IPL 2018, CSK vs RR: Hits and Misses

The first game in Pune (the new home of Chennai Super Kings) this year was a one-sided affair but much to the delight of the CSK fans, the MS Dhoni-led side comprehensively beat Rajasthan Royals by 64 runs.

After being put into bat by RR, CSK got off to a flying start as they scored 69 in their first six overs. Shane Watson who was dropped twice early on, looked in sublime touch as he smashed the RR bowlers all around the park. Watson scored the second ton of this season as his 106 and contributions from Suresh Raina (46) and Dwayne Bravo (24) took CSK to 204. Shreyas Gopal was the stand out bowler for the visitors as he took 3/20 and applied the brakes in the middle overs.

In reply, RR got off to the worst possible start as they were reduced to 35/3 after six overs. Despite a fighting 45 from Ben Stokes, they never seemed to be in the chase and slumped to their 3rd loss of the season.

This 64-run victory helped CSK move to 6 points and climb to the top of the points table.

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#5 Hit: CSK’s new-ball bowlers

Shardul Thakur was excellent with the ball as he took 2/18

Defending a big score can become tricky for the new ball bowlers sometimes. With the field restrictions in place, the chasing team will likely go after the opening bowlers and try to maximize the powerplay. However, today Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur were excellent at the start.

With 204 runs in the bank, Chahar and Thakur were consistent with their line and length. In the first five overs that they bowled in tandem, the duo gave away just 34 runs and knocked over Rajasthan’s top 3. Deepak Chahar bowled four overs on the trot and had figures of 2/30. On the other hand, Shardul Thakur bowled a couple at the start and another one at the back end. He finished with figures of 2/18.

It was the opening burst from these young pacers that set the tone for CSK to defend 204.

#4 Miss: Stuart Binny

Binny bowled only 2 overs but gave 33 runs

Stuart Binny has been a regular member of the IPL since 2011. After playing just one game for Mumbai Indians in 2010, Binny played for Rajasthan Royals for 5 years before he turned out for Royal Challengers Bangalore. However, he’s never been consistent. He has scored 766 runs in 58 innings and has taken 21 wickets.

This year he was picked by Rajasthan Royals for his base price (50 lakh). After warming the benches in the first four games, Binny finally got a game. Like the previous couple of seasons, the Karnataka all-rounder opened the bowling.

However, he had a horror return as he bowled a no-ball off the very first delivery of the game. He then was hit for three fours in the first over. He did produce the edge but it was dropped in the slips. He came back to bowl in the 13th over of the innings and conceded 19.

Binny was either too short or too full. His line was also not consistent as he was hit for 33 runs in 2 overs.

#3 Hit: Shreyas Gopal

Shreyas Gopal was RR's best bowler

Shreyas Gopal has been very good for Rajasthan Royals. They don’t have any established or well-known spinner but Gopal has stepped up very well. Even though he hasn’t taken a lot of wickets, he has kept things pretty tight.

In this game, Gopal came in to bowl in the 8th over after CSK had gotten off to a flier. He came in and showed great control as he gave just four runs in his first over. Suresh Raina then struck a couple of boundaries in his second over but the Karnataka leggie came back very well to dismiss CSK’s No. 3.

He then picked up big wickets of MS Dhoni and Sam Billings in his following overs as he ended his four overs with figures of 3/20. To go for just 5 runs an over in an innings where the opposition scored more than 200 is a fantastic achievement.

#2 Miss: Sam Billings

After a match-winning 56, Sam Billings has failed to get going

Sam Billings announced his arrival in this edition of the IPL in style. He scored an excellent match-winning 56 in CSK’s second game. However, he has disappointed in the next two innings and has been dismissed by spinners on both occasions.

He came into bat with CSK in a very strong position. At 151/3 and with more than 6 overs to go, Billings had the perfect opportunity to help CSK finish with a flourish. However, the England batsman struggled to get going. He scored a 7-ball 3 as he was out to a half-tracker from Shreyas Gopal.

It was Billings’ second successive single-digit score after he scored just 9 against KXIP a few days back.

#1 Hit: Shane Watson

Shane Watson had a magnificent game

A lot of people had written Shane Watson off and felt that he was past his best. However, he proved all his critics wrong as he struck a superb 106.

Shane Watson got going with a couple of boundaries in the first over of the game. He did have his share of luck as he was dropped in the very first over and then again in the 2nd over, which was a tougher chance of the two. Rahul Tripathi was the culprit on both occasions. However, Watson made full use of his chances and punished RR as he smashed the bowlers all around the park.

He got to his fifty in just 28 balls and then went on to register his 3rd IPL ton in 51 deliveries before being dismissed in the 20th over for 106. He struck 9 fours and 6 sixes in his 57-ball innings which was a typical Shane Watson innings as he cut, pull and drove with authority. It was the second hundred in as many days in this IPL.

Shane Watson who had scored an IPL ton playing for RR against CSK has now scored a hundred playing for CSK against RR and hence, he became the first player to achieve that feat.