IPL 2019: Match 50, CSK vs DC, Preview: Table toppers collide in the battle for supremacy

One has to believe this is the season where the Delhi Capitals will be changing their status in the tournament. Once, there was a point in the last seven years where teams would go into a match against Delhi with complete confidence to beat them and if that had not happened, it would be a bitter pill to swallow. Now, there’s a sense of fear in the opponents while facing them, clearly, things have changed.

On the other side, there’s the Chennai side who always commands huge respect from the opponents no matter where they play. Although they seem impenetrable sometimes, it is clear that MS Dhoni makes a decent team look pretty ominous with his insightful and stupendous brain. They might be without him yet again, which leaves a huge burden on the shoulders of Suresh Raina.

Raina has lost both the games he captained, much to the disappointment of their fans. He clearly is not performing to his best these days and is struggling to make his mark even with the willow. Delhi will fancy their chances as they travel Down South in pursuit for a ninth win, but they ought to place their steps carefully since they’re in the danger den of CSK.

Playing Combinations

Chennai Super Kings

Some changes are expected in the CSK lineup, with Faf du Plessis coming back to open alongside Shane Watson. The middle order will pretty much be the same with Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina and Kedar Jadhav, with N Jagadeesan coming in as a specialist keeper. Jadeja might be back in place of Santner to accompany Harbhajan Singh and Imran Tahir in the spin department. Dwayne Bravo and Deepak Chahar will be the pace bowling options for Raina.

Probable XI

Faf du Plessis, Shane Watson, Suresh Raina (C), Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, N Jagadeesan (wk), Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Harbhajan Singh, Imran Tahir.

Delhi Capitals

The Capitals side is on the surge and would probably go unchanged for this game. Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan will kick-start things with Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Colin Ingram and Sherfane Rutherford coming in the middle order. Amit Mishra, Axar Patel and Sandeep Lamichanne will be crucial on the slow Chepauk track with fast bowling assistance coming from the fiery Kagiso Rabada and the experienced Ishant Sharma.

Probable XI

Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer (C), Rishabh Pant (wk), Colin Ingram, Sherfane Rutherford, Axar Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Amit Mishra, Sandeep Lamichanne, Ishant Sharma.

Toss Update: DC won the toss and opted to field

Focus will be on

Suresh Raina (CSK)

Not the kind of focus Suresh Raina loves or he is used to, but the pressure is mounting on the IPL king. No player since the dawn of the tournament has been as consistent as him, but his mediocre form has really frustrated the fans. The 32-year-old still has a lot left to offer and can still turn things around with a few good knocks towards the business end. But for that to happen, he will have to master the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Amit Mishra on the day.

Amit Mishra (DC)

IPL’s most successful spinner Amit Mishra will be licking his fingers to bowl on the Chepauk track. It really would come as a surprise if a slow deck is not provided for this encounter and in that scenario, Mishra’s four overs will be priceless for Shreyas Iyer. If all the experience he carries with himself comes to great effect, even the sturdy CSK batting lineup will have a tough time dealing with him.

Head to Head

Matches: 19 | DC won: 6 | CSK won: 13

Stat Attack

1 – Kagiso Rabada needs one more wicket to overhaul Morne Morkel’s 25 wicket tally, which is the best by a Delhi franchise bowler in an IPL season.

72 – Shane Watson needs 72 runs to complete 3,500 runs in IPL. He will become the 13th player to reach that mark.

Broadcast Details

TV: Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 1 Select HD

Live Streaming: Hotstar

Match Timings: 20:00 IST.

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