Tale of two spectrums as CSK, DC rekindle rivalry with opposite goals

There is a reason why Chennai Super Kings are known to be one of the most formidable units in franchise cricket. Over the years, the MS Dhoni-led outfit are known to bounce back from despair every single time, and this edition was no different. 

Recording only four wins in 14 league matches last year, Chennai finished ninth on the points table. However, the Super Kings well and truly turned things around in 2023 with a rollicking start this year with the resurgence of Ajinkya Rahane and the emergence of Matheesha Pathirana. 

After registering five wins in the first seven matches of the season, things went downhill for the four-time champions soon after as they have managed to win only two out of their next six games, with the clash against Lucknow abandoned due to relentless showers.

There ain't any doubt that the Yellow Army are in a bit of a muddle as far as their playoffs chances are concerned, and ahead their last league game against Delhi Capitals, they find themselves in a must-win situation. 

On the other hand, the David Warner-led side endured a season to forget and are languishing ninth on the points table with five wins in 13 games thus far. However, the Capitals would aim to salvage some pride and end the season on a high by signing off with a win at home. 

Things to watch out for

Jadeja's finishing trouble 

One of the major factors behind Chennai's lukewarm performance in the second half of the season can be attributed to their inability to provide impetus in the back end of the innings. While they assigned the role to Ravindra Jadeja, along with some help from Dhoni in the last couple of overs, the southpaw has failed to smash some lusty blows down the order, leading to the downfall of the team. 

The 34-year-old scored only 122 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 138.6 at the death, the lowest among batters with a minimum of 100 runs between overs 16 to 20. 

With the tournament heading into the business end and Chennai setting foot onto the field in a must-win game, the visiting side would hope for their premier all-rounder to come back into his hitting form in the upcoming fixture. 

Eyes on Delhi's batting

One of the reasons for Delhi's below-par performance in this edition has been the poor performance of the batting unit, with over-dependency on David Warner in the absence of Rishabh Pant. While the skipper accumulated a decent amount of runs, the rate at which he operated raised plenty of eyebrows. With Prithvi Shaw and most of the Indian batters struggling to buy runs this season, Delhi's batting went from bad to worse as the tournament progressed. 

However, in the last clash against Punjab Kings, Shaw bounced back into form with a crucial half-century, along with Rilee Rossouw's blistering 82 that powered Delhi to a total of over 200 for the first time in the season. 

Ricky Ponting and the team management would hope the top order continues to showcase their prowess in the last game and give the fans something to cheer about in this gloomy season. 

Pitch & conditions

In the 12 innings played thus far at the Arun Jaitley Stadium this season, the average first innings total is around the 170-run mark, and the average winning total is 190. 

Teams have preferred chasing at this venue, with four out of the six matches won by the side batting second, with Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad successfully defending a target. 

Out of the 72 wickets to fall at this venue, the fast bowlers have accounted for 40 dismissals, which is 55.6 percent compared to 32 wickets by the spinners. 

With the boundaries also comparatively on the longer side, the bowlers will feel a lot more secure in executing their skills with boundary riders in place. 

Tactical nous

> Prithvi Shaw will enter this game on the back of a half-century and will be keen to showcase his skills against high-quality opposition. However, the right-handed batter will be wary of Deepak Chahar, who has dismissed him six times in nine innings, which is the most for him in the IPL. 

> Devon Conway, who will be crucial to the chances of Chennai in the powerplay, will also hold a key role in the middle overs to the visiting side. The southpaw has been brutal against left-arm wrist spinners in T20s and scored 111 runs in 61 deliveries at a strike rate of 182 without being dismissed. With Kuldeep Yadav in the opposition ranks, Conway's presence at the crease might prompt the Capitals to delay the use of their trump card.  

Team combination

After a resounding win against Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals are set to back the same set of players for their final league game. 

Delhi Capitals XI: David Warner (Captain), Prithvi Shaw, Philip Salt (wk), Rilee Rossouw, Axar Patel, Aman Hakim Khan, Yash Dhull, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed

Chennai are known to be very consistent with their squad selection, and for this must-win clash, Ambati Rayudu and Matheesha Pathirana will be in the playing XI before being subbed out depending on the toss. 

Chennai Super Kings XI: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (Captain & wk), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Maheesh Theekshana, Ambati Rayudu / Matheesha Pathirana