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Ipl 2021 Csk Vs Srh What Experts Said As Chennai Rub Salt On Hyderabads Open Wounds

IPL 2021 | CSK vs SRH: What Experts said as Chennai rub salt on Hyderabad's open wounds

Chennai Super Kings are back on the top of the table after a thumping win over Sunrisers Hyderabad who are already struggling in this edition of the IPL to find any rhythm. CSK won by 7 wickets while chasing a target of 172 in 20 overs in Delhi on Wednesday.

Openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis once again showed their class and put yet another 100-run stand for the first wicket.

Gaikwad who continued his form in this encounter against SRH notched up 75 off 44 that included 12 boundaries before getting cleaned up by Rashid Khan.

The Afghan spinner broke Gaikwad’s defence to send him packing.

On the other side, Du Plessis carried on his purple patch with the bat and struck yet another half-century in IPL 2021. The right-hander scored 56 off 38 before getting trapped in front of the stumps by Rashid.

CSK only lost one more wicket during the chase in the form of Moeen Ali’s dismissal who was caught in the deep by Kedar Jadhav off Rashid. The spinner scalped all the three wickets that went down.

Later Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina made sure that there were no more fall of wickets and the two left-handers took CSK over the line in the 19th over with 9 balls to spare.

Earlier, David Warner after winning the toss opted to bat first. SRH lost Jonny Bairstow early in the innings but captain Warner and Manish Pandey steadied the ship for the side and put up 106 runs for the second wicket on the board.

Both the players scored individual half-centuries but the Hyderabad side needed to push the scoring rate which was provided by Kane Williamson later on.

Williamson’s late surge saw the New Zealand skipper scoring 26* off just 10 balls taking the total to 171/3 in 20 overs.

Lungi Ngidi picked up a couple of wickets for CSK while Sam Curran got one. Sunrisers skipper Warner’s slow-paced innings was one of the reasons why the team wasn’t able to put up a total that could have created some problems for CSK. He did score 57 that came off 55 deliveries which had three boundaries and two sixes during the course.

Captains’ corner

SRH captain David Warner admitted that the way he batted became the reason for his team getting under pressure.

“I take full responsibility for the way I batted, it was really slow, found a lot of fielders and I got frustrated. The way Manish batted was exceptional. Kane got us to a respectable total, but I take full responsibility as it was a total below par. I probably hit 15 good shots to the fielders, I couldn't do much about it. They are the ones that make or break your innings. It gets frustrating as a batsman when you find the fielders. We had 170 on the board but we couldn't take powerplay wickets and it's always tough (to come back) on a good surface like this,” Warner said.

Warner lavished praise on Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis for the way the two batted and scored a 100-run stand during the chase to give CSK a steady start.

“Their two openers batted really well, but we fought well in the end. Felt like you could squeeze a bit after those wickets but they were always ahead in the game. He (Kane) was going to bat four no matter what, that's where he bats, that is his job, just that I soaked up too many balls. It's about being positive, it's a good batting surface. We have a day game here as well. 170 is about a par total at night, but things could be different in a day game. From a batting perspective we need to find the gaps and need to be positive. We are a bunch of fighters. The guys will be hurt by this, but they'll be up and about,” he added.

To everyone’s surprise, there wasn’t really much for the spinners on the track in Delhi and CSK skipper MS Dhoni too admitted that the ball was coming nicely on the bat and didn’t really have any spin on offer.

“The batting was superb. But that doesn't mean the bowling was not good. It was a surprisingly good wicket. Whenever we come to Delhi we never expect a wicket like this. It was coming on nicely, there was nothing for the spinners as well. Good thing was there was no dew. Last night we felt 170 was just below par if there's no dew. Brilliant opening partnership. Addressing the problem (how the change from last season). Whenever you start the tournament, you may or may not face issues in playing XI. The earlier you settle the better,” Dhoni said.

