IPL 2021: 3 blunders CSK shouldn't commit in the UAE leg

Chennai Super Kings started the 2021 season of the Indian Premier League in dominating style. In the first leg of the tournament in India, CSK won five out of their seven matches and now they stand at a place where qualification into the playoffs seems quite easy. However, there is a bit of history which this unit has to be aware of.

Among all the seasons in which CSK played in the league, it was only the season in the United Arab Emirates in 2020 when they failed to qualify into the playoffs. It is important that the team doesn’t repeat the same mistakes that happened in that season.

Here are the three blunders CSK shouldn’t commit in IPL 2021 UAE leg:

1. Top-order issues

Even though Chennai Super Kings have a great depth in their batting, their top order holds a key. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Faf du Plessis opened the innings for them in the first leg of the tournament and are likely to continue in the role. But, the main reason why the pair will hold importance, is because of what had transpired during the 2020 season of the IPL. 

The 2020 season in the UAE was the worst which the franchise had in the history of the IPL. They failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time. In that season, CSK failed to bat well in the first six overs and the effect of which was seen in the results. 

Even though CSK has some terrific stroke makers in the team, especially in the middle order, they would want an anchor to see through the tough phase. Because the team has a long batting unit, for example, Dwayne Bravo was seen batting at no. 9 in the first leg, CSK could try to go hard from the very beginning. But, it is important to respect the conditions and take up challenges accordingly. 

2. Lack of clarity behind MS Dhoni’s batting position 

During the first leg of the Indian Premier League 2021, MS Dhoni made only 37 runs in four innings with the bat. His strike rate of around 124 and he hardly batted during this phase when CSK was doing well. And if you look at the overs when he came out to bat or the position at which he batted, it is all over the place. 

MS Dhoni’s batting has been in decline since the 2020 season. The fact that he is not in the thick of things and doesn’t play international cricket anymore, can be a thing of worry for his fans. It has been like he seems a bit out of touch with the bat, because of lack of match practice. Since the 2019 World Cup, Dhoni has played in IPL only. 

After a successful season with the bat in 2019, Dhoni’s numbers dropped in the UAE in 2020. He managed only 200 runs in 14 matches with a strike rate of 116. These numbers don’t justify the caliber which the former Indian captain possesses. But, for now, we can expect the CSK team to put an end to the debate around his batting position. 

3. Pacers leaking runs

During the first phase of the IPL 2021, CSK’s performance was top-notch with the bat and the ball. Despite managing to win five games, the only issue which seemed prevalent was with their pacers. The fast-bowlers have not been at their best at certain stages of the match. 

CSK’s spinners have been too good with the ball. As a matter of fact, Imran Tahir had an economy of 4 in the only match he played while Ravindra Jadeja and Moeen Ali had economy rates lower than 7. But, Lungi Ngidi and Shardul Thakur gave away runs at a rate of more than 10 while Sam Curran’s economy was 8.68.

This could be a concern for CSK moving ahead in the tournament. In the last match before the break, CSK failed to defend a total of more than 200 runs. If a team is failing to defend such a score, there are going to be questions asked which will be directed at the death bowlers. On top of that, powerplay wickets will be crucial, something which they didn’t get during the 2020 season in the UAE.