IPL 2018: 3 key battles that will decide who wins the SRH vs CSK clash

After being hit by a Gayle Storm at Mohali, SRH return to their home ground and host CSK at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. SRH had an ideal start to the IPL (winning 3 in 3) but a strong performance by Punjab's batters handed them their first loss.

Their bowlers had a rare off day, with the highlight being Rashid Khan going wicketless and conceding a mammoth 48 runs.

CSK, however, has transitioned well to their new home ground and started with a resounding win. Shane Watson's century. along with Shardul Thakur's bowling performance. helped CSK thump Rajasthan Royals with aplomb.

The famed bowling line-up will be up against CSK's batting which has not only chased huge scores but in the previous game showed that they can set up the game too.

The matches between these two sides have been lopsided, with the CSK having an edge, as they have won four, while SRH has won two.

#1 Billy Stanlake vs Shane Watson

After missing the last match, Billy Stanlake will most likely be back in the squad against CSK. The lanky fast bowler has been in excellent shape and has hit speeds of 140km/hr consistently in the IPL.

In this year's IPL, he has picked up five wickets. The 25-year-old fast bowler is known for his accurate bowling and doesn't give any width to the batsmen to free his arms.

He will be up against his fellow Australian mate Shane Watson. Watto played a gem of a knock against Royals (106 off just 57 balls) which included 6 sixes. What makes the Australian dangerous is the ability to pick a bowler's length early and cleanly hit the ball with power.

The 35-year-old batsman struggles against quality pace bowling. In the 2015 World Cup match against Pakistan, Wahab Riaz peppered the burly all-rounder with short balls and unsettled the batsman. With his height, he would be able to extract extra bounce from the pitch and will try to bounce Watto out. This opening battle will set the tone for the rest of the game.