The last time Lucknow Super Giants faced Royal Challengers Bangalore was at Ekana Sports Stadium on May 1, 2023. From the very beginning, LSG’s situation was not favorable. RCB was able to reach and defend the average score on the field with relative ease. The subsequent brawl merely added spice to their wounds.
CSK comes loaded with depth in the batting and bowling departments, with a lot of experience in the names of Dhoni, Jadeja, and Conway, among many others. LSG and CSK will lock horns on May 3, 2023, at 3:30 p.m. IST at Ekana Sports Stadium for the TATA IPL 2023.
Dhoni will definitely CSK in the thrilling encounter. KL Rahul is expected to have recovered from the injury that kept him out against RCB.
Overview of CSK’s Squad
Thala Dhoni has indicated that this will be his last professional cricket season. After this season, he is unlikely to participate in the IPL again. Dhoni will captain CSK against LSG until that time. The opening duo of Devon Conway and Ruturaj Gaikwad will complement him.
Gaikwad has slipped down to the 5th spot for Orange Cap, but Conway is very much in the race at the 3rd position. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will back the bowling department of CSK along with the leader for the Purple Cap in TATA IPL 2023, Tushar Deshpande.
Expect Ambati Rayudu to make a friendly appearance against LSG as an impact player. Rahane will continue the momentum as a right-handed batter. Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali are the two all-rounders who can go in either direction. Fans can only hope that they take on the challenge of setting a higher target or defending a lower target on the slow pitch.
Analysis of LSG’s Squad
Krunal Pandya stepped up when KL Rahul had to leave the field after sustaining an injury while stopping the boundary. Not exactly a leader, Krunal did his best to restrict the opponents to 126 for 9 wickets. He could not pick any wickets but kept his 4-over economy at 5.25, at par with Ravi Bishnoi and Gowtham.
Spinners worked well against RCB at Ekana Sports Stadium. They are expected to make a stronger comeback this time. Navin ul-Haq has been fined 100 percent of his fees for getting into a dirty verbal fight with Kohli. He could choose to remain calm tomorrow.
Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran, and KL Rahul will have the responsibility to take the game forward. Ayush Badoni and Marcus Stoinis cannot be expected to play a test match in the IPL format. Their run rates against RCB were 36.36 and 68.42, respectively. CSK will only look to capitalize on this weakness.
CSK’s Strengths and Strategies
The rule of the Impact Player has made it convenient for Dhoni to bring Rayudu at the right time. Jadeja is an all-rounder who will not miss a chance to take risky shots. Conway and Gaikwad can go on to set up a bigger score. Assuming they make it past 50 runs in the powerplay, CSK will have a chance to put up a brave fight for a better Net Run Rate.
The side currently ranks 4th, just below LSG, because the NRR is a crucial factor. Both have won five matches and lost four. Top cricket betting sites are, no wonder, dancing around the odds they should set.
Dhoni will set up his fielders closer to the pitch to avoid giving away singles and doubles. LSG’s risky shots can then end up directly in the hands of a fielder.
Impact of CSK’s Depth and Experience
Together, Rahane and Rayudu offer a wealth of experience to the batting unit. The all-round skills of Moeen Ali and Mitchell Santner will compensate for the remaining bowlers.
CSK batters have a comparatively high advantage with a long line of players waiting to play big shots. This includes finishers like Dhoni and Jadeja doing their jobs in the death overs. Spin could be a problem, but replicating what RCB did would yield fruitful results.
RCB maintained composure by taking 5–6 runs in risky overs. Similarly, CSK has limited options if it wants to cross the average score. Touching 140–150 would be competitive at Ekana Sports Stadium.
Comparison with Previous IPL Matches
CSK comes to face LSG after two big losses. The Dhoni-led Kings were unable to chase the target of 203 against Rajasthan Royals. Making this worse was the way Punjab Kings ended their match while chasing 201 with the loss of 6 wickets.
Until then, CSK has been phenomenal while walking down the road to the semifinals. Gaikwad or Conway, either opener has to stick to their grounds. Both making it past the powerplay will give other batters a strong foundation for the remaining match.
CSK’s bowling unit will continue relying on the spinners.
LSG’s Counter Strategy
Super Giants are familiar with the terrain they are traversing. A defeat against RCB ought to put matters in perspective. Rahul could position spinners at the top of the order and instruct batsmen to take their time during the first half of their innings.
Assuming the pitch performs similarly to how it did against RCB recently, LSG batters will only have a few opportunities to hit a long drive throughout their innings. A potential squad could have one extra spinner.
Conclusion
LSG is dissatisfied with its previous defeat, and there is much for the team to consider if it hopes to defeat CSK, the Kohli-Gambhir incident aside. The Kings’ openers could set up a massive tally if the pitch’s behavior changes. The extended lineup of batters provides an advantage for Chennai, while the Giants suffer precisely because of this. They may only acquire one additional spinner or one extra batter. An all-rounder, while dangerous, could be another option.
