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Five wins out of seven and sitting pretty in third place, things are beginning to look promising for a side dismissed by pundits and fans alike as one of the weakest in the competition. Sangakarra’s decision to sit back in the dressing room and let Cameron White take charge has worked well so far, and the team would be counting on it against CSK as Sanga is not an option, owing to the restriction on Sri Lankan players. But the return of opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan is sure to serve as a boost to a batting lineup which has been lacking in depth. Coming back from injury, the Indian batsman will be hoping to continue from where he left off – demolishing the Australian bowling attack.
Bowling has undoubtedly been the Sunrisers’ strength this season, but against the Chennai batting lineup, the bowling department will be tested to its limits. Against the likes of Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina and Dhoni, Steyn and co. could have their hands full. Coming on the back of three wins on the trot, last edition’s finalists pose a serious challenge for SRH, whose low Net Run Rate betrays the weak and unpredictable nature of the side. The best bet for the Sunrisers would be to restrict Dhoni’s men to a low total and then try to chase down the target – a formula that has worked well for SRH so far.
Conditions:
The pitch at Chennai is favourable for spinners, so the overs of Amit Mishra and Ashwin are likely to be crucial.
Head-to-Head:
This is the first time the Chennai Super Kings square off against newly formed Sunrisers Hyderabad. But against the Deccan Chargers, CSK have played 10 games and won 6 of them.
Key Factor: Shikhar Dhawan
The young Indian opener has been phenomenal in the IPL, with 9 half centuries to his credit and an overall average of over 30. This being his first game on his return from injury, his presence could mean a lot to the batting line-up, and fans would be hoping that he can get going straight away. In the absence of Kumar Sangakarra, he needs to play through the twenty overs, which would allow the other batsmen, particularly Cameron White, to play freely.
Probable XI:
Parthiv Patel (wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Akshath Reddy, Ashish Reddy, Cameron White(c), Chris Lynn, Darren Sammy, Hanuma Vihari, Dale Steyn, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma.
