Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, and Rilee Rossouw from left to right. (Agencies)
Running out of patience
That Chennai Super Kings have a history of backing players battling form is well known. But even by their standards, how long will they persist with Ajinkya Rahane is the question that gets louder with each passing game. In the past when they backed the likes of Murali Vijay, Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson they could afford to do so as they were winning matches. But this season with Chennai having a mixed season and at a time where each win is crucial, Rahane faltered once again, falling for 9. With Sameer Rizvi, Sheikh Rasheed, Ajay Mandal in their ranks, the pressure is mounting on Rahane. Against Punjab Kings, his innings ended tamely as he flicked a simple catch to the mid-wicket fielder off Arshdeep Singh’s delivery.
Missing intent
In their previous two matches with powerplay not fetching enough runs, Chennai’s first six of their innings came only on the 13th over. Their middle-order, which is already short on runs, has been forced to go out on the attack straight away. And Sunday was no different as Shivam Dube picked up his second successive zero, going hard at a widish delivery and just managing to edge to the wicketkeeper. It has been that sort of season for CSK, where they have to rely on Dube to bail them against the spinners. As Dube departed, it left the rest of the batting unit with a mountain to climb. Sans his contribution, CSK managed only five sixes.
Chahar, the forgotten man
Three years ago Rahul Chahar had emerged as India’s first choice leg-spinner in T20Is. Not much a big turner of the ball, he is what you call an ideal T20 leg spinner… fast, flat and a googly that turns more than the leg-spin. That he kept pushing batsmen to the backfoot, made him a hot property. But since the 2021 T20 World Cup, his form has fluctuated and this season even was dropped to the bench. But in the last couple of game, he is coming on to his own. After knocking CSK on their own turf last Wednesday, he did it again on Sunday, breaking their back in the middle overs.
Dharamshala: Punjab Kings bowler Rahul Chahar celebrates the wicket of Chennai Super Kings batter Mitchell Santner during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings, at HPCA Stadium, in Dharamshala, Sunday, May 5, 2024. (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)
2010, 2024: Contrasting emotions
It is a visual that has been replayed a million times. In 2010, in a must-win last league game with CSK in dire straits, Dhoni walked in and hijacked a game out of nowhere. The two sixes in the final over off Irfan Pathan and Dhoni’s celebration is part of the folklore. It was an evening where he showed a lot of emotions and was pumped-up. That win took them to their maiden title. And 14 years later, at the same ground, a struggling CSK needing him badly in the death overs, Dhoni walked in to a rousing reception and walked out to total since, bowled first ball by Harshal Patel. It really felt like the end of an era.
Kings implode
Perhaps the match was already slipping out of their grasp but within four balls of madness, Punjab Kings sealed their own fate. At the end of the 12th over, Simarjeet Singh couldn’t quite believe his luck (or lack thereof). Another short-of-length delivery, and Ashutosh Sharma – perhaps Punjab’s last hope – could not have picked out the fielder better. Moeen Ali at midwicket, however, dropped a sitter. At the start of the 13th over, however, Sam Curran would offer another chance to CSK and this time they didn’t miss it. Ravindra Jadeja had the Punjab captain dismissed, with Mitch Santner taking a catch at long off. Two balls later, Ashutosh – just after his reprieve earlier – decided to go hard at it again. This time, the wily Jadeja induced an outside edge that looped to short third. Simarjeet didn’t have the wicket last over, but he took the catch this time. “Lack of discipline in their batting,” critiqued Brian Lara on air. Indeed so.
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