IPL 2019: Yellow fever grips Chennai as CSK thump Royal Challengers in the season opener

The Indian Premier League kicked into gear on a typically muggy summer evening in the port city of Chennai. And soon it was swerving and sliding like a dirt bike on a wet and bumpy road. The pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium seemed ready for a trick or two as soon as MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to field.

Spinners force RCB into chasing their own tails

Harbhajan Singh was thrown the ball in the second over. Before long he lured a seemingly sluggish Virat Kohli into a halfhearted swipe to midwicket. It wasn’t obvious immediately, but it was the beginning of a precarious slide for the Royal Challengers.

Kohli’s men, decked in black, red and golden labels were reduced to a pack of rabbits caught in the bright yellow lights that dress up the Chepauk stadium during the IPL festivities. The wickets tumbled at a steady rate and when Parthiv Patel offered a catch to Kedar Jadhav, RCB folded at 70, the sixth lowest title in the history of the tournament.

Early hiccup but Watson and Rayudu steady the Chennai ship

After the early fall of Shane Watson, who seemed puzzled by Moeen Ali’s turning deliveries, Suresh Raina and Ambati Rayudu steadied the boat to help Chennai Super Kings coast slowly toward an increasingly certain victory.

The two men bided their time before playing some wise and straight cricket, accumulating valuable runs. Raina became the first batsman to cross 5000 runs in the IPL before holding out to Shivam Dubey at long on.

By then though Raina and Rayudu combined for 32 runs, and the meat of the chase was perhaps addressed. Kedar Jadhav offered a steady hand to a resolute Rayudu as they inched Chennai ever closer to the minuscule victory target.

Dampened voices greet Chennai victory

Ironically the stadium was quiet as a grave disinterested in the rather sober run chase. As fan friendly as CSK might be, it was too much to expect them to surrender enough wickets to draw Dhoni out and enliven the stadium. But at 59, when Ambati Rayudu chopped one into his own castle, Dhoni ignored the ensuing chorus to send in Ravindra Jadeja.

A maiden in the 17th over was the only other layer of drama that this contest could offer. Shivam Dubey provided a wide to help Chennai draw level and Jadeja clipped one to square leg to put an end to RCB’s miserable evening.

Earlier in the day, Moeen Ali found Bhajji’s delivery hard to fathom, failing to read either the pace or turn as he scooped up an easy catch to the bowler. AB de Villiers, a shadow of the master craftsman we know, played quicker on a wicket that was slowing the delivery only to miscue a catch to midwicket.

Another wicket fell in the eighth over when Shimon Hetmeyer tried in vain to steal a non-existent run, with Parthiv all too wise to take the bait at the other end. The fifty came in the eleventh over but it also took in the wicket of Colin de Grandhomme with it.

The unseemly procession of wickets in the first session left the scorecard looking impoverished.

RCB had 10 batsmen dismissed for single-digit scores for the fourth time in the IPL. Incidentally, they own the space, having set the standard with 11 against KKR in 2017. They also had ten batsmen removed for next to nothing against KKR in 2008 and RPS in 2017 as well.

This is IPL heartland and spectators started streaming out without so much as a whistle even in their team’s victory. This was a damp squib for an opener and despite some intelligent cricket by the hosts, it left hungry fans disappointed.

But CSK got the job done, pocketed points to enjoy a pleasant night. RCB left themselves plenty to ponder, especially with their shot selection and attitude even after learning about the nature of the wicket very early into their innings.

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