Dhoni also talked about how the players have taken up the onus on themselves especially after the team fared in the last edition of the tournament.

“Overall if I have to sum it up, the players have taken more responsibility this year. You will be facing adverse things but ultimately it boils down to how each individual rises to the occasion and gives the extra 10 percent for the team. Last 8-10 years we've not changed a lot of players so they know our approach. Also we appreciate the players not playing a lot. Only way you can put it forward is having those nice interactions. Just try to have the frame of mind where if you get the opportunity you'll be ready. Keeping the dressing room atmosphere healthy is important,” he further added.

Experts’ opinion

Commentator Harsha Bhogle was of the opinion that SRH might have fallen short 10-15 runs but the total was still defendable especially after the kind of bowling attack they had in the lineup for the game against CSK.

Harsha heaped praises for the way CSK went after the chase in Delhi.

Boria Majumdar hailed the way CSK dominated the run chase.

Boria also appreciated the efforts put in by Rashid who picked up three wickets during the course.

Journalist Ayaz Memon had lavished praise for the CSK side and how the team looks balanced in all the departments.

CSK will now face MI on Saturday while SRH would be up against RR on Sunday in Delhi.

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IPL 2021: Shimron Hetmyer delighted to score maiden half-century for DC

It turned out to be a fascinating encounter between the Royal Challengers Bangakore and the Delhi Capitals with RCB snatching a one-run victory to go again go atop the points table. The run-chase looked like going in RCB’s favour until Shimron Hetmyer played a fascinating knock and got DC within touching distance of the victory target. In the end, captain Rishabh Pant smashed a boundary in the final delivery with 6 required, giving RCB a hard-fought victory. Hetmyer who scored his second IPL half-century looked in utter disappointment after the loss and was consoled by the rival captain Virat Kohli for a monumental knock. The southpaw remained unbeaten on 53 of a mere 25 deliveries but couldn’t quite get his side over the finishing line. Hetmyer said that it was very heartbreaking to lose the match after coming so close. "I felt we were in the game throughout the time I was in the middle. I felt very good tonight. I thought we could've gotten past whatever they threw at us. We tried our best to take the game as close as we could have, but I guess, it just wasn't our night. It was heartbreaking, to be honest. I really think we could have gotten there, but that's how cricket goes. You win some and you lose some and tonight just wasn't ours to cross the line. I think we have a lot to learn from this match," Hetmyer was quoted as saying in a media release from the franchise. Chasing a stiff target of 171 to win, the Delhi Capitals got off to a great start courtesy some brilliant shots from the blade of Prithvi Shaw. However, they lost some quick wickets which put them on the back foot and it was a partnership of 78 runs between captain Rishabh Pant and Shimron Hetmyer which got DC back into the game. It was not one of those fluent knocks from Pant as he took 48 deliveries for his unbeaten 58. However, Hetmyer hopes that he gets more opportunities to bat with Pant during the course of this IPL. "It's much easier to bat with someone whose game is just the same as yours and we run well between the wickets. We had batted together during a match simulation as well. It's always nice to bat with Rishabh and I hope that we continue to get a chance to bat with each other," the swashbuckling batsman said. Meanwhile, Hetmyer also expressed his delight at scoring his first half-century for DC. "It was a pretty satisfying performance for me. I have been trying to get a fifty for the team since last season and trying to do something spectacular for the team. We almost got there tonight. With having the backing of the team to go out there and explode and do my thing, I'm just looking to continue to play the way I know," Hetmyer said. DC’s next assignment will be against the Kolkata Knight Riders on 29th April.

