Overreliance on top three and flat bowling: CSK expose GT’s vital failings before playoffs

Future perfect

When they were pummelled to the bottom of the table, there were questions on how they would get back on their feet. With mega auctions two years away, finding players who could straightaway make a winning formula is difficult. However, injuries to some players came as a blessing in disguise, forcing the franchise to look at some exciting young prospects with an eye on the future. It is safe to say they have a core to build on. With Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel and Dewald Brevis showing Chennai what they were missing, rebuilding the team ahead of next season doesn’t sound all that challenging.

It is not as if Chennai can’t bat the way the top, modern T20 teams do. They were just missing the personnel, with a few of their batsmen collectively struggling for form. Mhatre, from the time he came on, has breathed some fresh air at the top. Sunday was no different. On a sweltering afternoon in Ahmedabad, where the temperature touched 400 C, he was red hot.

The word ‘fear’ isn’t in their dictionary 🔥#CSK‘s young guns Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel added to the Ahmedabad heat with their knocks 👏

Updates ▶ https://t.co/P6Px72jm7j#TATAIPL | #GTvCSK | @ChennaiIPL pic.twitter.com/KcM4XW9peg

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 25, 2025

Mhatre faced the first 12 balls of the game. He got off the mark with a boundary in the first over, before scoring 28 in the second over by Arshad Khan. His stay lasted only 18 deliveries, but those 34 runs put Gujarat under early pressure, which the rest of Chennai’s in-form batsmen latched on.

Urvil may have his shortcomings, but T20s is the format he is most comfortable with. The strength of his batting lies in his hitting arc, which is mostly on the leg-side. With minimal movement and fast hands, he can inflict quick damage and with the Gujarat attack continuing to struggle, Chennai went about having fun, which they have rarely done this season. With Devon Conway playing a typically, effective innings, there was no shortage of boundaries and sixes as the run rate soared to over 11 runs an over. Like Mhatre, Urvil lasted 19 balls but made 37. Conway maintained his own pace, while Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja struck a few boundaries to take the total to 230 for 5.

Strong finish & start

Once Conway departed after making 52 off 35 deliveries, it was Brevis’s show all the way. For a team that has missed firepower in the middle-order owing to Dube’s struggles, Brevis has provided them the impetus, showing he will have a huge role to play going forward as he brought out another characteristic knock of 57 off 23 deliveries which included five sixes and four boundaries.

From the time he joined the franchise midway, the South African has provided firepower in the middle-overs, taking down spinners and pacers with equal disdain. On Sunday, it was no different as he effortlessly kept punishing any delivery that landed in his hitting zone. With his head down and meeting the ball under the eyeline, he can effortlessly send the ball the distance and with the exception to Prasidh Krishna, rest of Gujarat’s attack struggled for the second successive outing.

Pulling back things the Jadeja way 💛

The #CSK spinner brings them back on 🔝 with a double-wicket over 🫡

Updates ▶ https://t.co/P6Px72jm7j#TATAIPL | #GTvCSK | @ChennaiIPL | @imjadeja pic.twitter.com/8MHhmlZnAP

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 25, 2025

Chasing that big a target, they endured another night where the top order failed to make a substantial score. Right through the campaign, their top three order has been winning games for them. When they failed, the middle order could not muster any fight. Chennai, like Mumbai, exposed this major chink that teams would look to exploit.

Needing to hit top gears, Gujarat’s intent was risky. Chennai’s new-ball pair, who had looked the part, caused trouble. Anshul Kamboj made Shubman Gill nick one to slip in the third over before Khaleel Ahmed saw the back of Jos Buttler in the next over. By the time Kamboj removed Sherfane Rutherford in the next over, the chase was as good as over in the powerplay itself. After a strong finish with the bat, this was the start Chennai needed with the ball.

Gujarat implode

With the powerplay yielding only 35 runs for the loss of three wickets, B Sai Sudharsan and Shahrukh Khan did put up a fight, putting together 55 runs for the fourth wicket from 34 deliveries. Apart from that partnership, which appeared the lone bright spot, nothing else went Gujarat’s way. Just as they appeared to hit the top gear, Jadeja sent back both in the same over before the rest of Gujarat batting – that looked unstoppable just a week ago – came crashing down to be dismissed for 147. Noor Ahmad, who started the season on a strong note, finished with three wickets to keep the Purple Cap as Chennai, which began the season with a win, ended with one.

Brief Scores: CSK 230/5 (D Brevis 57 off 23b, D Conway 52 off 35b) beat GT 147 in 18.3 overs (BS Sudharsan 41 off 28b; A Kamboj 3/13, N Ahmed 3/21 ) by 83 runs.