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Follow UsIt has been an uncharacteristic bumpy road for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024. They are still placed fourth on the points table, with a decent chance of another playoff qualification. However, against their nature, they haven’t dominated the season.
When they won in 2018, they had a run of four wins on the trot in the first half of the season. In 2021, they won five on the bounce. In 2023, they won three games in a row in between. The Chennai side is not used to the muddle in the middle of the points table.
On most occasions, CSK have not been the best on paper in terms of combinations and star power. They have somehow managed to make things happen with limited resources. But this year, those chinks are getting exposed a little more. And they have paired it up with some strange tactics.
After their defeat against Punjab Kings, they need three wins in their remaining four fixtures. They can’t afford slip-ups now, and these are the areas they would want to address before the road gets too bumpy towards the end.
Miserable luck with the coin
Let’s start from the beginning. Ruturaj Gaikwad has done a fine job in his maiden season as CSK’s skipper on the field. However, his wretched luck with the coin tosses is affecting the side’s fortunes.
Gaikwad has won only one of the 10 coin tosses as yet. In their last three games, all at home, they have been asked to defend in conditions heavily influenced by dew. There was a similar case in their defeat in Lucknow. They have been a better-chasing side but are put in to bat first too often.
“I have practised a lot. I am winning there, but not winning in the match. I am really under pressure at the toss, not at the game,” Gaikwad said after the defeat against Punjab.
It is one of those uncontrollables. You have got to feel for him. But it is probably time for Gaikwad to bring someone else and who better than the former captain, MS Dhoni.
The non-turning pitches
Bowling spin has been CSK’s motto for success. Sluggish pitches at Chepauk have enabled them to turn their home ground into a fortress. But batting-friendly conditions have neutralized the spinners to an extent this season. Until Match 50 in IPL 2023, spinners had bowled 809.2 overs. In 49 matches this year, the count is down to 637 overs of spin bowling.
In addition, they have bowled in dewy outfields more than any other side. Ravindra Jadeja has gone wicketless seven times and averages 51.5 for his five wickets in 10 innings. Meanwhile, Maheesh Theekshana has been left out of the side.
From 46.3% in their first 10 matches last year, CSK’s usage of spin has reduced to 28.9% this year. They just haven't been able to bowl as much spin as they would want.
Strange batting plans
CSK haven’t played many high-scoring games, but they have constantly underscored while batting first. They are in the top half of the run rates in middle and death overs but have underscored in the powerplay.
At 8.6 runs per over, the five-time champions are the third-slowest batting side in the first six overs this year. In 2023, they scored at 9.4, the best among all teams in this phase. The dip in the powerplay scoring rate is quite unfathomable, given the kind of batting display in the season.
The new ball has hardly swung, and powerplay batting has never been easier in IPL. In addition, CSK possess the batting depth that should further enable them to bat aggressively in all phases.
The difference was seen in their defeat against SRH. Batting first, CSK started cautiously to score 48/1 in the powerplay. In response, SRH openers killed the game chase with 78/1 in their first six overs.
Against Punjab on Wednesday (May 1), Ajinkya Rahane and Gaikwad batted through the powerplay without showing any intent. CSK were 55/0 in the powerplay and lost out on a fruitful opportunity to score before Punjab spinners tightened the noose. Later, Sameer Rizvi, batting above Daryl Mitchell and Moeen Ali, scored 21 off 23 batting at number five. In the post-match interview, Gaikwad mockingly said the team was 50-60 runs short.
None of their overseas batters have yet touched the 200-run mark in the season, and Ravindra Jadeja’s iffy form has created more confusion. Against SRH, he was sent in the 14th over above Moeen Ali and MS Dhoni. When that failed, CSK batted him at four without much gain. In the second defeat against LSG, his 16 off 19 hindered the side in the middle overs. On a turning wicket versus Punjab, he was no match for Rahul Chahar’s ripping legbreak.
While CSK have nailed the entry points of Shivam Dube and probably Dhoni, they need to fix the other holes in their batting plans moving forward.
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