IPL 2021: Jaydev Unadkat hopeful of a turnaround for RR in Delhi

Rajasthan Royals left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat is hopeful of the fact that the surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi will aid their cause as he feels that RR have a pretty balanced side with an ability to do well in different conditions. Unadkat who was pretty poor in the last three seasons has started off the 14th edition in a good manner. He mixed his pace well in the three matches so far and have bagged 4 wickets in 3 encounters. “It’ll be a good pitch. I guess the pitches are likely to be flatter, especially in the first few games here,” Unadkat said. “We have a balanced squad overall and I think adapting to new surfaces won’t be a problem. We’ve got the squad to do well in a variety of conditions and surfaces,” he further added. It hasn’t been the greatest of starts for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL so far having lost 3 out of their 5 matches so far. After losing three in a row, Royals managed to eke out a victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders. They will look to gain momentum from this win and try to force their way back in the competition. They will be up against the defending champions Mumbai Indians tomorrow in the afternoon encounter. “It’s been a decent start to the tournament for us. The first game was a narrow defeat, the second game was a good team display and a wonderful win for us. We did sort of lose our way for a couple of games in between but now that we are back to winning ways, we’d like to continue this and build on this run,” Unadkat quipped. Royals certainly need some more wins under their belt to get back in contention for the playoffs berth. It’s still early days in the tournament with more than half of the tournament to be played which gives RR a realistic chance of clawing their way back in the extravaganza. “I personally feel that a couple more wins on the trot and we can get the right momentum going for us. We haven’t had that sort of a run yet but I feel it’s the right time for us to get back that momentum,” Unadkat concluded.

IPL 2021 Preview: Doused in criticism about captaincy, Pant seeks to fly like Morgan

