Lucknow: Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings are enduring a nightmarish campaign, having suffered five consecutive defeats to slip to ninth in the standings, as they prepare to face an upbeat Lucknow Super Giants in the 30th match of the Indian Premier League at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Monday.
Once synonymous with consistency and late-season surges, CSK find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Their latest defeat, an 8-wicket drubbing at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders, exposed their frailties in both departments.
Batting first, CSK managed just 103/9, a target KKR hunted down with ease in 10.1 overs. The absence of injured captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has further compounded their woes, with the top order struggling and the bowling unit lacking bite.
Meanwhile, Lucknow have defied expectations, racking up four wins in six matches to occupy third place on the points table. They come into this game on the back of a composed six-wicket win against Gujarat Titans, chasing 181 with three balls to spare. Star batsman Nicholas Pooran led the charge with a 34-ball 61, ably supported by Aiden Markram, who struck 58 off 31.
Pooran has been in blistering form this season, topping the run charts with 349 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 215.43. Digvesh Rathi has been equally vital with the ball, proving hard to score off in the middle overs with his crafty variations. His economy rate of 7.70 across six matches stands out amid an otherwise expensive bowling attack.
For Chennai, Shivam Dube has been the lone bright spot in the middle order, scoring consistently under pressure. But the likes of Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi and Vijay Shankar have failed to provide meaningful support. With the ball, Noor Ahmad has led the charts with 12 wickets, while Khaleel Ahmed has been effective with the new ball, but the spin duo of Jadeja and Ashwin have yet to make significant impact.
The Vajpayee Ekana surface has produced moderate scoring matches so far in the tournament, with an average first innings total of 166. However, chasing sides have won two of the three games played at the venue this season. The pitch tends to get slower as the match progresses, which may bring spinners into play. Fast bowlers are expected to rely on cutters and slower balls to keep batsmen in check.
Given CSK's dwindling confidence and the home support for LSG, the momentum seems to favour the hosts. A return for Mitchell Marsh could further bolster their top order. However, LSG’s overdependence on Pooran and Marsh is a potential concern.
Probable XIs:
Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Mitchell Marsh/Himmat Singh, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi. Impact Player: Ayush Badoni.
Chennai Super Kings: Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed. *Impact Player:* Matheesha Pathirana.
With both sides heading in opposite directions, CSK will need something extraordinary to arrest their slide. On current form, the Super Giants appear well poised to continue their winning run.
