IPL 2018, Qualifier 1: 5 reasons why Chennai Super Kings can beat Sunrisers Hyderabad

The extravaganza of IPL started more than six weeks ago, with two franchises Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, returning to the tournament after a two-year exile.

To add more happiness to the millions of fans who were waiting for their favourite teams to return for the last two years, both the returning teams have made it to the playoffs.

While Chennai Super Kings handsomely finished second on the table, Rajasthan Royals just scraped through as a consequence of favourable results in other matches.

Chennai Super Kings, who have won 9 out of the 14 matches, will now be facing the table-toppers in the 1st Qualifier.

While both the teams would want to be the first team to make it to the finals, but as of now, it's advantage Chennai Super Kings, who have won twice against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in league stages.

Here are 5 reasons why CSK can be the first team to enter the finals:

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#5 Lungisani Ngidi's return from injury

Ngidi will be the key for CSK

Lungisani Ngidi has been a great inclusion to a bowling lineup which has struggled to deliver more often than not.

The inclusion of Ngidi has changed the whole bowling set-up, and the two-time champions look set to clinch their third trophy, with a bowling lineup which has put up impressive performances in the fag end of the tournament.

Ngidi missed the initial part of the tournament to attend his father's funeral in South Africa. After returning to India, he picked three wickets in his first three matches, with an economy rate of less than 8, but had to sit out for nearly two weeks to nurse an injury.

Returning from the injury, Ngidi has been exceptional as he picked up six wickets in two games. His best figures of 4-1-10-4, came against Kings XI Punjab in Chennai Super Kings' last game of the league stage.

With Ngidi looking good in the last two matches, the bowling lineup of the Chennai-based franchise looks more potent, and they will look to make some early inroads against top-heavy Sunrisers' batting lineup, in order to become the first team to make it to the playoffs.

#4 Sunrisers' recent performances with the ball

Have the other teams cracked SRH's code to success?

Sunrisers Hyderabad was touted to have the best bowling in the tournament, but their performances in the last four matches are definitely a cause of concern.

Sunrisers Hyderabad's bowlers, who gave away more than 170 only twice in the first ten games, conceded more than 170 in all the last four matches.

SRH's leading wicket-taker, Siddarth Kaul, who had an economy rate of 7.05 in first 10 matches, had an economy rate of 10.53 in the last four encounters.

The same was the case with all other SRH bowlers except Rashid Khan. If CSK can get to dominate Rashid, it can be game over for the Hyderabad based franchise in Qualifier 1.

The batting performance of CSK on the previous two encounters between the table-toppers is a testimony of the domination of Chennai's batting over Sunrisers' bowling.

In the two leagues matches against CSK, SRH has conceded runs at an economy rate of 9.28, highest for any side against SRH. Chennai Super Kings will look to continue the dominance and will aim at becoming the first team to make it to playoffs.

#3 Deepak Chahar's performance against Sunrisers

Deepak Chahar celebrating after taking a wicket

Deepak Chahar has been in great form this season and has the second best economy rate, 7.35, amongst all the Chennai Super Kings' bowlers. The young fast bowler has provided good starts to the Chennai team, who aren't particularly known for their bowling expertise.

His performances against Sunrisers have been a class-apart, as he dominated the SRH batsmen on both occasions.

In the first match against them, Chahar picked up three wickets in three consecutive overs and dented the scoring rate of Sunrisers right at the start. He was unplayable during his spell of four overs which included 17 dots and only 15 runs came from his bowling.

In the second encounter between the two sides in Pune, Chahar gave away just 14 runs in his four overs along with a solitary wicket. His overall economy rate against Sunrisers is less than 4, and he will again look to trouble the Sunrisers batsmen in Qualifier 1.

#2 SRH's middle order woes

Yusuf Pathan

Sunrisers have been over-dependent on Kane Williamson and Shikhar Dhawan and no other SRH batsman has scored more than 300 runs.

Manish Pandey is the only other batsman in the SRH lineup who scored more than 200 runs, but even his strike rate of 120.00 is not great in the tournament of such high standards.

Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan and Shakib Al Hasan who are the mainstays in SRH's middle order average only 27.60, 26.85, and 22.00 respectively. They have also failed to score at a faster rate, as the three batsmen combined, have a strike rate of only 123.79.

The middle and lower order batsmen have failed to capitalise the good starts provided by Williamson on most occasions.

The same was on display in their last league game against Kolkata Knight Riders. Sunrisers were cruising through at one stage, as they were at 127/1.

But, just as they lost the wicket of Williamson in the thirteenth over, they could manage only 43 runs in the last seven overs in addition to losing 7 wickets in that span.

If Chennai can capitalise on this weak middle order, it will be a smooth sailing for the two-time champions.

#1 Form of MS Dhoni and Rayudu

MS Dhoni has been in tremendous form this IPL

The experienced batsmen have stepped up for the Chennai-based franchise and have done amazingly well. While Rayudu has done well as the opener and at the No.4 spot, MS Dhoni has successfully rewound the clock, as has been sensational as the finisher we know.

This can be called a breakthrough season for Ambati Rayudu even after being part of eight IPL seasons before this year.

He scored 586 runs in 14 innings with an average of 45.07, which would have been much higher if not for all the run-outs he was involved in. Even his strike rate of 153.40 has been much higher than his overall strike rate, 126.16, from the previous seasons.

On the other hand, MS Dhoni's average of 89.20 is the best in the tournament and he has been doing great as a finisher, as he remained not out on 9 occasions so far.

MS Dhoni scored a total of 446 runs this season and that too at a strike rate of 157.04. If Dhoni manages to score another 16 runs in the playoffs, this will be his best season in terms of the number of runs.

With Dhoni and Rayudu having the best seasons of their long IPL careers, Chennai Super Kings will look to capitalise on their form going into an important playoff match. If the two continue their good work in the upcoming matches, Chennai Super Kings have a great chance of lifting their third IPL title