3 player battles to watch out for in LSG vs CSK, Match 34 of IPL 2024 ft. Marcus Stoinis vs Ravindra Jadeja
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to lock horns at Lucknow's Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday, April 19, in match number 34 of the IPL 2024.
This year's campaign has been a mixed bag so far for the KL Rahul-led Lucknow side. With three losses and as many wins after six outings, they are placed fifth in the points table with a net run rate of 0.038.
LSG are coming into the contest with back-to-back losses against the Delhi Capitals (DC) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). A win against defending champions Chennai could boost their morale at this crucial juncture.
CSK, on the other hand, occupy the third spot in the standings, having won four of their first six encounters. They have a net run rate of 0.726. Ruturaj Gaikwad and company will be high on confidence following their victories over KKR and Mumbai Indians (MI) in their previous two fixtures.
The two sides have faced each other just three times in the tournament's history. Both Lucknow and Chennai won a game each while one match ended without a result.
Here, we take a look at three match-ups that could have a significant impact on the proceedings of the LSG vs CSK clash.
Ravi Bishnoi (LSG) vs Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK)
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has been in impressive form this season. The right-handed batter is his team's second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024, amassing 224 runs across six outings at an average of 44.80.
He shone with the bat in Chennai's 20-run win over Mumbai, scoring 69 runs off 40 balls. However, Gaikwad will have a big challenge on Lucknow's spin-friendly surface, especially against Ravi Bishnoi.
While the LSG leg spinner has picked up just four wickets from six games, he has a good economy rate of 7.82. Bishnoi has conceded 17 runs off 11 balls against Gaikwad and has dismissed him once.
Nicholas Pooran (LSG) vs Matheesha Pathirana (CSK)
Lucknow will rely on fireworks from Nicholas Pooran in the middle overs and towards the back end of the innings. The southpaw has dazzled the viewers with his blistering batting exploits in IPL 2024.
He is LSG's leading run-scorer this season, having chalked up 223 runs across six innings at a strike rate of 161.59. Pooran has showcased stunning consistency for his team this year.
CSK's best bet against Pooran could be Matheesha Pathirana. The slingy pacer from Sri Lanka has picked up eight wickets from just three games at an economy rate of 7.33.
Pooran and Pathirana have squared off just once so far in the IPL. Pooran scored six runs off nine balls against Pathirana while also getting out to him in the 2023 edition.
Marcus Stoinis (LSG) vs Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)
Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has struggled for form in IPL 2024. Apart from a 58-run knock against the Gujarat Titans (GT), he has failed to make an impact with the bat.
His spin-bowling woes have been evident, as he has lost his wickets to spinners five times in six innings this season. Chennai could be tempted to bring in left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja into the attack to get the better of Stoinis.
Jadeja has bowled 15 balls to Stoinis in the IPL, in which he has dismissed him twice. Stoinis has been out to left-arm spinners six times in the league, and his strike rate drops to 105.51 against them.