Chennai Super Kings look to build momentum; GT seek course correction
Riding a resurgent run, Chennai Super Kings will look to consolidate their position in the top half, while Gujarat Titans aim to arrest a slide when the two sides face off in a crucial mid-season IPL clash in Chennai on Sunday.
After a sluggish start, CSK have turned things around, winning three of their last four matches, including a commanding 103-run victory over the Mumbai Indians that was powered by Sanju Samson’s second century of the season.
Led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, CSK are placed just outside the top four with six points and will be keen to avoid further slip-ups as they chase a playoff berth.
At the moment, things are looking up for CSK. Samson’s brilliance with the bat, complemented by a clinical bowling effort led by Akeal Hosein, scripted their emphatic win over Mumbai.
Notably, they achieved it without talisman MS Dhoni (calf injury) and local talent Ayush Mhatre (hamstring), who has contributed 201 runs this season.
However, a few concerns remain. While the top order has delivered consistently, the middle order has struggled to show intent and build partnerships. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, CSK should have comfortably chased down 130 from 90 balls with eight wickets in hand, but a middle-order collapse derailed the effort.
Gaikwad himself is enduring a lean run, much like Riyan Parag for Rajasthan Royals, while the likes of Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube and Dewald Brevis have failed to convert starts into substantial scores.
The bowling unit, though, has been a major positive. Anshul Kamboj has been rewarded for his consistency with 14 wickets to lead the charts, while Jamie Overton has chipped in with nine, including a four-wicket haul earlier in the tournament. Noor Ahmad has maintained control, and Hosein showcased his impact with a four-wicket spell in the previous outing. For the Gujarat Titans, the story has been one of missed opportunities. After a strong start, they have lost their last two matches — a 99-run defeat to MI and a five-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday. Despite being level on six points with CSK, GT are languishing in seventh place due to a poor net run rate (-0.790), which has hurt their campaign. Their conservative approach has not always worked in a format that increasingly rewards aggression. The middle order, in particular, has underperformed, often failing to capitalise on strong starts.
Even in their last outing against RCB, GT looked set for a 230-plus total but failed to accelerate between the 16th and 19th overs, a phase that proved decisive. Sloppy fielding has compounded their problems, including a costly drop of Virat Kohli.
“We didn’t get as many runs as we would have liked. Those three overs were very crucial for us,” skipper Shubman Gill said.
GT possess a pace-heavy attack featuring Prasidh Krishna, Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj, with young Ashok Sharma also contributing with six wickets. However, they have lacked consistency in hitting the right lengths, particularly in the middle overs.
Also, Rashid Khan remains the lone reliable option in the spin department, with Manav Suthar featuring in just one match so far, and Washington Sundar didn’t have much impact either.
One major positive has been Sai Sudharsan’s impressive century against RCB, while Gill has led from the front with 293 runs, including three fifties, alongside Jos Buttler’s 231 runs.
