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IPL 2021 | CSK vs DC Match Preview: Fight of supremacy between the master and his disciple

Abhishek Singh

Needless to say, a few people were shocked when Rishabh Pant was announced as captain of the Delhi Capitals, a young, brash talent who made his name at the franchise due to some scintillating power hitting abilities. Having said that, there were a bunch of people who always wanted a wicket-keeper batsman to lead the team, with a calm head on his shoulders and Dhoni like swagger behind the stumps. 

With IPL fixtures already out, that optimistic bunch would just love to see Pant begin his new innings in Delhi colours against the man sitting on the top of the Everest that Pant has to climb, or the one he wishes to ascent. Even the Uttarakhand born himself admitted that it was a great opportunity for him to begin his captaincy stint against the man from whom he has learnt so much. 

So it is going to be a battle between a disciple and his pedagogue, between a student and his favourite master and also between a team which enjoyed its best in the last season against the one which had its worst season in the history of the tournament. It is Delhi vs Chennai after all. 

Delhi to miss its elite South African pace battery

The best part of Delhi’s last year’s campaign was its bowling. The two South African pacers in Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, who took 52 wickets between them, will be out of the first game due to quarantine protocols. They weren’t just quick, but accurate as well, ranging between the economy rate of 8-8.5 in dead UAE pitches. But with them not being able to play (still in their seven-day quarantine), the Delhi team would have to rely upon backup pacers such as Tom Curran and Chris Woakes or at least one of them. 

With the inclusion of Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma getting back his full fitness, the worry somewhat seems to be deflected, but it still isn’t the same team without the two big, scary quicks. 

The all-round way to Chennai victory

For Chennai Super Kings to make headway into this game and also into the tournament, their all-rounders need to fire. With Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran and Dwayne Bravo in their ranks, the Yellow Army possibly have the best armoury of the people who can do the damage with both bat and ball, and this is without counting a certain Krishnappa Gowtham. 

Picking the eleven is not going to be an easy task for MS Dhoni, the skipper, but that is a headache that he would like to carry throughout the tournament, instead of being forced to make do with a sub-par squad last season. 

All the all-rounders are also great finishers giving the top order batsmen like Ambati Rayudu, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Suresh Raina. It was in the batting that CSK lost most of its matches last season and they would surely like to improve, from the very first game this season. 

Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals: Match Details

Match Number-02

Date and Time: April 10, 07:30 pm IST, 02: 00 PM GMT

Venue: Wankhede Stadium

Broadcast and Live Stream; Star Sports and Hotstar

Pitch Report

With all the attention grabbed by rising cases of Covid-19 in Mumbai, the pitch has been a less talked feature in the tie-up. Historically a batting wicket, Wankhede has been a good sporting pitch, especially with the bounce on offer. If the bowlers are able to generate it and get just a hint of early swing, they can benefit from the wicket as well. 

Although the average first innings score at the beach facing stadium has been around 174, the teams batting first have won only 47 per cent of the games, suggesting that chasing has been the favourite flavour for the ground.

Weather and Toss

The weather is supposed to be clear in the evening with temperatures ranging below 30 degrees, giving an ideal condition for playing the game of bat and ball. Also, the fact that not much dew is expected, losing the toss might not be a bad option. 

However, the team winning the toss would surely bowl first.  

Team News

Delhi Capitals

The Capitals would most likely go with a safety-first approach and hence only one among Curran and Woakes would be making the XI. Axar Patel would miss the game giving Amit Mishra an opportunity to get a go-ahead. In all probability, Steve Smith, Sam Billings and Marcus Stoinis will complete the foreigners’ quartet. 

Prithvi Shaw is coming off a good domestic season thus him getting a game is also a certainty. 

Strongest XI

Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Marcus Stoinis, Steve Smith, Sam Billings, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma

Chennai Super Kings

Head to head Chennai have a 15-8 advantage over Delhi and in the very first game of this season, they would like to test the last season runner-ups. With Lungi Ngidi unavailable, the chances of Dwayne bravo getting game time are more. Sam Curran, Moeen Ali and  Faf du Plessis are most likely to fill in the remaining three foreigners’ quota. 

A surprise pick in the playing eleven could be KM Asif, the body-builder turned all-rounder from Kerala, who bowled a heavy ball and troubled the batsmen in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this year. But him playing ahead of Gowtham could be a difficult prospect. 

Strongest XI

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c/wk), Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Krishnappa Gowtham/Karn Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar 

Dream XI/ Fantasy XI

Sam Billings, Rishabh Pant (VC), Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ravindra Jadeja, Marcus Stoinis(c), Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur

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Players who will miss first match for their franchises

