IPL 2023, RR vs CSK: Chennai Super Kings Seek Payback For Home Loss
Delhi: If there is anything rarer than beating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, it is beating them at home. CSK have conquered almost everyone at home, or away, for that matter. But their only blip at the MA Chidambaram Stadium at Chepauk had come against Rajasthan Royals (RR), and neither the team nor the sea of yellow in the stand would have forgotten that three-run loss, when their icon Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for once, was not able to take them over the line. Now, as the two sides meet again, this time in Jaipur, CSK would be preparing their arsenal for payback.
CSK’s IPL 2023 campaign is now steaming like a runaway train. Home or away, they really don’t seem be challenged. They have beaten the best on their turf as also at home and with 10 points from seven matches, the franchise sits pretty on top of the points table.
RR were not doing so badly themselves either, but two successive losses have tripped them up. Going down to Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore hasn’t done their momentum any good at all.
Not the ideal scenario to take on CSK, who now seem to have very few chinks in their formidable armour.
The batting behemoths, with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja and Dhoni in the fray, not to mention Moeen Ali or Ambati Rayudu, has been complemented by a bowling that has improved exponentially.
Every one of their bowlers, from Akash Singh, Tushar Deshpande and Matheesha Pathirana in the seam-up department to Jadeja, Moeen and Maheesh Theekshana in the spinners have done their job with telling effect.
RR too can boast of their bowlers. Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal have largely been in the fight while Trent Boult has made a ritual out of getting first-over wickets. Sandeep Sharma has
rediscovered himself while there is backup in the shape of Jason Holder or Adam Zampa, as needed.
It is their batting that is the problem. Their entire process through their last match against RCB was a mystery. The 98-runs second-wicket stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal should have clinched the match but somehow their scoring wasn’t fast and the momentum never grew.
There seems to be too much depending on Shimron Hetmyer’s performance on the day, and if he fails, thing go south.
RR need to sort out their batting issues rapidly, mostly their mental make-up when taking up a chase, or even sitting one. The bowling is as good as any in IPL 2023.
CSK don’t care where they are playing, and Jaipur won’t be different. With the genius of Dhoni at the helm and the yellow shorts enveloping the stand, they are the team to follow and behold, and Thursday won’t be any different.