A fortnight ago, Chennai Super Kings’s campaign was on the right course after beating Mumbai Indians convincingly with four wins out of six. However, defeats in its last two matches have meant the defending champion has been pushed into a corner where it can’t afford further missteps. It is in this situation Ruturaj Gaikwad’s men take on a destructive Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
Though CSK has the best record at home, it will be the team facing the heat. Despite scoring 210 against Lucknow Super Giants in their previous game, the former failed to defend the target, as the medium pacers struggled in dewy conditions.
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Like CSK, SRH also lost its previous encounter—against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Though the famed top-order had a rare off-day, the Men in Orange have enough firepower to pose a serious threat against a misfiring CSK bowling attack.
After the loss to LSG, CSK coach Stephen Fleming said that the pitch at Chepauk had not played to his side’s strength of spin and wished for a surface that gripped and offered turn. So all eyes will be on the 22-yard strip and whether the home side can get a pitch similar to the one used in the game against Kolkata Knight Riders.
A slow track could hold the key to stopping Sunrisers’ belligerent batting line-up, which has posted three totals over 250. The game against RCB showed a potential chink in the armour of the SRH batters when three of the four fell to the slower bowlers, and it is something the hosts will want to exploit.
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