In the 49th league match of the IPL 2024 T20 cricket series, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) faced off against Punjab Kings in a highly anticipated clash at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Despite a disappointing loss in the toss, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad remained optimistic about his team’s chances.
Punjab Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first, leaving CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad disheartened, especially after losing the toss for the eighth time this season. Ruturaj expressed his disappointment at not being able to bat first, mentioning that most of his players preferred setting a target.
“We also wanted to field first. I want to see my winning average in winning the toss. Most of our players are ready to bat first. But we failed here. We really don’t know what to do,” Ruturaj said.
However, despite this setback, Ruturaj remained confident in his team’s abilities, emphasizing the importance of the match and the need to score well early on.
“Every match is very important. Target control is difficult due to excessive snow in Chepauk. However, our 78-run win against Hyderabad speaks volumes about the quality of our team,” Ruturaj added.
Adding to CSK challenges, primary bowler Pathirana sustained a minor injury, and Tushar Deshpande was not feeling well. Consequently, Ruturaj announced that both players would not participate in the match against Punjab Kings.
To fill in for the absent players, CSK made four changes to their lineup. English player Richard Gleeson, who was bought as a replacement for the injured Devon Conway, made his debut for CSK. Shardul Thakur also found a place in the Playing XI.
“Pathirana has sustained minor injuries. Deshpande is not doing well. So Richard Gleeson is going to make his debut along with Shardul Thakur,” Ruturaj stated.
The CSK Playing XI for the match against Punjab Kings included Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (keeper), Shardul Thakur, Deepak Sahar, Mustafizur Rahman, and Richard Gleeson.
With these changes, CSK aimed to bounce back from the toss setback and put up a strong performance against Punjab Kings.