Bhuvan (Amir Khan) in the film Lagaan swings the bat with full force, the ball is in the air and is eventually caught by Captain Russell but behind the boundary line. Bhuvan wins it after notching up a six on the last ball and helps his village to get exemption from paying taxes to the British Government. That’s kind of how it works when you are watching a Bollywood movie. The underdog always wins. But it isn’t that easy in real life, especially in the Indian Premier League when you are up against some quality bowlers. On Tuesday, Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant was in a similar situation. He needed 10 runs off the last two balls against RCB to take his team over the line in Ahmedabad. A situation tailor made for a Bollywood thriller. He did get a boundary on the penultimate ball and needed a maximum on the last one but failed to hit it over the boundary line. DC lost by 1 run. Pant and his batting partner Shimron Hetmyer were despondent. Let us take you a little back as to what happened in this particular game. Chasing 172, DC were 92/4 in the 13th over when Hetmyer unleashed an onslaught against the RCB bowlers. He scored an unbeaten 53 off 25 while Pant remained not out on 58 off 48 but the youngsters failed to complete the task for their team. The two batsmen were consoled by the RCB team but they knew that just gave it away on what could have been one of the finest chases in the history of IPL. But as they say this game is cruel and it plays the balancing act with accuracy. Not so long ago, Pant had unfolded the kind of mettle he possessed. Some four-five months back, the Indian team was in Australia for the four-match Test series. We were initially trailing, were without our regular skipper, were racially abused and the players suffered bruises on their bodies. It was probably the toughest time that the Indian team had faced. But there were few young lads who were up for this battle on the cricket field and two of them were Pant and Shubman Gill. While Gill was unmoved by the bouncy tracks and some serious pace in Australia, Pant was in some different mood all this while. After almost getting written off prior to this series, the left-handed batsman was out there in the middle to prove that he belonged. His responsible partnerships with Cheteshwar Pujara and the carnage he had caused showed that the criticism had certainly paid off. Well, riding on some brilliant performances from the young brigade, the Indian unit completed a successful tour Down Under and won the Test series 2-1. A couple of months later, Pant was handed over DC’s captaincy after skipper Shreyas Iyer ruled out of the cash-rich league. But this added responsibility has certainly pushed Rishabh on the backfoot as far as his batting is concerned. DC are placed at number three in the points table with four wins and just two defeats in the six matches that they have played but Pant hasn’t been firing yet especially in the way that he does while his captaincy has also come under scrutiny. The wicket-keeper batsman though has been among some runs in the past couple of matches but a knock of his calibre still awaits. Coming to Kolkata Knight Riders, the Eoin Morgan-led side defeated Punjab Kings in their last encounter in Ahmedabad after facing some early hiccups during the chase of 124 runs. But captain Morgan and Rahul Tripathi steadied the ship for the side and took them to a win by 5 wickets. Delhi can capitalise The Delhi Capitals are probably one of the most balanced sides in the tournament. With experienced players like Shikhar Dhawan, Steve Smith, Amit Mishra and now back in the scheme of selections Ishant Sharma, the Delhi franchise is not really in a spot of bother despite a defeat in the last game. Apart from this the young bunch of cricketers including captain Pant, Prithvi Shaw, Kagiso Rabada, Hetmyer and Avesh Khan are always up for the task. The addition of Ishant and Axar Patel in the bowling department. The left-arm spinner produced some magical spell during the Test series against England in Ahmedabad earlier this year and would be looking to replicate that. A couple of things that they need to focus on for now is Pant’s batting and Marcus Stoinis’ form. DC are in definite need of their captain’s blazing knock as soon as possible because this would help the aggressive batsman get in the groove himself. He has scored runs in the two matches but only needs to be confident about his abilities and back that special hand-eye coordination that he has. Stoinis might not be in very good form but he has the ability to deliver with both bat and ball and needs to be persisted in the side for now. Nevertheless, the Capitals look pretty stable with their side at the moment and they certainly don’t need any changes in the XI for now. KKR’s batting woes Kolkata Knight Riders might have won the match against Punjab Kings but the early hiccups in the chase were a sign of how Morgan’s side needs to put the right pieces in the puzzle. Either their top order has failed to fire or if the youngsters have chipped in, the experienced batsmen in the middle order like Andre Russell, Morgan, Dinesh Karthik and Shakib Al Hasan have failed to capitalise barring some instances. Opener Nitish Rana started off the season on a good note but has lost the touch in between while his opening partner Shubman Gill has been struggling to get any form. The two for sure have the capability to give KKR a positive start consistently. Rahul Tripathi has been in a decent touch. He in fact played a crucial knock in the last match against the Punjab team and stitched a responsible stand with captain Morgan to get his side out of trouble from a tricky situation. The bowling unit is back in some good knick. Youngsters like Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna have been impressive while Pat Cummins, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy also produced some good spells of bowling in the last outing. Kolkata surely need their batting order to go into and huddle and discuss about the roles of the players while they are out in the middle. As far as bowling is concerned, Morgan can go ahead with the same lot for now. Match Details Match: DC vs KKR, 25th Match, Indian Premier League 2021 Date: Thursday, April 29, 2021 Time: 7:30 PM Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad Pitch and Toss On Tuesday, RCB captain Virat Kohli did talk about the dew factor in Ahmedabad and said that both him and Pant thought there would be some amount of it. But before the start of DC’s chase, there was an occurrence of a sandstorm which might have nullified the presence of the dew. Nevertheless, DC and KKR can expect some dew when they go head to head against each other on Thursday. Coming to the pitch, there have been two totally contrasting matches. One saw a few runs scored around the park while the other witnessed almost a drought. The track at the Narendra Modi Stadium can possibly help the spinners but the dew factor can help the chasing team take the upper hand. If you win the toss, bowl first. Team News Delhi Capitals Shimron Hetmyer got some form back during the game against RCB while Ishant Sharma and Axar Patel exceedingly well after being drafted back into the side. Axar’s impressive spell against England in the Test series is still fresh and he too would be looking to be among the wickets asap. Kolkata Knight Riders Captain Eoin Morgan took charge of the situation when his team was in a spot of bother against Punjab Kings and led them to victory eventually. The bowling attack has been in good shape and can trouble the opposition on their day. Probable XI DC Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Steven Smith, Shimron Hetmyer, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Kagiso Rabada, Ishant Sharma, Avesh Khan KKR Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Sunil Narine, Eoin Morgan (c), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Shivam Mavi, Prasidh Krishna, Varun Chakravarthy Fantasy XI Rishabh Pant, Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Prithvi Shaw, Andre Russell (C), Axar Patel, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, Avesh Khan, Sunil Narine (VC)

