IPL 2020 Match Report CSK vs RCB| Ruturaj Gaikwad, bowlers help CSK trounce RCB by 8 wicket

Pushed to the wall in this IPL and with nothing much to lose, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) played with an unusual freedom on October 25 in Dubai which was missing in their campaign until now. Such was the complete dominance in the match that MS Dhoni’s team beat one of the top teams of the tournament, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), by 8 wickets.

CSK bowlers made it look like Chepauk

Left-arm pacer Sam Curran once again proved that he is going through a purple patch regardless of his team’s plight by picking up three wickets for just 19 runs in his three overs. The wickets included the highest scorer of the RCB innings, Virat Kohli (50 off 43), as well as Aaron Finch and Moeen Ali.

New Zealand’s spinner Mitchell Santer got his first game of the season to play, and he didn’t disappoint either by (4 overs , 23 runs and the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal) bowling very economically.

A target of 146 was never going to be enough even if CSK has not been one of the strongest batting units in this IPL. Perhaps, lack of AB de Villiers’ typical onslaught (although he scored 39 off 36) in the death overs was the real factor for RCB’s loss.

“ I don’t think we got a ball to drive when we batted. Their spinners kept it tight too. 140+ is a competitive total on that pitch, we were targetting 150,” admitted Virat Kohli after the match.

Essentially, it looked like CSK playing in Chennai with their slow bowlers taking charge of the match by bowling to a great plan. “This was one of the perfect games. Everything went to plan. The execution was there, and we were able to pick wickets regularly to restrict them to a total that's slightly below par on a wicket like this,” said CSK skipper MS Dhoni after the match.

Morris-Siraj-Washinton trio ineffective together

It simply wasn’t RCB’s day as one of their most dependable bowlers, Washington Sundar, went for 27 runs in his four overs. South African Chris Morris picked one wicket, but gave away too many runs (36), and Mohammad Siraj, who had bowled a record two maiden overs to be the previous match's hero, conceded 29 runs in just two overs.

Finally, a spark of brilliance for CSK

Contrast this with CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad’s unbeaten 65 off just 51 balls which featured 3 sixes and 4 fours. Dhoni was witness to that "spark" which he found was missing in his young players. “To be honest, we all have been impressed with him (Gaikwad). He’ll get that confidence for the next few games. It’s good for his confidence to get such a score against a top team like RCB,” said England’s Sam Curran after the match on his teammate's fantastic knock.

Gaikwad’s sparkling innings allowed fellow opener Faf du Plessis to play a fiery cameo (25 off just 13) and Ambati Rayudu too looked in typical touch with a solid 39 runs off 27 balls. “It feels good, and to win the game for the team and stay not out till the end more importantly feels better than the personal milestone,” said Gaikwad after getting the Player of the Match award in a post-match chat with the host broadcaster.