CSK must rethink replacements' necessity and realise good fielding has no replacements - CSK vs RR pre match analysis

CSK has gone to square zero with its team selection for its match against Delhi. In that pre match analysis article we had said Sam Curran should be number 5 and Jagadeesan as opener (Jadeja did play exceptionally), but why Jadhav? He didn't play a single ball. How do you justify his inclusion?

Though it was an underwhelming fielding (especially 4 drop catches of Dhawan) that cost the match, batting initially could have been better, Jagadeesan could find gaps for a single or a double reducing the team's dot balls. If Dhoni makes replacement hereafter he should be sure that inclusion would come good. Kedar Jadhav needs to be benched rather than being redundant in the 11, Jagadeesan needs to be picked, CSK has nothing to lose.

The key players to watch out for in Rajasthan Royals batting is Steve Smith, who found his feet lately, Uthappa and finisher off late Tewatia. Rajasthan too has the same problem as CSK opening, though they realised Uthappa should open they needed to know Ben Stokes should be batting at 5 and not Jos Buttler.

This was the bowling against whom Chennai made 200, despite in a losing cause, Rajasthan do not have a bowler like Nortje, Rabada and Stoinis who bowled tight 13, 14 and 15th overs in Delhi's Saturday match against CSK. All of that could be rectified in the course of the tournament but there is no excuse for drop catches, you just grab and hold on to it.

With CSK's batting problems now persisting only to the level of its order, Dhoni shouldn't overlook it. Since its playoff hopes hang by a thread it should be getting every little things correct. If Bravo's fitness keeps him away from this contest, Dhoni should blindly pick Thahir, he can regale in Abu Dhabi. Give Sam Curran the death overs again and save one for Shardul too.

Rajasthan should rid Faf and Watson as soon as possible, don't bowl to Watto on the slot and make him play across if he comes out in powerplay, after powerplay you can tempt him to play and set a fielder for that as Abu Dhabi's stretch is not batting friendly.

Both the teams if they win the toss they should go with the bat, not that batting first has anything to do with the conditions, it's because you know what you are defending and the scoreboard pressure sets in on the chasing side; it all gets cerebral from there.

On the verge of getting knocked out both the teams would look to hold on to their nerves and go at it with everything they've got. It would be thrilling to see who wrests better with anxiety and who caves into it as this match could bring playoff hopes of either team to a screeching halt.

CSK Probables XI (in batting order) : N Jagadeesan, Faf du Plessis, S Watson, A Rayadu, S Curran, R Jadeja, MS Dhoni, I Thahir, S Thakur, K Sharma, D Chahar

RR Probables XI (in batting order) : R Uthappa, J Buttler, S Samson, S Smith, B Stokes, R Tewatia, R Parag, J Archer, J Unadkat, S Gopal, K Tyagi