Delhi Capitals v Chennai Super Kings: Talking Points

Oct 18, 2020

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Delhi Capitals v Chennai Super Kings: Talking Points Image

Chennai Super Kings slumped to their sixth loss in nine games in IPL 2020 when they failed to get over the line against Delhi Capitals. After batting first, the CSK team managed a competitive 179 for 4, but the target was not enough as a fine hundred by Shikhar Dhawan along with vital contributions from Axar Patel helped the DC team to their seventh win of the season. ‘

Here are the talking points of the game:

 

Dhawan’s form a positive news

Opener Shikhar Dhawan has risen to the occasion in the last three outings in the absence of Rishabh Pant and now has three successive fifty-plus scores in the league. Moreover, he has been batting with more “intent” of late. He raced away to an unbeaten 101 in 58 balls with 14 fours and a six at a strike rate of more than 174.

With Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer all struggling on a tough wicket, the onus was on the Team India opener to set a solid platform and take the team over the line. Dhawan, who is not the biggest striker of the ball and has a T20 strike rate of just 124.43, was his aggressive best, which is positive news for Team India as they tour Australia in the next few months.

Tushar Deshpande – The ideal replacement for Ishant Sharma

With Ishant Sharma out injured for the season, DC had the tough task of finding an Indian seamer to partner Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada. They had tried out Mohit Sharma, Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan over the season but the trio proved to be expensive. DC turned to Tushar Deshpande in the last two games, and the youngster has been a revelation for the side, picking up crucial wickets in important junctures.

Deshpande got the vital wicket of dangerman Sam Curran in DC’s game against CSK in the opening over, for a duck and currently has three wickets from two matches .

 

CSK’s batting woes

The Chennai unit have failed to get their batting line-up in order for the season. Though they experimented with Curran as an opener – a move that has clicked – some moves defy logic. For instance, the ploy to keep Ravindra Jadeja back and play Ambati Rayudu at four, or persisting with Kedar Jadhav leaves one scratching their hands.

Rayudu is not the biggest striker of the ball of late, while left-hander Jadeja has been playing crucial cameos lower down the order. He had scored a quick fifty a few games ago, and it would not be the worst move to send the all-rounder higher up, especially with MS Dhoni not firing as well. Jadhav has not yet made an impact this IPL, with 58 runs at a strike rate of less than 100.

He was dropped for a couple of games but CSK got him back for the match against DC, when they could have gone in with an extra bowler. Dhoni too needs to sort out his batting position – he has been playing at various positions but is just not able to get the runs, which is further putting his side under pressure..