The start of IPL 2021 is just moments away and it will be the defending champions Mumbai Indians who will take on the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai on 9th April. However, the second wave of COVID-19 outburst has become a major cause of concern for the BCCI and the governing body has taken some necessary steps to curb the situation. With a seven-day quarantine mandatory for the players before joining the bubble, here is a look at the cricketers who will be missing at least one game for their franchise. Kagiso Rabada The South Africa and Delhi Capitals pacer Kagiso Rabada is set to miss the first match for his franchise that is scheduled to take place in Mumbai against Chennai Super Kings on Saturday. Rabada landed in Mumbai on April 6 which means he has to serve a seven-day quarantine and will miss the opening clash against the CSK. He, however, is likely to play against Rajasthan Royals scheduled on April 15. The right-arm fast bowler played a massive role in the Delhi-based franchise’s successful run in the last edition’s IPL where the team ended as the runners-up after losing to Mumbai Indians in the final. The Proteas quick-bowler bagged 30 wickets in 17 matches for DC to win the purple cap in the last edition and has been in decent form in the last few matches that he has played for South Africa and in the domestic circuit. Rabada’s absence is a bit of a headache for the newly-appointed DC captain, Rishabh Pant, as he would now be looking to create a balance in the bowling department. Anrich Nortje Delhi Capitals will be without the services of Anrich Nortje as well for the first match against CSK. Nortje has also travelled alongside Rabada and reached Mumbai on April 6 to join the team. The fast bowler will too have to serve a mandatory seven-day quarantine period which means he would be unavailable for the opening clash. Nortje is another quick-bowler apart from Rabada who has played an instrumental role in improving DC’s performance, especially in the last edition. The two fast bowlers shared a total of 52 wickets between them. He is a skiddy customer and bowled some of the fastest deliveries ever recorded in the history of IPL last year. In 16 matches that Nortje played for DC, he scalped 22 wickets. The right-arm fast bowler has shown some good form in the recent past after he scalped seven wickets in two ODIs against Pakistan at home. Axar Patel India and Delhi Capitals all-rounder Axar Patel had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier and will be unavailable for selection for the opening match if they don't return two negative reports before April 10. If any player tests positive for the disease, he has to first undergo 10-day isolation and then has to return two negative reports before joining the team. The left-handed all-rounder too has been in sublime form and has been picking up wickets quite consistently for the Indian team. Axar scalped 27 wickets in three Tests against England. Daniel Sams Royal Challengers Bangalore’s new recruit Daniel Sams who was traded from Delhi Capitals ahead of the mini auctions in February is one of the players to test positive for COVID-19 and will miss the first match against Mumbai Indians on Friday in Chennai. Sams who tested positive on April 7 has to be under isolation for 10 days and will then have to return two negative reports before joining the team. The left-arm pacer was a part of the DC franchise in 2020 but didn’t really leave an impact after failing to pick any wickets in three matches that he played for the franchise. Though, Sams has been in decent touch in the recent past and has been picking up wickets consistently. Finn Allen Another latest recruit for the RCB side, New Zealand’s Finn Allen will miss the first match against Mumbai Indians in Chennai. The wicket-keeper batsman has to undergo a mandatory seven-day quarantine. Allen was picked up by RCB in place of Joshua Philippe who had earlier made himself unavailable for the season. It will be Allen’s debut IPL season. The aggressive batsman has been in good touch in the past few matches for his team. He scored a blistering 71 against Bangladesh in a T20I in Auckland and helped his side complete a clean sweep in the T20I series. Adam Zampa The Australian leg-spinner is also unavailable for the first match against Mumbai Indians because of his marriage. "We won't have our full contingent of overseas players available for the first game," Hesson said. "Adam Zampa is getting married. It's an important time for him,” he added. The leggie has been an important part of the RCB setup. The right-arm leg-spinner has been consistently picking up wickets for his national side in the past few matches and RCB would be hopeful that he returns back soon to join the squad. Quinton de Kock The South African wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock is another one on the list of the Proteas players who will miss the first match for their franchise. De Kock who is a part of the Mumbai Indians squad will be unavailable for selection for the opening clash against RCB scheduled to take place on Friday in Chennai. The left-handed batsman is in quarantine. The wicket-keeper batsman recently scored 80 runs during the second ODI against Pakistan in Johannesburg and would be looking to carry his form for the Mumbai-based franchise. Adam Milne Another Mumbai Indians player Adam Milne will be missing out on playing the first game against RCB in Chennai. Milne is serving the seven-day quarantine period which is mandatory for all the players. Milne picked up three wickets against Bangladesh in the last two T20Is that he played for the team. Lungi Ngidi There have been a number of South African players who are taking part in the IPL 2021 and Lungi Ngidi is one of them. Ngidi who is a part of the CSK team will not feature in their first match against Delhi Capitals in Mumbai slated to take place on Saturday as the fast bowler is serving the mandatory seven-day quarantine. While he will miss the first match for CSK, Ngidi is likely to be available for the match against Punjab Kings that is scheduled to take place on April 16. The right-arm fast bowler was a bit expensive during the ODI series against Pakistan but had a decent run in the domestic T20 tournament. He has played 11 IPL matches so far and has bagged a total of 20 wickets during the course. Jofra Archer England and Rajasthan Royals pacer Jofra Archer will miss out at least the first four matches for his franchise. The right-arm seamer underwent a surgery on his finger in the last week of March and is in rehabilitation for two weeks before he would be reviewed by a consultant. "England pace bowler Jofra Archer underwent successful surgery to his right hand on Monday. A fragment of glass was removed during the operation to his middle finger on his right hand," ECB said in a statement. "He will now commence two weeks of rehabilitation. The consultant will review him before returning to training," it added. The pacer’s availability for the fifth game is under dark clouds.

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Rahul Dravid emphasises the role of data analysis in modern-day cricket

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Ricky Ponting picks 7 players in his 'players to watch out for' in IPL 2021

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