In the lengthy and illustrious history of the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, Dharamsala holds a legendary status. In2010, MS Dhoni famously saved the team in a thrilling last-over finish against a must-win match at this location to propel Chennai into the knockout stages. They would eventually go on to win the first of their five IPL championships. Fourteen years later, CSK finds itself in trouble once more as they travel to Dharamsala.
Although the playoff battle isn’t as intense as it was in 2010, the reigning champions are aware that more mistakes may endanger their chances of qualifying. Following a strong start to the season—four victories in six games—CSK lost three of their next four games, two of which were at home in Chepauk. The batting strategy this year has come under question after the spectacular performance in 2023, with the over-reliance on Shivam Dube evident throughout the middle overs period. Another reason the powerplay hasn’t been spectacular is that Ajinkya Rahane’s form is still questionable.
Although it is encouraging to see captain Ruturaj Gaikwad in such good form, CSK still needs to adjust the pace of their batting in a season where teams have been pushing the boundaries in terms of boundary-hitting. Of course, CSK has not benefited from the dew factor, which has been against them. It has hampered an already ineffective batting lineup, but that shouldn’t be an acceptable reason given that the game is in the afternoon. Though an important contributing cause has been injury, the bowling has also been uneven.
The Punjab Kings, on the other hand, are riding a confidence wave. They had just the right amount of momentum going into the business end of the competition after defeating CSK in Chepauk, after the record-breaking T20 run chase against KKR at the Eden Gardens. PBKS is a highly difficult team to stop when they perform well, while being a volatile group overall, especially when it comes to batting. Their early concerns about the competition were mostly focused on the ineffectiveness of death bowling and top-order failure. Ashutosh Sharma and Shashank Singh, who are yet to receive a cap, were forced to perform the heavy lifting, which they did expertly.
The batting lineup has greatly benefited from Jonny Bairstow’s return to form, while Rilee Rossouw is also contributing in a respectable manner. The middle order has been able to operate somewhat easily as a result. Additionally, the bowling has improved and has adapted to the circumstances as needed. Even while Punjab still occasionally lets runs slip through, their ability to take wickets has improved, which has allowed them to limit the amount of runs the opposition can score, especially on batting pitches with less slope.
When PBKS takes on a CSK team that is having difficulty getting their campaign back on track, they have home advantage, momentum, and confidence working in their favour. The match’s most important subplot may be the struggle between Punjab’s batting and Chennai’s bowling respectively.
When: May 5, 15:30 IST, Punjab Kings vs. Chennai Super Kings
Where: Dharamsala’s Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium
What to anticipate: Dharamsala’s surfaces have a history of having decks that are favorable to fast bowlers, particularly during the new-ball phase. Generally speaking, spin has less effect, and as the innings goes on, hitting has become simpler due to the altitude, which makes it a fast-paced environment for scoring runs.
Head to Head: Based on the total statistics, there isn’t much to separate the two teams. After 29 matches, CSK’s lead over PBKS is just 15–14. Nonetheless, Punjab has won each of the previous five games, which may provide them a psychological advantage.
group observation
Kings of Punjab
ailment/Unavailability: The Punjab Kings have stated that usual captain Shikhar Dhawan “hopefully should be back for last two games” while they closely watch his recovery from a shoulder ailment.
Strategies and matchups: Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a major part of CSK’s top order, but the captain has a history of being vulnerable to left-arm pace. Despite his tendency to score at a fast pace (147), Gaikwad has dropped five balls in 89 deliveries. With the new ball, PBKS’s Arshdeep Singh and Sam Curran can take advantage of the weakness in the CSK skipper. It’s unlikely that PBKS will alter their starting lineup for this match.
Sam Curran (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Harshal Patel, and Rahul Chahar are the probable members of the playing eleven. [Player with impact: Arshdeep Singh].
Chennai Premier League
Availability/Injuries: Deepak Chahar will not be able to play in the remaining games of current IPL season. Matheesha Pathirana, who missed the previous game because of a niggle, is anticipated to return. Mustafizur Rahman will not be playing this season as he left for national duties. Tushar Deshpande, who missed the previous game because of the virus, is also under a shadow.
Strategies and pairings: This season, Matheesha Pathirana has excelled in the middle overs (7–15). The Sri Lankan bowls at a very economical rate of 5.46 and has taken eight wickets at an incredible strike rate of 9.75 from just 78 deliveries bowled. Controlling the youthful speedster Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma, the pace-hitting tandem for PBKS, will be crucial. After Mustafizur leaves, Pathirana’s return will result in a straight switch in the starting lineup. If Deshpande is unable to recover in time for this game, Mukesh Choudhary is anticipated to take Deepak Chahar’s position.
The probable starting eleven are: MS Dhoni, Sameer Rizvi, Shardul Thakur, Richard Gleeson, Tushar Deshpande/Mukesh Choudhary, Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, and MS Dhoni. [Matheesha Pathirana, Impact Sub]
Were you aware?
- Ruturaj Gaikwad has scored a century and a 98 in his past five innings, going above fifty in four of them.
Shivam Dube, who is well-known for his ability to hit spin, had a greater strike percentage this season (172.1) against pace than he does against spin (169.2).
- Tushar Deshpande has been incredibly economical in the powerplay (8.37 rpo) and at the end of the game (8.54 rpo) during this high-scoring IPL season.
What they expressed:
“I thought our bowlers were excellent; the spinners and Jonny did a great job hitting them, and our chase strategy was well-executed. Need to strengthen that self-assurance.” Sam Curran hopes that his team will continue to ride the high of confidence.
“Rahane had a nice appearance. The next step is to make sure that his hitting, which was excellent last year, is more precise. It’s not without intention. He’s actually doubled down on his intentions. Jinks and his function are acceptable to us.” – Stephen Fleming is certain that his under-pressure debut will pay off soon.
