CSK looks to bask in sun

CHENNAI: A viral video from the Royal Challengers Bangalore-Chennai Super Kings match, which has been doing the rounds on social media platforms, reflects why there are hardly any ‘away’ games in the Indian Premier League for the MS Dhoni-led team.

In the short clip, the disc jockey at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is seen urging the spectators to belt out the ‘RCB, RCB, RCB’ chants. But, much to his dismay, the majority of the crowd, building a ‘Yellow Wall’ at a venue that is usually rich in ‘royal’ red, responds ‘CSK, CSK, CSK’.

With the predominant section of audience getting behind the team and displaying its allegiance to the peerless Dhoni, Bengaluru was home away from home for Super Kings on Monday. While CSK enjoys enviable support at most centres, it will be chuffed to return to its own patch – the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Super Kings, having overcome the Royal Challengers hurdle, will host Sunrisers Hyderabad in a battle of southern teams on Friday. CSK, generally unstoppable at its ‘fortress’ Chepauk, will be eager to improve its IPL 2023 home record, after being handed a three-run defeat by Rajasthan Royals in the previous match at the venue.

Chennai will look to replicate the performance it dished out in the home win over Lucknow Super Giants, where the top-order batters played with positive intent and the spinners went about their business with ease in the middle overs.

With three among Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Maheesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner expected to find spots in the CSK starting eleven, Sunrisers could be in for a litmus test in spin-friendly conditions. If the Aiden Markram-led SRH, which went down to Mumbai Indians by 14 runs in Hyderabad in its last match, is to get back to winning ways, it will have to deliver an all-round game.

Moeen Ali

Eyes on Dhoni’s fitness

Nursing a knee injury since the start of the IPL season, Dhoni skipped the training sessions at the MAC Stadium on Wednesday and Thursday. But, Dhoni is fit and available for selection for Friday’s contest, according to CSK bowling consultant Eric Simons.

“MSD is always fully fit (laughs). He is fine. He has got a bit of a niggle with his knee, but it is not something that bothers him. He will be more than fine,” said Simons at the pre-match press conference on Thursday. While ‘adopted son’ Dhoni will be on one side, ‘sons of the soil’ Thangarasu Natarajan and Washington Sundar will be on the other.

Yet to unleash their full potential in IPL 2023, left-arm pacer Natarajan and all-rounder Washington may not get a better venue to produce their best.