IPL 2018, KXIP vs SRH: 5 Talking Points

Tonight’s game at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium at Mohali between home side KXIP and visitors SRH had a lot of promise before the match started as it was the best batting line up against the best bowling line-up in this year’s IPL.

A close contest between bat and ball is what everyone expected from such a clash. KXIP’s batting will receive its fiercest test thus far as SRH possesses quality, in-form bowlers who can strike at regular intervals.

On a slightly slow pitch at Mohali which offers a lot for the bowlers, if batsmen get in they can make it count. This also was KXIP’s last home game to be played at Mohali before they move on to Indore, so that added the extra incentive for the fans to throng the stadium if watching the KXIP team in itself wasn’t incentive enough.

The Mohali crowds got full value for their money as Chris Gayle reminded everyone watching how good a striker of the cricket ball he is. He was at his majestic best on his way to his sixth IPL hundred. He along with Karun Nair ensured KXIP made 193 which after SRH’s star batsman Shikhar Dhawan’s injury proved too much for the visitors.

KXIP’s bowlers choked the SRH innings to win this encounter by 15 runs in a game which would be remembered for Cristopher Henry Gayle’s stunning batting performance.

Here's looking back at the game between KXIP and SRH with the talking points.

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#1 Chris Gayle lights up Mohali with a committed performance

Chris Gayle, the ‘Universe Boss’ was just bought at the players' auction at the last moment by the KXIP franchise. A player who has dominated the T20 format of the game was almost not going to be a part of the biggest T20 tournament in the world.

A lot of questions were posed with regards to his technique, fitness and age. Chris Gayle silenced all his critics with his brand of demolition against CSK earlier after sitting out of the playing XI for the first two matches for KXIP.

Everyone could see a different Chris Gayle in this game against SRH. He produced a committed performance. Yes, he demolished the SRH bowlers all across the Mohali ground by hitting 11 sixes.

But we could see the commitment and dedication with which Chris Gayle performed and delivered for his new franchise. He negotiated the early overs well, got a good hang of the pitch and made it count with an imperious century, the first one of this season’s IPL.

Chris Gayle was sending a silent message to anyone who thought he was finished as far playing in T20s or IPL is concerned. It goes without saying that the RCB management and fans would be lamenting the fact that they couldn’t retain Chris Gayle as the ‘Universe Boss’ has arrived in style!

#2 KXIP’s batting managed to dominate the SRH bowlers

The main reason for SRH’s dominance in the first three games of this year’s IPL has been their bowling attack. They had all the bases covered with them buying Billy Stanlake, Shakib-Al-Hasan and Chris Jordan to accompany Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Siddarth Kaul.

KXIP built their innings extremely well. They played out Bhuvi without too much damage and then they attacked their star performer Rashid Khan. Also once Chris Gayle got going, no bowler was able to contain him.

The fact that every batsman who was with Gayle be it KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal or Karun Nair never let the run-rate go down added to KXIP’s advantage. A team which relies on its two spinners Rashid Khan and Shakib-Al-Hasan to control the innings in the middle overs were left high and dry.

The prolific batting line-up of the KXIP team triumphed over the SRH bowlers right through the 20 overs.

#3 Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s economical spell amidst the carnage

In a game which will be fondly remembered for the return of Gayle to what he does best, entertain the crowds causing headaches for the opponent’s bowlers and fans in the process, Bhuvneshwar showed why he has transformed into one of the best bowlers in this format of the game.

Amidst the carnage where the extremely gifted spinner Rashid Khan went the distance, Bhuvi started off with his usual swingers which caused a bit of trouble for Rahul and Gayle. They had to give him the respect he deserved and they played two quiet overs.

Later on, right in the midst of the Gayle storm, he used all his experience and tricks in his armoury to peg the KXIP batsmen down. Fantastic figures of 4-0-25-1 sums up how good Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been when every other bowler conceded more than nine runs per over.

#4 Yusuf Pathan fails to capitalise despite getting two reprieves

The attacking batsman, Yusuf Pathan was promoted up the order to be the enforcer SRH required to propel the scoring rate. He was due big time too with a lot of people feeling he doesn’t deserve to be in the playing XI owing to his performances coming into this IPL.

The stage was set for Pathan to do what he does best when he gets going. Shikhar Dhawan had to retire hurt after injuring his elbow, and Wriddhiman Saha got out early. With the run rate required going up with each ball, it was the right opportunity for Yusuf Pathan to silence critics with an imposing performance.

Despite showing attacking intent and getting two reprieves where Ravichandran Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh, two generally safe catchers dropped simple chances, Yusuf couldn't capitalize on this. The team required him to get a quick fire 50 or 60 runs and assist his captain but that was not to be as he was dismissed for just 19 runs, an opportunity lost.

#5 SRH’s batting vulnerability lets them down

SRH have got the best bowling lineup in this edition of the IPL. That is their strength and they have made full use of that to win their first three games. Their batting hasn’t exactly been tested before this game against KXIP.

Their batting is extremely dependent on two players - Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson to set the tone for the innings, be it while setting a score or chasing a total. Without David Warner, Dhawan has taken on the responsibility of the enforcer at the top of the order really well.

Unfortunately for SRH, Dhawan got injured after just facing one ball. That was as good as the end of the resilience for Hyderabad chasing a stiff target of 194 runs against a good KXIP bowling line up.

The other batsmen haven’t been tested so far in the IPL and it was clearly evident in their chase. Wriddhiman Saha doesn’t look too comfortable at the top of the order, he has tasted success at the top of the order for his previous franchise but so far he hasn’t contributed with the bat.

Yusuf Pathan was promoted up the order and despite getting two lives he couldn’t convert it into anything substantial. Manish Pandey who has come into this IPL on the back of a huge price tag hasn’t been able to deliver on his potential.

Too many singles and twos without enough boundaries just was not what his team needed. He needed to deposit many out of the boundary and help his team in maintaining a good momentum in the run chase.

More importantly, what this performance from the SRH batting line up says that they are extremely reliant on Dhawan and Williamson to get them the big runs. The middle-order batsmen have potential but are yet to deliver. So if oppositions can find ways to remove those two batsmen early then they can dominate proceedings.