SYNOPSIS: On a Lucknow pitch that played to their liking, after their bowlers restrict hosts to 166, Chennai Super Kings overhaul the target in the final over to get back to winning ways.
As Shivam Dube hit the winning boundary off the third ball of the final over, there was a collective sigh of relief in the Chennai Super Kings dugout. Having gone through five successive losses, they began on a good note before undoing all the hard work they did in the middle-overs with the bat. However, Dube in the company of MS Dhoni, whose 11-ball 26 came at a critical juncture in the end, provided Chennai the result they desperately sought.
Flying under the radar
In midst of their horrid performances so far, two of their bowlers’ impact has largely gone unnoticed. While Noor Ahmad’s mastery has relatively gained more traction, the left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed’s story is different. The tall seamer, who can generate movement, has been the most successful pacer in the powerplay overs this season.
In his first season at Chennai, he has more or less sent down three of his four overs in the powerplay when there is still movement on offer. It means, in almost every game, he has been able to land the early blows. But where Chennai have struggled is in finding him the right support from the other end. In Lucknow, he had another skilful seamer in Anshul Kamboj by his side, who too can move the ball both ways.
It meant, Lucknow’s openers Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh didn’t quite get the start they would have wanted. The South African departed in the first over of Khaleel thanks to a wonderful catch from Rahul Tripathi. Then in the last ball of the fourth over, Kamboj trapped Nicholas Pooran in front with help from DRS.
Noor-ology
And beyond the powerplay, on this slightly two-paced pitch, Chennai played just two spinners as they dropped R Ashwin, who has been struggling of late. Though many expected their old spin formula to yield success, apart from Noor none of them has been able to make a telling impact consistently. On what appeared to be tailor-made conditions for him, Noor did what he knows best – fire in his deliveries by mixing the variations.
Operating mostly in the late 90kmph area, he delivered 9th, 11th, 15th and 17th over and conceded only 13 runs. The highlight of that spell was his 17th over where he bowled four consecutive dot deliveries to Pant. There were no wickets to show, but it was an outing worthy of the Player of the Match award. His miserly spell meant Jadeja too benefitted out of it. On a night where he once again got an opportunity to finish his quota of overs, he still managed to see the back of Marsh and Ayush Badoni.
Pant’s battle
The costliest player in the league, Rishabh Pant has endured a forgettable start to his stint with Lucknow, with 21 being his highest score before Monday’s fixture. With Pooran departing early, he walked in at No 4, and straightaway seemed to be in the mood, bringing out a reverse-lap over third man early on that cleared the boundary ropes.
Even the cuts and the pulls were timed well, signalling intent. The base was set for an explosive finish, instead Noor would strangle him as he managed just 6 runs off the 15 deliveries he faced from the left-arm wrist-spinner. Having made 34 off the 25 deliveries, when he hit Matheesha Pathirana for his second six, he was on 40 of 39 deliveries. But it did come at the right time for Lucknow as they found three more sixes in the end overs as Pant’s 63 off 49 didn’t look all too bad in the end. With the competition for spots heating up for India’s T20 World Cup squad, Pant knows more such efforts are needed.
Not at ease in the chase
Since the start of 2021, Chennai have chased down 175+ totals only once. They may have won two titles during this time, but it is in this season where they have looked totally inept. While most teams have gone for natural power-hitters in the middle order, Chennai have been particularly lacking in this regard with Shivam Dube being the lone exception.
MS Dhoni scored 26 off 11, helping CSK win their second match in IPL 2025. (Sportzpics for IPL)
So, in each of their chases, even if they managed to keep the asking rate under check at the half-way stage of the chase, in the second-half of their innings, they have invariably let it climb, often to levels beyond their reach.
The story repeated itself again until Dhoni and Dube managed to turn it around.
For a change, Rachin Ravindra and debutant Sheik Rasheed – their third opening pair this season – provided the start they desperately needed. Rasheed, with his compact technique, is more of a touch player who relies a lot on timing rather than power. Having spent three seasons on the bench, he got going with three boundaries in the second over after Rachin picked two in the first over of the chase.
Though Rasheed couldn’t stay around till the powerplay was over, Chennai had 59 on board as they kept the asking rate within their reach. Rachin and Tripathi perished in successive overs, but by the end of 10 overs Chennai were 80/3, needing only 87 more in the final 10. Such margins are done and dusted comfortably, but it has been challenging for Chennai, particularly since the usual rhythm in Dube’s batting went missing as the Lucknow spinners brought them back into the game.
With Ravindra Jadeja and Vijay Shankar departing without much contribution it came down to Dube and Dhoni. Needing 44 from the last four overs, with a couple of boundaries and a six, Dhoni brought the equation down to 24 off 12 before they got the one big over they were looking for in the 19th over bowled by Shardul Thakur. Dube started it with a boundary and six before Dhoni hit another four to end the over.
BRIEF SCORES: Lucknow Super Giants 166/7 in 20 overs (Pant 63; Jadeja 2/25, Noor 0/13) lost to Chennai Super Kings 168/5 in 19.3 overs (Dube 43, Rachin 37) by five wickets.
Shivam Dube and MS Dhoni finished the match for CSK vs LSG. (Sprotzpics for IPL) 
MS Dhoni scored 26 off 11, helping CSK win their second match in IPL 2025. (Sportzpics for IPL)
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