CSK would have learnt a lot from LSG loss: Ravi Shastri
Cricketer-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri reckons Chennai Super Kings would have learnt some hard lessons from their seven-wicket defeat to Lucknow Super Giants, but backed the five-time champions to bounce back strongly in their final two league matches to keep their playoff hopes alive.
CSK’s playoff aspirations suffered a massive blow after LSG comfortably chased down a competitive 187, leaving the Chennai outfit in a virtual must-win situation heading into the business end of the IPL league stage.
“I would take the positives from this game for CSK. I’d think that this wicket wasn’t that easy and, despite batting first, they still made 187. Sanju Samson didn’t score runs, Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t get many either, so if they find form (in the upcoming matches), that would be key for CSK,” said Shastri on JioHotstar.
“Their bowlers will learn what lengths they need to bowl in conditions like these. In Chennai, they know what works and where to bowl, so they will be a much stronger team at home. They will also have their plans ready for that surface. So, I would look at this as an off day, but also as a game that offered plenty of lessons,” he added.
With Anshul Kamboj enduring an expensive outing and conceding 63 runs in 2.4 overs, CSK struggled to contain LSG despite conditions offering assistance to the pacers on a surface that was not entirely batting-friendly. Shastri said Kamboj should have shown better awareness and targeted yorkers in the blockhole, which might have prevented Mitchell Marsh from smashing him for four sixes.
“After getting hit for four sixes, what should Anshul Kamboj have done? In my opinion, he should have thought more about bowling yorkers, targeting the stumps right in the blockhole.
“When you know Marsh was waiting for anything short of a length, either bowl yorkers at the stumps or, if you’re bowling bouncers, bowl them outside the off stump with a deep third man in place.
“Bend your back and bowl them closer to head height, not at chest or waist height, because that is bread and butter for someone who has grown up playing in Perth. It becomes very easy for him to use the pace,” opined Shastri.
The former India skipper said Kamboj would have learnt some valuable lessons from the punishment he received at the hands of Marsh. “If he hadn’t been hit for four sixes, he wouldn’t have learned from it. Everyone makes mistakes, but what you learn from them is the most important thing,” said Shastri.
Offering his views on the Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans ‘Race to Playoffs’ clash, Shastri said the Shubman Gill-led side is good enough to take conditions out of the equation.
“Gujarat Titans are a very strong side. Regardless of the conditions, they have the team combination to excel on any surface. So, their motivation will be to somehow seal a top-two spot.
“If they finish at the top, even better, because they will get two chances to make it to the final, and they know the final is in Ahmedabad. So, GT won’t let their guard down and will be keen to pick up those points and almost seal a place in the top two,” he said.
