Eyeing their first win in the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are locking horns in Match 17 of the season, at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Saturday afternoon. Hyderabad started the tournament late and played just two matches, which they lost, while Chennai have lost all three.
As as captain, Ravindra Jadeja's debut season has been challenging so far. With a number of spinners and medium pacers in the ranks, Chennai are designed to play on the slow low, Chepauk pitch. As a result, they have struggled to adjust to these fast and bouncy tracks of Mumbai and Pune, especially on the bowling front. Almost out of desperation, they had to field three overseas pacers – Dwayne Bravo, Dwaine Pretorius, and Chris Jordan.
Among batters, they have missed Faf du Plessis' solidity at the top. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Moeen Ali are yet to get going and without an overseas batter, the middle order looks a bit vulnerable. Shivam Dube has impressed in his role as power hitter, but Chennai desperately seek their top order to provide the platform for a late onslaught.
Hyderabad have problems of their own. They have opted to go for a new combination under the leadership of Kane Williamson. In batting, they have a solid top five with likes of Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran, with Williamson opening the innings himself. However, they have lost wickets upfront, and the middle order has failed to bail them out. They may consider pushing Rahul Tripathi to the top, allowing Williamson to bat at No. 3, followed by the power hitters.
However, despite Washington Sundar doing a decent job, they are missing a quality spinner like Rashid Khan. Of the fast bowlers, Umran Malik has impressed with his pace but has leaked runs. However, T. Natarajan has looked in good shape in this season and this is the biggest plus point for SRH so far.
Likely XIs
Chennai Super Kings: Robin Uthappa, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja (c), Shivam Dube, M.S. Dhoni (wk), Dwayne Bravo, Dwaine Pretorius, Chris Jordan, Mukesh Choudhary
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Rahul Tripathi, Kane Williamson (c), Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Washington Sundar, Abdul Samad, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, T. Natarajan
Fantasy tips
- With no dew in the afternoon fixture, back the Chennai spinners to have an impact. Pick Jadeja and Moeen.
- The Hyderabad top order has struggled against swing so far. However, with no Deepak Chahar around, it is an ideal opportunity for these batters to get back in form. Pick Williamson, Pooran, and Markram.
- Pick death bowlers like Jordan, Bravo and Natarajan to maximise bowling points.
Where to watch
Live streaming of Match 17 of IPL 2022 between Chennai SUper Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will start at 3.30 PM IST on April 9. You can watch the match on the Star Sports Network and Hotstar.