Match 11: CSK v/s DD Preview

The second match of Day 7 is a clash between two big teams and it promises to be a sight to behold. Both the teams have played two games and have won one each. Delhi playing their first match at home will certainly be desperate for a win today. After the loss against RCB at Bangalore, a lot of questions surround the Delhi Daredevils‘ batsmen and their inconsistent performances. However with the likes of Kevin Pietersen and Mahela Jayawardene joining the team, the batting looks stronger and it will be a good contest between them and the Chennai bowling.

Chennai Super Kings led by the Indian skipper, had an aberration of a start in their opening game as Mumbai steamrolled them. Against Deccan Chargers, they looked like their usual self, and were clinical and ruthless – annihilating the Hyderabad-based franchise. Today, Chennai will be hoping to take that forward and get into a winning form. Being the most successful IPL team means that they set high standards for themselves and Delhi will certainly be made to fight hard for a victory.

The Kotla pitch has often surprised everyone with its erratic behavior and that will be a factor in this contest.

Head to Head:

The two teams have met 8 times with Chennai having won on 5 of those occasions. In their last encounter CSK won by 18 runs.

Players to watch out for:

Delhi Daredevils

Virender Sehwag : The dashing opener hasn’t got going so far this season but rest assured that it is only a matter of time before he goes berserk and plays a beauty of an innings. As captain, a lot rides on him and DD will certainly want their skipper firing on all cylinders.
Morne Morkel: The tall South African so far has 5 wickets from 2 matches and will be looking to add a few more to that tally. With his pace and steep bounce he will be relied on by Delhi to provide them the initial breakthroughs.
Kevin Pietersen: Coming back from international duty, KP will be looking to start his IPL campaign with a bang. With a 150-run score in his last match for England against Sri Lanka, he’ll be keen to make the most of his form. Ashwin and the other CSK spin bowlers will certainly be aware of his ability to sweep (or reverse sweep) a bowler out of the park at will.

Chennai Super Kings

Ravindra Jadeja: The young millionaire annihilated the Deccan Chargers all on his own with both bat and ball, and is a key player for CSK. His ability to use the long handle and clear the ropes along with sending down a few of his slow left armers makes him a versatile option for his team. He might have justified his high price tag with his previous performance, but surely he’s itching to continue putting in good performances through the remainder of the tournament.
Ravichandran Ashwin: The tall Chennai lad has been one of CSK’s vital clogs, and on a slow and low Kotla pitch will be looking to make his mark. His 4 overs will be very influential in the deciding the result of the match.
Suresh Raina: IPL’s leading runscorer, Raina would want to score a big one here. After two starts which he failed to convert, this might be his chance to come good. The contest between Morne Morkel and Raina will be interesting to watch as Raina isn’t particularly fond of the short pitched delivery.

Predicted Result:

The home advantage rests with Delhi, while Chennai look like the better team on paper. It will be an even contest, but expect Chennai to come out on top at the end.