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The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will look to reclaim top spot on the IPL 2021 points table when they take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Delhi. This will be the first IPL 2021 game at the venue, with CSK and SRH placed at opposite ends of the standings.
CSK made the most of their Wankhede leg as they won four on the trot after starting the campaign with a loss. Many expected the Men in Yellow to struggle on the pacy tracks in Mumbai, since they are used to playing on the sluggish Chepauk wicket. But they dispelled that notion, and come into the game on the back of a statement win against RCB.
MS Dhoni’s side became the first team to beat RCB in IPL 2021, as they trounced the Bangalore outfit by 69 runs. Ravindra Jadeja's masterclass was the foundation of their win, with the all-rounder excelling with both bat and ball as well as in the field.
They should be confident about their chances in Delhi, considering how pitches at the venue have performed historically. Delhi is known for throwing up spin-friendly wickets that are slow in nature, and is the closest CSK will come to home conditions this season.
While CSK astounded everyone with their performances in Mumbai, SRH did the same in Chennai but for entirely different reasons. On slow, sticky surfaces hat were supposedly tailormade for them, SRH ended up losing four out of their first five games of the season.
They found themselves on the wrong end of a morale-sapping loss in their last game, with SRH losing to Delhi Capitals in the Super Over. They will hope Delhi treats them better than Chennai did as they look to move off the bottom of the IPL 2021 standings.
SRH will have to overcome history if they want to do that, due to their poor record against CSK. They have beaten CSK just four times in the IPL, while CSK have emerged with a win on 10 occasions. In the last three years, the win record is 6-2 in CSK’s favour.
IPL 2021: CSK vs SRH Match Prediction
CSK have some selection calls to make, with all of their stars performing well whenever given a chance this season. Imran Tahir impressed against RCB and could be a handful if there is turn on offer in Delhi.
Moeen Ali is likely to be fit, and should slot straight into the playing eleven. If the Englishman is fit, it is likely to be a straight fight between Tahir and Dwayne Bravo for the final overseas slot.
Ambati Rayudu struggled with a dodgy hamstring in the last game and may sit this one out considering the quick turnaround. That means Robin Uthappa may finally make his CSK debut on Wednesday.
Despite their best efforts and the return of Kane Williamson, SRH’s middle-order mess has refused to go away. Virat Singh’s 14 ball 4 was one of the main reasons why SRH lost against DC, and he may make way for Manish Pandey. Abdul Samad could return as well if has recovered from his hamstring injury.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar was another who missed the last game due to injury, but it is unclear whether the Indian pacer will be fit for the CSK encounter. If fit, he is likely to replace one of Siddarth Kaul or Khaleel Ahmed. Jagadeesha Suchith should keep his place, considering his performance in the last game and the spin-friendly conditions in Delhi.
While Jonny Bairstow has been impressive at the top, David Warner has had an uncharastically poor season until now. One of IPL’s most consistent batsmen averages just 27.20 this season, but could return to form against CSK. The Australian has five 50-plus scores against CSK in eight innings, and SRH could do with a classic Bairstow-Warner blitzkrieg at the top.
CSK and SRH couldn’t be further apart from each other in terms of their IPL 2021 journey. A settled CSK side have performed better than expectations, with the team pulling off clinical wins one after the other. Expect them to continue their run on Wednesday, as they look to start their Delhi leg with a win.
SRH’s unsettled playing eleven doesn’t bode well for them. The side have historically struggled against CSK, and looking at their recent form, that doesn’t look like changing anytime soon.
Prediction: CSK to win
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