.
Along with batting, the bowling department is lacking in terms of wicket-takers. Although Washington Sundar is bowling quite well, his inability to pick wickets is causing harm to other bowlers . It is at this moment that the Sirajs and Sainis need to come into action. With Chris Morris getting fitter and available to play, chances are that he would be able to share the load from the other pacers.
Match number- 25
Date: October 10, 2020 at 7:30 PM IST, 14:00 AM GMT, 6:00 PM Local
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
The Dubai wicket has been a true wicket over the games and for this game a fresh wicket would be used giving both the teams an equal opportunity, not only to pace their chase if batting second but also give spinners some grip, making the toss a bit irrelevant.
However, the fact that teams have been choosing to field first would add to the calculations of the team management.
The weather in Dubai has been very friendly for cricket and with humidity getting down; the dew factor would come to play as well. But along with the due, there would be a cool breeze which would help the swing bowlers in the evening. Such scenarios would also make the team winning the toss to choose field first.
Chennai Super Kings as a team don’t like to experiment much with their playing XI, but the kind of form that they are going with would only mean that they are left with no other choice but to replace Kedar Jadhav in the 11. That is the only change that one can think of, with Ruturaj Gaikwad replacing him most probably.
Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma
Chris Morris has been declared fit and therefore he would likely play in place of Moeen Ali. However, if the team likes to do much change and pull a rabbit out of their hat, they might play Morris in place of Aaron Finch and let Moeen Ali be there. In such a scenario, Mohammad Siraj could be replaced with Parthiv Patel, for he could open the innings with Padikkal.
Devdutt Padikkal, Aaron Finch/ Parthiv Patel, Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers (wk), Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Isuru Udana, Navdeep Saini, Chris Morris/ Mohammad Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal
AB de Villiers (wk), Shane Watson (Vc), Virat Kohli (c), Ambati Rayudu, Devdutt Padikkal, Chris Morris, Dwayne Bravo, Sam Curran, Isuru Udana, Deepak Chahar, Yuzvendra Chahal,
Captain: Virat Kohli
Vice-captain: Shane Watson
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