Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) welcome the formidable Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The Super Kings with 4 points are fourth in the table while the Sunrisers are at seventh spot with just a solitary win. (Preview | More Cricket News)
Sunrisers have had an inconsistent season so far, winning a game against Mumbai Indians and losing one on either sides of it. Their batting looks fiery but the bowling has at best appeared ordinary. A good team performance is what they would be looking for as they welcome the five-time champions.
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The Super Kings started the season with two wins but a top-order collapse made them taste defeat for the first time this season in their last match against Delhi Capitals. Their batting and bowling templates are more or less set but a return to form of their new skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad is something they would be looking up to.
Chennai would also be without the services of their best bowler in the tournament, Mustafizur Rahman.
Here are the key battles to look out for in this crucial encounter.
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Heinrich Klaasen vs Matheesha Pathirana
Teams have found it difficult, at times impossible, to stop Heinrich Klaasen. The South African has two fifties in three games and boasts of an astonishing strike rate of 219 so far in this tournament. With return to the IPL, Matheesha Pathirana seems to have found his accuracy and is bowling inch perfect toe crushers. With Klaasen's spin-hitting ability well known, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad would definitely bring on Pathirana to contain the South African.
As Pathirana remains Chennai's best bet against a rampaging Klaasen, a face-off between the two would be exciting.
Ruturaj Gaikwad vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
The new CSK skipper has not yet found his rhythm with the bat while Bhuvneshwar Kumar is also due to show his magic with the new ball. When the two go up against each other in Hyderabad, both of them would look to get their teams to a good start. If the surface has something in it for the bowlers, Kumar's utility just doubles. However, if it is a flat deck, Gaikwad will not hesitate in taking the veteran on.
Travis Head vs Deepak Chahar
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When Travis Head gets going, there is not much that opposition teams could do. However, playing with his feet jammed in the crease, a good swing bowler will always be in the game against the Australian. Deepak Chahar's form since his return from injury has not been great but the swing bowler has shown he can get big names upfront.
Chahar will be under constant pressure against Head while the Australian would look to turn it into a lop-sided contest.
