3 things Ruturaj Gaikwad did right on CSK captaincy debut
Ruturaj Gaikwad started his captaincy stint for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with a six-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday. The newly appointed skipper had a near-perfect start, with the defending champions playing with trademark control at their home venue.
Gaikwad, to his benefit, never looked flustered or riled up even during the brief moments things where RCB had a grip on the contest. Although it is just the start, and one match is hardly a credible sample size, CSK have much to look forward to under Gaikwad's reign as skipper.
MS Dhoni was in the thick of things as well, making minor adjustments to the field, but there was no doubt that it was Gaikwad who was in charge of the proceedings. Sterner tests await him, but he has passed the initial one with flying colors.
On that note, let us take a look at three things Ruturaj Gaikwad did right on his CSK captaincy debut.
#1 Ruturaj Gaikwad got the team selection spot on
Battling an injury crisis, Gaikwad did not have a full squad to choose from for the season opener. Devon Conway and Matheesha Pathirana's absence meant that the defending champions had to shake things up a bit. While having the luxury of credible options is a boon, it does come down to the final decision.
He resisted the temptation to spruce up the middle order by including both Daryl Mitchell and Moeen Ali, and playing an all-Indian seam attack. Instead, Sameer Rizvi and Mustafizur Rahman were handed their respective debuts to resolve the middle-order batting and the death bowling department.
Rachin Ravindra's inclusion for Devon Conway was pretty much a straight swap, which paid off quite well too. Shardul Thakur's exclusion was a bold call as well, but ultimately it was the right decision as they already had three frontline pacers in the playing XI.
#2 His Bowling changes paid off
Rotating the bowlers at the Chepauk is not a demanding task, especially if you have the right resources. However, things can get a bit tricky when the opposition gets off to a flyer, as RCB did in the first innings.
The new ball swing died out after the first over itself, and with Deepak Chahar not being the best exponent of the new bouncer rule, his quiver was almost empty midway through the spell. An argument can potentially be made here for Theekshana, who could have been introduced a touch earlier, considering how Faf du Plessis was easily taking on the pacers.
When he did get the ball, he played his part to perfection, conceding only four runs, and building a little pressure. Gaikwad then rightly introduced Mustafizur Rahman into the attack, who struck twice in his first over.
Although, in hindsight, it may seem like a straightforward decision, Gaikwad gave Deepak Chahar the final over of the powerplay, which yielded Glenn Maxwell's wicket. Despite the simplicity of it, the decision should be credited.
He worked quite well with Mustafizur for instance, and it was their little discussion that gave CSK their first breakthrough. The field change right before the delivery was suggested by the veteran bowler, and the skipper gave the green signal to manifest the dismissal.
#3 Made the right call with the batting order
Although CSK's top and middle section of the batting order arranged itself, there was a predicament when they lost their fourth wicket in the 13th over of the innings. With a major phase of the run chase still pending, the hosts had to make a crucial call regarding the No.6 batter, with the two options being debutant Sameer Rizvi and designated finisher Ravindra Jadeja.
Dube had already kept RCB's spinners off the bay, and Jadeja's arrival at No.6 completely shut down the option. The opposition did try to sneak Glenn Maxwell into the attack, but he was instantly taken down by Jadeja.
The left-handed all-rounder looked assured against pace, and with him being an active runner between the wickets, CSK never felt the pressure, which RCB could have introduced with one more wicket close to the death overs. Sameer Rizvi's services were not required as the left-handed pair finished things off with eight balls to spare.