IPL 2020: CSK vs MI Game Plan 1 – Is Kieron Pollard Batting Too Low?

CSK vs MI – The forty-first match of the IPL 2020 tournament between the blockbuster teams, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, could all be about match-ups and Kieron Pollard could be a key figure. We take a look at a key game plan that could play a role in the forty-first game of IPL 2020 – CSK vs MI.

CSK vs MI Game Plan – Promote Kieron Pollard up the order!

Mumbai Indians have been a dominant force in the IPL since 2013, the year when they first won the title. Only two players from the playing eleven of that victory and their last playing eleven are common. One is their captain Rohit Sharma, and the other is T20 legend Kieron Pollard.

Pollard for a majority of his career has played as a finisher, arguably the toughest role in T20, and has excelled at it. He’s always shown the presence of mind to know whom to target, and has numerously pulled off miraculous turnarounds. Having such a match-winner who can win the game from nearly any situation is invaluable for a team.

However, if recent years are anything to go by, it looks like Kieron Pollard has been much much better against spin than pace. Since 2018, the Trini scores at 10.11 runs an over against spin compared to 9.55 runs against pace. No one else in the MI team scores at more than 9 RPO against spin.

He averages more against spin as well – 43.8 runs per wicket – suggesting he has managed to sustain big-hitting without getting out often. Kings XI Punjab is one team who has maximized the middle over phase (overs 7-16) because of Nicholas Pooran who has dominated the spinners and medium-pacers in this period.

ALSO READ: CSK vs MI – Game Plan 2 – Is it Tahir time?

Mumbai Indians can also utilize the middle overs better by promoting Kieron Pollard up the order. More often than not, opposition captains attempt to finish the spin and fifth-bowler quota in this phase, and the big Trini can feast on such bowling in the middle overs.

Kieron Pollard has found it tough to score against express pace since the 2018 season. He’s been dismissed 6 times and an average of 20 to go with a scoring rate of just 6.61 RPO do not make for good viewing.

However he has one of the smartest cricketing brains currently. He knows his limitations and knows whom to target. That’s why his numbers against finger-spin and medium-pace are stunning, and he’s no mug against wrist-spin either.

By promoting Kieron Pollard up the order, with the one task of taking on the bowling in the middle phase, Mumbai can take the game away from the opposition even before the slog overs. They have the likes of Hardik and Krunal Pandya to do the job in the final four, and can allow Pollard to play to his strengths in the 7-16 over phase. Worst-case scenario for MI would be the opposition bowling an over or two of their express pacer in the middle overs, and that would make the death overs job easier for the Pandya brothers.

ALSO READ: RR vs SRH – 3 reasons RR lost