WOOD MARK TROUBLE CHENNAI? Super Kings faces Lucknow in 1st home match

CHENNAI: On April 7, 2018, England pacer Mark Wood, sporting the canary yellow of Chennai Super Kings, endured a painful Indian Premier League debut after returning figures of 0/49 off four overs against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

It turned out to be his only appearance for Super Kings as Wood played no active part in the remainder of the IPL 2018 season and was later released from the franchise. Although he was handed only limited game time, Wood thoroughly enjoyed his short stint at CSK, as evidenced by the song he belted out for the team.

“When I see Chennai, I know I am on my way. I just cannot get enough. All the things you do to me and all the things you say. I just cannot get enough,” Wood had sung in the company of his then Durham (English County) teammates.

Five summers after expressing his love for Super Kings and the city where the franchise is based in, the speedster will finally set foot at the MA Chidambaram Stadium for an IPL match. On Monday, Wood will spearhead the visiting Lucknow Super Giants fast-bowling pack against CSK, which will seek home comfort.

Wood may not receive much assistance from the Chepauk track, but the in-form pacer will back himself to display his wares again. Making his first IPL appearance since 2018, Wood, on Saturday, notched up his maiden five-wicket haul in the League, against Delhi Capitals at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

In the thumping 50-run victory, he sent down some thunderbolts and made Delhi top-order batters Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh look clueless with a couple of jaffas. Interestingly, the Englishman, on Monday, could be involved in a duel with CSK batter Ambati Rayudu, whose name was part of the above-mentioned song’s lyrics.

Wood will be surrounded by a number of match-winners – skipper KL Rahul, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran and Ravi Bishnoi to name a few.

Super Kings back home after four years

Having tasted extraordinary success at the MAC Stadium, the MS Dhoni-led Super Kings will be utterly delighted to return home, after a period of four years. CSK last played at the venue in May 2019, when it lost to Mumbai Indians in IPL Season 12 Qualifier 1.

Troubled by injuries and unavailability of a few overseas recruits, Super Kings will look to make the most of the home advantage. On a traditionally spin-friendly Chepauk, the slow-bowling department, which currently includes Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner and Moeen Ali, could have a say in the outcome of the match.

In the batting unit, opener Ruturaj Gaikwad appeared a class apart in the five-wicket defeat to Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Friday and will be eager to keep going.