3 ways CSK can stop SRH's Heinrich Klaasen from scoring big in IPL 2024 clash
The Southern derby between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will be a battle of two teams looking to bounce back from tame performances in their previous outings.
While CSK suffered their first loss in IPL 2024 by 20 runs against Delhi Capitals (DC), SRH went down to Gujarat Titans (GT) by seven wickets. Today's game at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad will be massive for the home side, who are currently on one win in three games.
Yet, CSK will be well aware of SRH's dismantling of the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their only home game this season when they scored an all-time IPL record 277/3 in 20 overs en route to a 31-run victory.
Among others, it is a no-brainer that CSK's primary concern must be the in-form Heinrich Klaasen. The South African batter has been SRH's star thus far, scoring 167 runs at an average of 83.50 and a strike rate of almost 220.
His 34-ball 80* in SRH's first and only home game this season against MI had experts and fans deeming him the world's best T20 batter. Yet, like any other batter, Klaasen's impact can be stopped with shrewd planning and pinpoint execution.
On that note, let us look at three ways in which CSK can stop Heinrich Klaasen in the upcoming SRH encounter.
#1 RRR- Rinse, Repeat, Reward
It is not surprising that CSK was among the few teams to have not experienced the Klaasen assault last season. The 32-year-old scored 448 runs at an average of almost 50 and a strike rate of 177.08 in IPL 2023.
Yet, he struggled to get going in SRH's lone game against CSK last year, scoring only 17 off 16 deliveries. Contrary to popular belief of not bowling spin to Klaasen, the MS Dhoni-led side suffocated the devastating batter with the Ravindra Jadeja-Maheesh Theekshana combination.
Klaasen was on nine off 10 balls and visibly frustrated with the accuracy of the spin twins. Sensing an opportunity for a wicket, Dhoni then brought in Matheesha Pathirana and the Sri Lankan seamer removed Klaasen in his second over of the spell.
Having scored only one boundary in 15 deliveries, Klaasen backed away and played an uppish drive, only to find the fielder in the cover region. Dismissing the dangerous South African for 17 off 16 went a long way in CSK restricting SRH to a paltry 134/7 in 20 overs, a total they chased down comfortably in 18.4 overs.
CSK will do well to follow the popular 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' strategy in the IPL 2024 clash against Klaasen by bowling the spinners and hoping they build the pressure, followed by Pathirana.
#2 Shardul Thakur - CSK's Harshit Rana?
There aren't too many holes in Heinrich Klaasen's T20 batting arsenal for the bowling side to exploit. Yet, KKR's Harshit Rana may have opened up an avenue for other pacers to replicate to restrict the big-hitting South African.
After conceding a maximum to Klaasen off the first ball of the final over in the KKR vs SRH thriller, Rana bowled a slow delivery on a good length outside off stump. The batter could only manage an inside edge a slog onto his pads. With five needed off two balls, Rana went even fuller and wider on his slow delivery and found the leading edge of Klaasen's attempted slog to dismiss him.
Who is the first bowler that comes to mind when we think of off-pace deliveries outside off? The almost unanimous answer has to be Shardul Thakur.
While the pacer is yet to play for CSK this season, Mustafizur Rahman's absence from the SRH clash due to him returning home for visa formalities opens up a slot for the Men in Yellow. Thakur could be the ideal replacement, given his ability to exhibit the style of bowling Klaasen is least comfortable facing.
In addition, Thakur also has a terrific head-to-head record in the IPL against the Protea ace. He dismissed him for run-a-ball 7 way back in the 2018 edition when playing for CSK and Klaasen was part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
However, more relevant is his triumph in last year's IPL when Klaasen was going great guns on 36 off 19 against KKR when Thakur dismissed him at a crucial juncture.
The CSK pacer boasts an outstanding record against Klaasen in IPL games, dismissing him twice while conceding only 16 runs off 11 deliveries.
#3 Early wickets to mitigate the Heinrich Klaasen effect
Invariably with any destructive middle-order batter, picking up early wickets and bringing them into the crease early is the ultimate strategy.
It is no different with Heinrich Klaasen whose clarity of thought could be affected if they lose early wickets without the team score being too high. The perfect example of this scenario was SRH's last outing against GT when the South African came in at the end of 10 overs with the side three down for only 74.
The thought of having to increase the run rate yet not losing his wicket meant Klaasen had to be aggressive against Noor Ahmad and Rashid Khan. It led to his eventual downfall on 24 when he backed away and tried to pull a quickish delivery.
CSK must be on the money right away and ensure the SRH top order does not get off to a fast start and set up a launching pad for Klaasen. Even when the champion batter enters and they aren't able to dislodge him, the bowlers must keep trying to pick up wickets at the order end to keep a lid on Klaasen's freedom to play his natural game.