CSK vs SRH: Strong batting gets CSK back to winning

CSK vs SRH: On Sunday, Chennai Super Kings beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 13 runs at the MCA Stadium in Pune, marking MS Dhoni’s return as captain (May 1). CSK reached a score of 202/2 thanks to Ruturaj Gaikwad (99 off 57) and Devon Conway (85* off 55) who combined for 14 fours and 10 sixes.

Despite Nicholas Pooran’s unbeaten 64 off 33 stands, SRH ran out of steam in the chase and were bowled out for 189/6. SRH faced their second consecutive loss after a five-match winning streak. Mukesh Choudhary was CSK’s leading wicket-taker, with 4 wickets for 46.

CSK vs SRH: An initial stand that ultimately paid off

CSK’s IPL 2021 success was largely due to the performances of its opening batters. They topped the run charts and that included seven fifty-plus partnerships. Two of which were century partnerships. Before their match against SRH in IPL 2022, CSK had the highest opening stand of 28. Gaikwad’s intention was to correct the record by taking the lead in the 182-run first-inning stand. He went about it statically, with Conway providing strong assistance. They pushed CSK to reach 40 for 0 after six overs, their biggest powerplay score in this season of the IPL. But this was just the beginning of what turned out to be a very amusing start.

CSK vs SRH: What made Ruturaj Gaikwad’s game so special?

The SRH attack was deflated by Gaikwad’s shot repertoire and the rate at which he scored them. Especially the way he controlled Umran Malik, who had just returned from a five-wicket haul, responding to the aggressiveness with aggression. In the eighth over, Malik was thrown into the assault, and he was hit for a boundary over cover and a six over long-on, with Gaikwad demonstrating his class on both the back and front foot. Gaikwad smashed a straight four in Malik’s following over, the 10th, before top-edging one over the keeper’s head for another boundary, bringing up a 33-ball fifty.

CSK vs SRH: How did SRH begin their chase?

In a brisk manner. In the first over, Abhishek Sharma hit two fours off a full and short delivery from Mukesh, while newcomer Simarjeet Singh had a costly start, going for 24 off his first two overs, with Williamson smashing a six and four in his first over and then Abhishek hitting two more fours. Mitchell Santner also watched Mukesh lay down a sitter in the same over, while Abhishek swiped and carved one over cover for a four and a six.

Also Read: IPL 2022: RCB vs CSK Match 49 Prediction

CSK vs SRH: CSK slams on the brakes

Williamson got a lucky break when Dhoni put down a catch off Ravindra Jadeja in the sixth over, despite CSK sneaking in a few quiet overs of spin. In the 10th over, Markram tried to relieve the pressure by hitting two back-to-back sixes against Santner. He did, though, misjudge a heave to Jadeja at deep midwicket, leaving SRH at 89/3 midway through the chase. From overs 11 to 14, there were three sixes – two by Nicholas Pooran and one by Williamson. The CSK bowlers, however, kept the scoring pace under control, and in an attempt to reduce the needed rate, Williamson was forced to depart, trapped in front by a slower delivery from Dwaine Pretorius.