LSG vs CSK Match Preview
Kyle Mayers will be the key batsman for the LSG here. He has been in excellent form this season and will be looking to score some runs at the top but his record in Lucknow is not very good. He has only scored runs in the first match played here and nothing much thereafter.
KL Rahul injured his thigh in the last match and we are still awaiting updates regarding his status.
Marcus Stoinis and Nicolas Pooran have been pretty consistent in the middle order. There ability to slcear the boundaries can be invaluable during the middle phase of the match when CSK is expected to try and lock the game down with its spinners.
More will be expected from Deepak Hooda and Krunal Pandya as both have failed to get going with the bat.
In the bowling department, Ravi Bishnoi and Amit Mishra will hold the key here as the surface is quite slow. Naveen ul-Haq bowled a brilliant spell in the last match and will once again look to bowl a good spell at the death. Krunal Pandya and Stoinis are expected to start the proceedings with the new ball.
Devon Conway has been in sublime form in the last couple of weeks. He has scored 5 half-centuries in his last 6 outings and is 3rd on the list of top run-getters for the season. He has found a worthy opening partner in the form of Ruturaj Gaikwad, and together, they will once again look to give the team a good start.
The middle order looks pretty strong too, thanks to the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, and MS Dhoni. The two all-rounders, Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja add depth to the batting.
We think CSK is unlikely to send out Rahane to bat unless a wicket falls in the first 6 Overs. He can struggle against spin on slow surfaces and someone like Dube or even Moeen may be preferable. Ravindra Jadeja has been promoted in the past but he seems to take a bit more time than this current CSK management likes and so is relegated to batting in the death overs.
Tushar Deshpande is the leading wicket-taker of the tournament with 17 wickets but is very expensive. Similarly, Matheesha Pathirana has shown that he can take wickets but he lacks discipline in line and length. With the pitch in Lucknow being a bit slow, the spinners, Jadeja and Moeen Ali are likely to play a key role here.
Weather Report
The skies are likely to remain overcast and we might see some drizzling. The temperature will remain below 30 degrees Celsius.
Pitch Report
The pitch at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow provides a welcome relief for the bowlers. While we have seen plenty of 200+ scores this season, the average first-inning score here is 146. Anything over 150 will be difficult to chase here. The pitch is slow with low bounce and the ball tends to grip on the surface.
Notable stats
Kyle Mayers Excellent Batting
Kyle Mayers has been a consistent performer for the LSG with the bat. He has scored 4 half-centuries so far and has scored an aggregate of 297 runs at a strike rate of 158.80. His role against the new ball could be very vital indeed.
Team News
We are awaiting updates on KL Rahul’s injury. Other than him, all players are likely to be available for selection.
LSG vs CSK Probable 11
LSG Playing 11
- Kyle Mayers
- KL Rahul (C)
- Krunal Pandya
- Marcus Stoinis
- Nicolas Pooran (Wk)
- Naveen ul-Haq
- Amit Mishra
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Deepak Hooda
- Krishnappa Gowtham
- Yash Thakur
CSK Playing 11
- Devon Conway
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- MS Dhoni (C)
- Ambati Rayudu
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Moeen Ali
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Tushar Deshpande
- Matheesha Pathirana
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Shivam Dube
Dream11 Prediction
We are backing the Chennai Super Kings to win here. The Lucknow Super Giants have struggled to perform on home turf and have lost each of their last 3 matches here. While the CSK haven’t been that consistent, they have plenty of depth in their batting and some good all-rounders who can win the match for them.
Top Picks
Ravindra Jadeja: Jadeja has contributed well with the bat as well as the ball this season. He has picked up 13 wickets and has an economy rate of 7.50. He has also scored a total of 92 runs.
Naveen ul-Haq: Naveen ul-Haq bowled a brilliant spell in the last match and has adapted pretty well to the pitch. He has picked up 4 wickets in his 2 outings on this ground.
Devon Conway: Conway has played consistently well in the last couple of weeks, scoring 5 half-centuries in 6 matches. We think he will play another vital knock here.
LSG vs CSK Dream11 Team 1
Keeper: D Conway (C), N Pooran, M Dhoni
Batters: R Gaikwad, A Rahane
All-rounders: R Jadeja (VC), M Stoinis, K Mayers
Bowlers: R Bishnoi, T Deshpande, Naveen-ul-Haq
