April 5 ( Punjab Khabarnama) : As Chennai Super Kings (CSK) gear up to face the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 2024 Indian Premier League clash on Friday, the absence of their in-form bowler, Mustafizur Rahman, poses a challenge. CSK, known for their consistency, suffered their first loss of the season against Delhi Capitals last week, prompting the team to recalibrate their strategies.
One of the most debated topics in cricketing circles revolves around the batting position of the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Despite calls for his promotion up the order, Dhoni seems set to maintain his position lower down despite his astonishing blitzkrieg against the DC in Visakhapatnam; the CSK will likely be banking on the capabilities of Shivam Dube and Sameer Rizvi to finish the job.
With Mustafizur absent, CSK faces the challenge of reconfiguring their bowling combination. The overseas duo of Mustafizur and Matheesha Pathirana had been effective, but with the former’s absence, CSK may turn to a like-for-like replacement in Mukesh Choudhary.
On the other side, the Sunrisers Hyderabad aim to capitalise on home advantage at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. While they exhibited strong batting performances against Mumbai Indians, opener Mayank Agarwal’s lackluster form raises concerns.
Additionally, SRH seek to rectify their recent batting failure against Gujarat Titans and bolster their bowling attack, particularly the underwhelming performance of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who is yet to make an impact with the new ball.
Skipper Pat Cummins stands out as one of their most consistent bowlers, maintaining a tight economy rate and contributing crucial wickets. However, he awaits support from his teammates, especially against CSK’s formidable lineup.
With the pitch promising another high-scoring encounter, both teams brace for a fierce battle under the lights.
SRH likely XI if batting first Travis Head, Mayank Agarwal/Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande
SRH likely XI if bowling first Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Washington Sundar, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mayank Markande
CSK likely XI if batting first Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Sameer Rizvi, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana
CSK likely XI if bowling first Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana, Mukesh Choudhary