Russell Domingo lashes out at Bangladesh players for their poor mindset

Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo lashed out at his Bangladesh boys after failing to win the opening Test against Sri Lanka. Despite dominating the first two days of the match, Bangladesh ended up conceding a huge lead as the match ended in a tame draw. Domingo feels that with the current mental state of the Bangladesh players, they won’t be successful in the longest formats. The mentality to not lose rather than going for the win won’t help Bangladesh going forward feels Domingo. The Bangla Tigers are currently at the bottom of the points table in the ICC Test Championship and is looking to sign off their campaign in the tourney with a victory under their belt. Ever since making their Test debut way back against India in 2000, Bangladesh have never managed to produce consistent performances in Tests. Bangladesh have won just 14 out of the 122 Tests they have played so far. Out of the 14 victories, 11 have come against Zimbabwe and West Indies. As per reports in the Cricbuzz, it is learnt that Domingo felt that Bangladesh should have declared at tea on the second day just after crossing the 500 mark but skipper Mominul Haque allowed the batters to keep batting which wasted a lot of time. The approach clearly didn’t impress Domingo despite the skipper lauding his team for drawing the match especially after some poor performances in the longest format. "It is disappointing when a drawn Test is seen as a massive success. I am not here for drawn Tests. We don't want to lose Tests but we should have a mental shift. We have to play to win, and not merely be happy with draws. I have had six or seven Tests with the team now, I think I understand our team and culture. I know the areas we need to improve on, particularly on the mental side of things in Tests,” Domingo was quoted as saying by the Cricbuzz. There's a long way to go. There's a fear of losing Tests, and that's something that we have to come away from. We have to play to win. At the moment I feel we are playing not to lose. It is a mental shift that we need to make. That mental shift will take a bit of time. Guys haven't been successful in Tests. Until we change that mindset, we will always be okay with mediocrity. It is not something I want to be part of," he further added. Domingo feels that there needs to be a serious change in the mindset of the players. The current Bangladesh team lacks the intent in winning Test matches. Rather than being happy with a draw, they have to start thinking of victories in the longest format. Their record in Tests despite playing this format for over two decades is dismal, to be honest. "We want to take the team forward and play the game to win. We have to bat first in tough conditions. We have to declare to give ourselves enough time to bowl sides out. Those are the shifts that you have to make to become a serious Test-playing nation," Domingo said. Bangladesh missed the likes of Shakib Al Hasan for the Test series owing to his IPL commitments. With Shakib out of contention, Domingo said that they need to play five bowlers in the absence of Shakib which gives them a better chance in the longest format. Over the years, Bangladesh have focussed on atleast 7-8 batsmen but playing 5 bowlers in the opening Test gave a fair idea about their changes in attitude. However, it wasn’t replicated on the field. "I need to chat with the selectors this afternoon, but I think that's the way forward. When you have Shakib in the team, it allows you to play seven batters. When you don't have that all-rounder, we have to be brave, and try to have five bowlers who can get us 20 wickets. If it was solely up to me, it would be the way to go, but there's a panel of selectors that need to be consulted with, and it got to be a decision that we all have to support," Domingo quipped. Under the coaching of Domingo, Bangladesh have just managed to win a solitary Test in 8 attempts. Despite not being happy with their performance in the opening Test, Domingo is hopeful of the fact that Bangladesh can win the Test series against Sri Lanka. "We want to try to win the series. It will be a great achievement for Bangladesh to win a series in Sri Lanka. Winning a Test series abroad is a goal that we have set ourselves. We have to play well over the five days. Sri Lanka are a tough side to beat, especially at home. Our focus is on starting the Test well, and one session at a time," Domingo signed off.