JOIN USDC youth up against CSK veterans | IPL 2021 Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings: SWOT Analysis
Delhi Capitals and the Chennai Super Kings would be eyeing a place in the final when the two teams lock horns in Qualifier-I of the IPL 2021 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Delhi Capitals are fighting for a second successive final while Chennai Super Kings would be hoping for a spot in the title match after a gap of two years.
Rishabh Pant-led DC finished on the top of the league with 10 wins from their 14 league matches. CSK enjoyed 9 wins in the league phase and stood second on the points table.
SWOT for DC
Strengths: DC’s pace trio comprising of Avesh Khan, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje has been to be the team’s most potent weapon. Avesh’s form has been so good this season that he has made the likes of Rabada and Nortje almost an afterthought. Avesh has picked 22 wickets. Rabada has 13 and Nortje has 9 scalps. Add Axar Patel’s spin attack in the mix and DC’s bowling arsenal looks menacing.
Weaknesses: DC have adopted a unidimensional approach to win games this season. They prefer chasing the targets. Nine of DC’s ten wins in the league phase this season have come when the team has batted second. They lost four games when they defended a total. Clearly, DC are excellent while batting second and unimpressive when batting first. CSK camp would have taken a note of this and they could exploit this if the coin falls in their favour. In a high-stake match like this one, DC should be ready for both possibilities.
Opportunities: DC have been one of the top performing teams in the tournament for the last three seasons. They finished third at the end of the league stage in 2019. Last season they were second on the points table after the group matches, and later qualified for the finals. This season they have finished on the top of the table with 20 points. They became the first team since 2017 to fetch 20 points in the league phase. Despite their consistent show in the league stages, the IPL title has remained elusive. This is the opportunity for DC to go all the way and win their first IPL title.
Threats: One of the reasons for DC’s failure to win the IPL trophy could be their bad habit of chocking in the must-win play-off games. Back in 2019, DC lost Qualifier-II against CSK. Last season, DC first lost Qualifier-I against MI. Though the team did manage to qualify for the final after defeating SRH. But DC’s show against eventual champions MI in the final did highlight that the team is suffering from some sort of stage fright in knockout games.
SWOT for CSK
Strengths: The form of openers Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad is the biggest blessing for CSK this season. du Plessis is the second-highest run-accumulator this term with 546 runs. He is averaging 45.50 and has hit 53 fours and 20 sixes. Gaikwad has been equally remarkable. He is fourth on the list of the top run-getters for 2021 with 533 runs. Gaikwad has hit an unbeaten hundred and three half-centuries. The numbers suggest that either of the two batters, or both, could have a great day in office against DC.
Weaknesses: The form of middle-order batters is a big headache for the team. Suresh Raina struck one fifty before he was relegated from the team. His replacement, Robin Uthappa, has had only two outings so far. Skipper MS Dhoni too has lost his Midas touch. He is no longer the batter who could be relied upon to take the team over the finishing line. Dhoni has notched only 96 runs from 10 innings. Ambati Rayudu’s form is erratic. If the openers get out early, it would be an uphill task for the middle order to score runs freely.
Opportunities: After the horrors of 2020, CSK have bounced back in style this season. The team has looked settled right through the league phase. This is CSK’s chance to be the kings of the IPL once more. During the early years of IPL, CSK were the dominant team of the league. But arch-rival, Mumbai Indians, have hogged the limelight in the past few seasons. With the defending champions knocked out, CSK have the chance to reclaim the glory of yesteryears.
Threat: Two things will be worrying CSK ahead of this match. First, their recent form has nosedived. The team has lost its three previous fixtures. Of those three losses, two losses have come against non-threatening teams like Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings. The other thing that will be a cause of concern for CSK: their form against DC. The men in yellow have lost all their four previous encounters against DC. If these numbers are anything to go by then CSK will be having a tough time against DC.
Head-to-head
Matches played: 25
DC wins: 10
CSK wins: 15
What transpired between the two teams in their league phase face-offs this season?
DC come into this match enjoying a double over CSK in the league stage. DC won both their league matches against CSK chasing.
Form Guide:
DC: L-W-W-L-W
CSK: L-L-L-W-W
Pitch and conditions
Since the inception of the UAE-leg of IPL 2021, 11 matches have been played at this venue. In those 11 games, the side batting second has come out on the top on eight occasions. Clearly, the pitches at the stadium favour the teams chasing the totals. The average first innings total in the last three matches has been 144.66. These numbers are enough to suggest that the captain winning the toss would be wanting to bowl first. Anything else from the pitch should come as a surprise.
A clear and a warm evening is expected for the match. Humidity level should be about 60 per cent and the temperature would be around 32°C.
Team News
An injury ended Sam Curran’s IPL 2021 prematurely. Suresh Raina has been confined to the CSK bench for the team’s previous two games.
DC don’t have any injury concerns and despite qualifying for the playoffs early, they have played with a full-strength team in their previous two games.
Deccan Herald’s Dream XI
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shikhar Dhawan, Faf du Plesssis, Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortrje.
Impact player for DC
Avesh Khan: The Indian pacer has been one of the finds of the season. Avesh Khan is the team’s leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets. He is just one wicket behind Royal Challenger Bangalore’s Harshal Patel, who is the season’s top wicket-taker. Along with wickets, Khan has also maintained a healthy economy and an impressive average. The 24-year-old has bowled at an economy of 7.18 and is averaging 17.31. Because of Avesh’s superb show, DC have been less reliant on Kagiso Rabada who has not had the best of seasons.
Impact player for CSK
Ruturaj Gaikwad: CSK will be depending a lot on the form of Ruturaj Gaikwad. The stylish opener is the team’s second-highest run-scorer this season with 533 runs. On his way to those 533 runs, Gaikwad has hit three half-centuries and one unbeaten hundred and is averaging 44.41. Gaikwad has also proven to be a boundary-hitting machine. The right-handed batter has hit 20 sixes (third highest this season) and 56 fours (second best for 2021). Also, the biggest six of 2021 thus far, which measured an astounding 108.00 metres has come from Gaikwad’s bat. These numbers are enough to prove, Gaikwad’s importance in the team.