IPL 2024: 3 players who starred and 2 who flopped in the CSK vs KKR match ft. Ravindra Jadeja & Rachin Ravindra
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) secured a comfortable seven-wicket victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Match 22 of IPL 2024 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday, April 8.
With the result, the Super Kings got back to winning ways after dropping two games on the road. They extended their record at the Chepauk to three wins out of three and reaffirmed their place in the top half of the standings.
KKR, meanwhile, suffered their first defeat in the competition. They are still comfortably placed on the points table, though, with three victories from four matches.
On that note, here are three players who starred and two who flopped in the CSK vs KKR IPL 2024 match:
#5 Star - Ravindra Jadeja (CSK)
Ravindra Jadeja had surprisingly gone wicketless during CSK's first two home matches in IPL 2024. But he wasn't going to be kept out of the action for long, as he roared back to bowling form against KKR.
Jadeja struck with his first ball, having Angkrish Raghuvanshi trapped in front while playing a reverse sweep. He had another wicket in the same over, with Sunil Narine finding long-off, and went on to dismiss Venkatesh Iyer as well.
Jadeja's three-fer set the tone for Chennai's commanding bowling performance, as he was rightfully adjudged the Player of the Match.
#4 Flop - Rachin Ravindra (CSK)
Rachin Ravindra bowled a tidy over and was good on the field, but he played a terrible shot to be dismissed.
For the third game running, the opener tried hitting a fast bowler down the ground off a hard length and holed out. While he was caught on the circle the first two times, he found a smartly placed long-on fielder to perfection.
Ravindra shouldn't have attempted the shot, given that there was a fielder placed in the deep. Moreover, even otherwise, he needs to find a way to execute that loft better, having fallen prey to it so often.
#3 Star - Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK)
![Gaikwad anchored the chase [Image Courtesy: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/d2441-17125974295850-1920.jpg?w=500)
Ruturaj Gaikwad became the first CSK captain to score a half-century since IPL 2018 with his assured knock against KKR.
Gaikwad started slowly once again and finally stepped on the pedal in the final over of the powerplay to put the Super Kings ahead of the game. He was content to turn strike over in the middle overs and was there when the winning runs were hit.
Chennai will want more such performances from their skipper, who might also need to bat with more intent in the powerplay.
#2 Flop - Venkatesh Iyer (KKR)
Venkatesh Iyer hasn't exactly justified being retained by the Knight Riders ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Shunted up and down the order, the left-hander hasn't been given a clear role and hasn't been able to produce the goods regularly.
Venkatesh is known to be a decent hitter of spin, but Maheesh Theekshana and Jadeja had him in all sorts of trouble. He didn't find the middle of his bat even once during a painful eight-ball stay at the crease that produced just three runs.
Venkatesh played a half-hearted pull off Jadeja to be caught in the deep, pushing his team into further trouble. It will be interesting to see if he retains his place in the side once Nitish Rana is fit.
#1 Star - Tushar Deshpande (CSK)
![Deshpande was excellent [Image Courtesy: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/04/e1da5-17125973520491-1920.jpg)
A player who has often been maligned for his economy rate, Tushar Deshpande must be appreciated when he delivers. He got his lines and lengths to Sunil Narine wrong, but he produced three vital breakthroughs for CSK and executed Dwayne Bravo's plans at the death.
Deshpande set the tone by dismissing Phil Salt off the first ball of the match. Later in the piece, he dismissed KKR's key men at the back end of the innings, Rinku Singh and Andre Russell.