IPL 2020, KKR v CSK: 3 players who flopped | 7 October
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are two teams that have blown hot and cold in IPL 2020, clashed in Abu Dhabi in an attempt to gather some momentum.
At the close of the exchange, CSK went back to the drawing board with familiar problems, while KKR managed to hold out despite mediocrity in some facets.
Batting first, KKR profited from the decision to open the innings with Rahul Tripathi. The right-hander shone from the start, and batted almost throughout the innings to eventually be dismissed for 81 - nearly half the side's tally at the end.
The move to send Sunil Narine a little lower at number four also yielded some return, with the Trinidadian scoring at a strike rate of nearly 200. KKR would take some consolation from the fact that they were able to score nearly 170 despite the failures of Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Eoin Morgan and Dinesh Karthik.
In reply, CSK got going in the powerplay as KKR captain Karthik looked to rush the batsmen with pace. The in-form Faf du Plessis did succumb to significantly dent CSK's prospects of a chase. While Shane Watson carried on for a second successive fifty, the slow pace of it did not augur well for the chase.
CSK's middle order troika of Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav once again stuttered, ensuring that Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja's efforts went in vain. Here are three players who flopped in this match.
#3 Deepak Chahar (CSK)
Deepak Chahar has been a consistent performer for CSK over the last two seasons, and has even had some creditworthy showings for the Men in Blue. However, he has been unable to live up to his reputation this season.
With the new ball, he allowed KKR opener Rahul Tripathi to strike flowing boundaries and rack up 54 runs in the powerplay. During the middle overs, there was a lull due to the fall of Sunil Narine's wicket and the inability of Eoin Morgan to get scoring quickly.
When Chahar came back on to bowl, he was promptly hit away for a number of boundaries as he bowled too straight at times to Tripathi. The CSK spearhead finished his four overs wicketless, having given away 47 runs out of KKR's total of 167.
#2 Eoin Morgan (KKR)
One of KKR's heroes from the manic attempt at a run-chase in their last game, Eoin Morgan came out to bat under significantly lower pressure in this one. Not only were KKR scoring at just under nine runs an over, but he did not have bowlers of express pace or world-class deception to face.
Coming in after a quickfire cameo by Narine and batting with the well-set Tripathi, Morgan looked to knock the ball around to hand over the strike. However, he was often cramped for room on the occasions where he did look to attack.
The Englishman eventually gloved one to the keeper and walked back for a laborious 7 off 10.
Who scored the most runs in IPL 2020, click here to find out.
#1 Kedar Jadhav (CSK)
After the start that KKR got, the Men in Yellow would be pleased at having come back to bowl them out for a par 167.
However, with the exception of the previous game, CSK have looked under pressure in run chases in this season. And when the in-form openers were unable to do the job against KKR, the middle order came under immense scrutiny.
Slated to bat at 4, Kedar Jadhav was sent out only at number 6 in the finisher's role. Entirely contrary to the expectations from a number 6, Jadhav wasted 12 balls to score just 7, thereby piling immense pressure onto Sam Curran and Jadeja.
Despite their valiant efforts, Jadhav's slow stay ensured that CSK did not get the required finishing kick to win the game.