3 things CSK need to do right to beat DC in IPL 2023 clash

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Delhi Capitals (DC) in match number 67 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday, May 20.

While Delhi have knocked out of the playoffs race, Chennai are very much in the hunt. They are currently second in the points table with 15 points from 13 games. Another win will confirm their spot in the next round. Even if they lose, CSK will still be in with a chance but will have to depend on other results. As such, Chennai will want to seal things with a victory against Delhi.

Looking at their recent performances, Chennai Super Kings went down to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by six wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium at home. On the other hand, Delhi Capitals defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 15 runs at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.

DC will be confident following their win over the Punjab Kings (PBKS). As such, they might pose a challenge to Chennai in Saturday’s match.

Ahead of the game, we analyze three things CSK need to do right to beat DC in the IPL 2023 clash.

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#1 Analyze the surface properly

David Warner (left) and MS Dhoni (Pic: iplt20.com)

Analyzing the pitch and conditions is one area where Chennai Super Kings have been found out in IPL 2023.

In their last match, their decision to bat first against KKR on a sluggish pitch backfired as the batters were unsure of what target to set. They went too slow and only managed to put up 144/6 on the board. Kolkata chased down the target with a well-planned response, overcoming a poor start.

In an earlier game against Punjab Kings as well, they batted first and posted 200/4 at home, in what turned out to be a batting beauty. CSK again misjudged the conditions as Punjab chased down what seemed like a challenging score on the back of their batting might.

Of course, both instances were registered in Chepauk, but Chennai need to be extremely mindful of their tactics on Saturday.

Speaking after CSK’s loss to KKR, head coach Stephen Fleming admitted:

“I am not sure we got the conditions right. Last game, it turned and got considerably harder to bat. This one, actually, had spongy bounce to start and then just lost a bit of sting as the game went on. Very difficult to try and work out what the surface is going to do with the dew. I have said it the whole way through, we are still learning about these new conditions.”

Chennai Super Kings cannot afford another misjudgment in this crucial aspect in a key clash.

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#2 CSK’s batters need to show better consistency

Ruturaj Gaikwad (left) and Devon Conway (Pic: iplt20.com)

Chennai’s batters have come up with some very impressive performances in IPL 2023. But a closer assessment will lead to the conclusion that barring opener Devon Conway and big-hitter Shivam Dube, the rest haven’t been as consistent.

Conway is the leading run-getter for Chennai so far, with 498 runs at an average of 49.80 and a strike rate of 134.59, with five half-centuries. Dube has contributed 363 runs at a strike rate of 157.14, with three fifties.

Looking at the rest, opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has a decent tally of 425 runs in 13 games at an average of 38.64. However, he has only converted two of his starts into half-centuries, which is disappointing considering the kind of talent that Gaikwad possesses.

Ajinkya Rahane (281 runs in 11 games) also has two half-centuries to his credit. However, he has registered a highest score of 21 in his last four innings.

CSK will need a much more clinical effort from their batters to ensure they put up a good show with the willow against DC.

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#3 Bowlers need to keep DC’s big hitters in check

Prithvi Shaw (left) and David Warner (Pic: iplt20.com)

The biggest threat to Chennai Super Kings in Saturday’s encounter might be posed by Delhi’s big hitters.

Punjab Kings found the same out in the last game as skipper David Warner (46 off 31), Prithvi Shaw (54 off 38), Rilee Rossouw (82* off 37), and Phil Salt (26* off 14) combined to take their bowlers to the cleaners.

Rossouw, in particular, was outstanding with his clean striking. Consistency has not been Delhi’s forte in the ongoing edition, at least not in the batting department. As such, there are chances that DC’s batting suffers another collapse.

However, CSK’s bowlers will need to be mindful of the potential threat from Delhi Capitals’ explosive batting line-up.