CSK pull back RCB on a slow track in Dubai

It was a rare off-day for RCB at the office in the Dream11 IPL 2020. On a track which was more at home for the Chennai Super Kings, the Men in Yellow registered their fourth win of the tournament at the expense of RCB’s third consecutive win. It was an afternoon that fizzled out for RCB by the time the sun set in Dubai.

The game started off well for RCB. Devdutt Padikkal and Finch got the team off to a customary good start, looking solid in the powerplay; Finch taking the aerial route successfully, and a cut shot by Devdutt Padikkal disappearing over point which looked a mirror image of Virender Sehwag in centurion. Aaron Finch departed, but RCB’s score of 46 in the powerplay was well-controlled on a track which would slow down drastically.

Devdutt departed trying to clear the long-on fence, thanks to a joint effort by the Chennai opening pair of Du Plessis and Rituraj Gaekwad. But, with Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the middle, there was much room for optimism. The duo batted smartly, making sure there was on more damage done to the wickets tally in the middle overs. The duo milked the CSK bowling and combining caution with aggression. If the plan was to preserve wickets and go big at the death, the innings was going perfectly to plan. With the score on 114/2 with 4 overs left, a score of 160+ was well on the cards, a score that would have been above par on a slowing track.

On a pitch that resembled the conditions at Chennai, the CSK bowlers turned the screws on. Big hits found fielders in the deep, CSK bowlers using their cutters, and varying their length to great effect.The death overs struggle of 31/4 off the last 4 overs meant RCB could not elevate their total to a match-winning one.

The track was slowing up, and the Chennai batsmen identified the need to score quickly in the powerplay. Faf Du Plessis made the first move, but Chris Morris ended the fellow Protean’s innings, Siraj holding on to a smart catch. But, the same track which seemed to be playing tricks played perfectly into the hands of the CSK batsmen who felt at home against RCB spinners. In a game where the target was meager, one good partnership would have finished off the game. CSK got exactly that with Ruturaj Gaikwad coming good, scoring a match-winning half-century. Rayudu supported the opener well, while RCB’s bowlers could not quite decode the right line and length and pace to bowl on the Dubai pitch. The game ended in a whimper, CSK easing past the target with 8 balls to spare.

With 3 more games to go, and a spot in the playoffs well within reach, RCB will be hoping to quickly regroup and come back stronger against the Mumbai Indians on Wednesday.