IPL 8 Preview: At fort Chepauk, CSK will try to halt MI march

In the previous encounter, CSK had beaten MI by 6 wickets. (Source: BCCI)

CSK (bt RCB)

What went right: Led by the sensational Dwayne Bravo, Chennai Super Kings rallied to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in their last game. They had lost their previous two games and looked vulnerable after scoring a modest 148/9 against Mitchell Starc & Co. Chennai came back, taking seven wickets for 27 runs. Ashish Nehra was excellent at the death but it was Bravo who changed the game with a ripper of a run-out of Virat Kohli.

What went wrong: Once again, the Chennai batting failed to impose itself. Yet again, the opening partnership could not provide the start and barring Suresh Raina, no one came up with a significant contribution in the middle. MS Dhoni, however, showed glimpses of returning to form during his 18-ball 29.

MI (bt DD)

What Went Right: Mumbai Indians have won four on the bounce to come back strong in the tournament. Harbhajan Singh set up their win with 2/11 in four overs against Delhi Daredevils. Then, Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu put up a match-winning partnership when the team was in trouble during the chase. Kieron Pollard’s big-hits took them over the line in the end.

What went Wrong: Their mindless batting order. Hardik Pandya came at No. 3 as a pinch-hitter. The move didn’t work. Once bitten, Mumbai were not twice shy. They promoted Harbhajan at No. 5 ahead of Rayudu. Poor planning allowed Delhi make early inroads and put their rivals under serious pressure. Mumbai survived because their opponents were about 20 runs short.

Conclusion

Mumbai are the form team, but facing Chennai at Chepauk is a different ball game altogether. MS Dhoni’s team looks unbeatable at home. Ten straight wins attest their dominance. Mumbai have to shun their experiments. Rohit Sharma opens the batting for his country. It’s baffling that he’s batting down the order for his franchise.

Source:: Indian Express