While SRH is a team that prefers to go berserk right from the word go, CSK believe in building a platform before launching into late onslaught.
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Sunrisers, under the coach-captain duo of Daniel Vettori and Pat Cummins, have opted for a “brave” brand of batting and stuck to their approach even when they were in trouble during the recent loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at home.
Cummins admitted that the high-risk batting method is “not going to work all the time”, but believes that every team is “terrified” when they take on SRH. Sunrisers spin-bowling coach Muttiah Muralitharan, on Saturday, echoed Cummins’ words.
“We want our players to play with freedom. Whether we win or not, we want them to do their bit. Their intention has to be right. The opposition will do whatever they can to stop us, so sometimes they will be better. Whether we get all out for 50 or score as many as 300, we are going to play that brand,” said Muralitharan.
There is every reason for CSK to be worried, given the might of Sunrisers, who have posted four 200plus scores this season. With boundary-hitting machines Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen-all three are in the top-15 in the ‘most sixes’ chart-in their ranks, SRH have a fearsome batting line-up. The CSK bowling pack may have to produce something out of the ordinary to prevent the visitors from going about their business.
The leader of the pack is definitely Head, who can absolutely run away with the game if he gets going. RCB, on Thursday, got him early with offie Will Jacks bowling to him in the powerplay and turning the ball away from the left-hander after pitching it well outside the off-stump.
It would be interesting to see if CSK adopt a similar approach with Moeen Ali, who has the ability to turn the ball.
For CSK, a lot could rest on the shoulders of slinger Matheesha Pathirana and Ravindra Jadeja, two bowlers with an X-factor. It will be crucial that they keep chipping with wickets in the middle phase.
