LSG vs CSK IPL 2024 Match Preview: Resurgent CSK will look for another win against Super Giants

LSG vs CSK IPL 2024 with Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni and KL Rahul

The Lucknow Super Giants will lock horns with the Chennai Super Kings in today’s IPL match at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. The night match is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM IST.

LSG had been riding high on a streak of three consecutive wins, maintaining a flawless record of 13 victories out of 13 matches where they defended scores of 160 or more. Their dominance extended to securing two comfortable wins at the Ekana Stadium. However, their winning streak came to a sudden halt when the then-bottom-placed Delhi Capitals handed them a humbling defeat on their home turf. This setback was compounded by a significant loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens.

LSG’s top-order batting failures

These defeats laid bare their batting woes: early dismissals of key players like Quinton de Kock, Captain KL Rahul failing to convert good starts, and inconsistency from Marcus Stoinis at No. 4. Additionally, the team struggled to find stability at the No. 3 position. While their bowling unit had previously excelled in defending modest totals, it now showed signs of inconsistency.

LSG's struggles were further highlighted by their poor performance in the powerplay, with an average score of just 25.66, the lowest among all teams. This failure at the top order often left Nicholas Pooran, their standout performer, with the burden of rescuing the innings from the middle order. Moreover, they faced difficulties in scoring during the final overs, averaging only 10.04, the lowest in IPL 2024. Pooran, predominantly batting at No. 5, accounted for the majority of the sixes scored by LSG throughout the season.

Despite these challenges, LSG found a glimmer of hope in returning to a familiar batting-friendly red-soil pitch, reminiscent of their successful defense against Punjab Kings earlier in the season. However, their upcoming match against the confident Chennai Super Kings, who have regained momentum with consecutive victories, presents a formidable challenge. CSK boasts a strong pace bowling attack and a batting lineup capable of thriving in high-scoring encounters.

Strategy against in-form Shivam Dube

The strategic use of Ravi Bishnoi and Krunal Pandya in the middle overs against the in-form Shivam Dube will be crucial for LSG against CSK. Whether they opt to restrict spinners from bowling to Dube, as observed in a previous match by Mumbai Indians, or unleash Bishnoi, who has a history of dismissing Dube despite initial setbacks, will be a pivotal decision.

LSG vs CSK Squads

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), MS Dhoni, Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Mandal, Mukesh Choudhary, Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Mitchell Santner, Simarjeet Singh, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana, Rachin Ravindra, Shardul Thakur, Daryl Mitchell, Sameer Rizvi, Mustafizur Rahman, Avanish Rao Aravelly, Matheesha Pathirana

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh, Prerak Mankad, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra, Shamar Joseph, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, K. Gowtham, Shivam Mavi, Arshin Kulkarni, M. Siddharth, Ashton Turner, David Willey, Mohd. Arshad Khan

Match starts at 7:30 PM IST.