CSK vs MI | Player Ratings: Batting collapse hand CSK massive 46-run defeat against Mumbai Indians
CSK kept losing wickets on a consistent basis to endure a 46-run defeat while chasing a target of 156 against Mumbai Indians. Mitchell Santner was the shining star while there were few occasional sparks of brilliance from others as CSK continue to dominate the points table despite.
Shane Watson (3/10): That was one unlucky way to get out! On this surface, the use of the new leather was pivotal for the CSK. After smashing two boundaries, Watson wanted to punish sloppy Malinga and flicked one straying down the leg only to be cupped by Rahul Chahar at short fine leg. That ball deserved to be hit for a boundary, but Watson’s failure to pierce the game gifted Malinga a lucky wicket. After that gigantic knock against SRH, Watson was brimming with confidence tonight but couldn’t make the most of it.  Â
Murali Vijay (6/10): With wickets tumbling like ninepins at one end, Murali Vijay did well to hold his ground at the other. He stuck to his guns and played cheeky shots to keep the scoreboard ticking but failed to convert his good start into a substantial score. Playing his first game this season, Vijay was so close from making an immediate impact, but so close yet so far! Â
Suresh Raina (3/10): As stand-in skipper, a lot was expected from the veteran Suresh Raina. The target didn’t demand anything fancy, but Raina showed the temperament of a club level cricketer when he tried to take on Hardik Pandya right from the start. As a veteran, he is supposed to do a lot more than what he eventually did with the bat. However, his captaincy was astute and kept eyeing for wickets, but on a whole, Raina was poor.Â
Ambati Rayudu (1/10): If Rayudu continues to bat in this manner, his most loyal fans would start losing faith in him. This was a perfect scenario to prove his haters wrong and get some tough runs under his belt, but all he could manage was to leave a huge gap between bat and pad for the ball to shatter the timber. In Dhoni’s absence, the senior players had to step up and take responsibility, but he only put his team in danger once again. Â
Kedar Jadhav (1/10): Prior to this game, the Chennai fortress was yet to be breached and it would have remained so had Kedar Jadhav played an impactful innings. He was outfoxed by Krunal’s arm-ball, something which is not expected from a batsman of his stature. Jadhav’s weaknesses against googlies are quite evident and Krunal has only widened it.  Â
Dhruv Shorey (1.5/10): On a surface where patience and temperament was the key to success, Shorey mistimed a delivery to long-on to put CSK in hot water. Although the run-rate was starting to climb, CSK did have enough firepower and needed a platform. Had Shorey rotated the strike and tried to play risk-free cricket, the scenario would have been different, but that remains beyond the realms of fantasy. Â
Dwayne Bravo (7/10): His figures may look a little expensive, but one shouldn’t forget that he bowled in the death and that too against two big-hitters of the game - Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya. Bravo mixed up his pace very well in the 19th over, but was deciphered in the last over by Hardik Pandya. In this line-up, he is the best death bowler and did well to an extent in the absence of Dhoni. With the bat, he ensured MI didn’t walk away with an easy win, but Malinga’s slower one turned out to be too good to dismiss him for 20 off 17.Â
Mitchell Santner (8/10): The Kiwi all-rounder started off with a heck of a delivery to Rohit Sharma, which gripped and beating everything but the keeper. Spinners were always going to be the centre of attraction on this slow Chepauk surface and Santner was right on the money. In this format of uncertainties, an over can change the momentum and Santner’s second over did exactly that. He got rid of a well set Lewis and then dried up the runs to bring CSK back into the game. Santner was impressive with the bat but lacked support from the other end.Â
Deepak Chahar (2/10): Chahar’s swing and control have been the talk of the town and has impressed many with his rare talent. However, the lanky bowler looked like a toothless tiger against the star-studded MI side. Chahar did get some movement but looked clueless once MI openers started breaking free. Perhaps, the absence of MS Dhoni behind the stumps did play a massive role behind the mediocrity of CSK bowlers. He got the better of de Kock but at what cost? His expensive figures didn’t allow CSK to put brakes on MI’s innings. Â
Harbhajan Singh (6/10): Tagged as a home specialist, Harbhajan Singh has lived upto his reputation so far. Raina has immense faith in his abilities and didn’t think twice before tossing the ball to the off-spinner in the powerplay overs. Harbhajan slowed things down from his end when runs were leaking from the other. He went on to bowl four overs straight, conceding 23 without a wicket. His figures would have donned a way different look had Rohit Sharma not targeted him in his last over.Â
Imran Tahir (2.5/10): Probably the best bowler of the season, although stats may not say so, Tahir has been mesmerising to watch. However, his performance graph has suddenly started dipping. He did get the better of Rohit Sharma, but on this kind of a surface, one expects Tahir to weave magic, like he has done in previous games. Four over 1 for 37 is not something you associate Tahir with.
