"Had he scored more quickly, CSK might have had 17-18 runs to chase in the final over" - RP Singh on Ravindra Jadeja's poor strike rate against PBKS in IPL 2022 

Former India bowler RP Singh believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could have closed the game out had Ravindra Jadeja played with a higher strike rate. According to IPL timetable 2022, the Chennai side faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday, April 25, and suffered an 11-run defeat. The franchise skipper struggled at the back end of their innings, eventually ending with 21 runs off 16 deliveries.

Chasing a mammoth 188 for their second win in a row, CSK batters barring Ambati Rayudu struggled to settle at the crease.

Coming at a crucial stage of the chase, Jadeja struggled to time the ball. The all-rounder was batting at a strike rate of 100, before hitting a futile six in the final over.

Speaking about Ravindra Jadeja's scoring rate in the match, RP Singh said on Cricbuzz:

"His strike rate was not good, had he scored more quickly, Chennai Super Kings might have had 17-18 runs to chase in the final over. Rayudu was playing at a good rate, but none of the other batters did."

RP Singh added:

"You can reach close to the target with just one player scoring briskly, but to win you need three or four players like that."

Despite coming into the tournament on the back of some good form, the CSK skipper has struggled with the bat. The all-rounder returned from injury in the home series against Sri Lanka after missing the South Africa tour.

Jadeja's poor batting came on the back of some stellar death bowling by PBKS. Chennai were very much in the chase after scoring 23 off the 16th over. However, the duo of Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada ensured that only 20 runs were scored off the next three.

Opining that the Super Kings could have won the match had they managed to score 10 more runs in the three-over period, former wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel said:

"Had CSK scored even 30 runs off the 17,18 and 19th over, they would have closed the game off with MS Dhoni in the end. Overall a good bowling performance by PBKS, Rahul Chahar was not at his best, but still."

The pace bowling duo collectively ended up conceding just 46 runs off their eight overs in a relatively high scoring clash.

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"Playoffs are out of reach for CSK now" - RP Singh

With only two wins out of eight matches, Chennai are staring towards only their second ever season without any playoff action. The defending champions are placed second from bottom in the 10-team IPL points table 2022.

Believing that the Super Kings are effectively out of the playoffs race along with the Mumbai Indians, RP Singh said:

"Playoffs are out of reach for CSK now. I don't see them being in the top four along with MI. Had they won today, they would have been alive. Now it seems all the doors have been closed for them."

CSK have a lengthy break to reassess their season following which they face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 1 at the MCA Stadium in Pune.