IPL 2024: 3 players who starred and 2 who flopped in the SRH vs CSK match ft. & Ruturaj Gaikwad & Abhishek Sharma

The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) took an important step towards correcting their poor head-to-head record against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), as they won by six wickets at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday, April 5.

With the win, Hyderabad entered the top half of the IPL 2024 points table and have four points. Chennai have also managed two wins in four games, but owing to their superior net run rate, they are third. It was a game of contrasting halves on Friday, and the performances from players of both sides reflected that.

Here are three players who starred and two who flopped in the SRH vs CSK IPL 2024 match.

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#5 Star - Abhishek Sharma (SRH)

Abhishek Sharma has come out firing in IPL 2024 after an excellent campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The aggressive left-hander opened for the first time this year and blew the CSK bowling out of the water in under three overs.

Abhishek took Mukesh Choudhary for 26 runs in a single over, effectively killing the game soon after the chase began. He was also severe on Chahar, but he eventually fell to the fast bowler.

Abhishek, who capitalized on anything full as well as short, was adjudged the Player of the Match for his 12-ball 37.

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#4 Flop - Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK)

The CSK captain is enduring the first rough patch in his leadership career with the franchise, who have lost two games in a row. Ruturaj Gaikwad was far from his best in Hyderabad and needs to assume some of the responsibility for the defeat.

Gaikwad didn't get going at all in the powerplay and meandered along at close to a run a ball, before a six off the last ball of the sixth over somehow restored a bit of respectability to his score. The opener was dismissed soon afte,r as he failed to capitalize on the phase of play that was the easiest for run-scoring.

CSK also made a plethora of tactical errors in both innings. Gaikwad didn't bowl much spin in the powerplay and had fielders positioned in the wrong areas. The 27-year-old needs to do better as the tournament wears on.

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#3 Star - Shivam Dube (CSK)

Shivam Dube has easily been CSK's best batter in IPL 2024, and he turned in another sensational knock in Hyderabad. On a tricky wicket that was slow and spongy, the tall left-hander blasted 45 off just 24 to get Chennai closer to a defendable total.

Dube was undeterred by the nature of the surface and got going immediately with a few boundaries off the spinners. He took a liking to the SRH fast bowlers as well, before Pat Cummins outfoxed him with a slower bouncer.

Dube was the only CSK batter to appear comfortable at the crease against SRH.

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#2 Flop - Mukesh Choudhary (CSK)

This might be harsh on Mukesh Choudhary, who played his first game for CSK since the 2022 edition, when he broke through with his penetrative new-ball bowling. The left-armer would've been rusty and needs to bowl more overs before any judgment can be passed.

Nevertheless, Mukesh's 27-run over effectively sealed the Super Kings' fate. He was all over the place on both sides of the wicket, dishing out leg-lined short balls and overpitched ones right in Abhishek's slot. To exacerbate matters, he even overstepped and was punished.

It remains to be seen if Mukesh features in the next game, with Matheesha Pathirana expected to return.

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#1 Star - Aiden Markram (SRH)

Aiden Markram [right] made the only fifty of the game [Image Courtesy: iplt20.com]

The only batter to cross the 50-run mark, Aiden Markram was authority personified in Hyderabad. He kept SRH going through the middle overs and ensured that there were no hiccups in the chase.

Markram was mostly at ease out in the middle, striking four fours and a huge maximum off Ravindra Jadeja. The South African ran hard between the wickets and strung together a 60-run partnership with Travis Head following Abhishek's dismissal.