IPL 2020: CSK vs RR Game Plan 1 – Imran Tahir or Josh Hazlewood or Lungi Ngidi?

The 37th match of the IPL 2020 tournament between the blockbuster teams could all be about match-ups. Here, we take a look at a key game plan that could play a role in the 37th game of IPL 2020 – CSK vs RR

CSK vs RR – Pace or spin

The results were already going poorly for CSK and if that wasn’t enough, Dwayne Bravo got injured in the previous match against Delhi Capitals. He is set to surely miss the match which mean CSK will definitely miss his death bowling prowess.

However, it could turn out to be a blessing in disguise as CSK could bring in one of the best T20 spinners in the form of Imran Tahir. Tahir finished the 2019 IPL season as the leading wicket-taker but has been unable to break into the team due to the rise of Sam Curran.

CSK’s three spinners so far, Karn Sharma, Piyush Chawla and Ravindra Jadeja have been ineffective and only produced a combined 14 wickets. They have also leaked runs at an economy rate of 9.03 runs per over.

So, the inclusion of Imran Tahir can come as a boost to MS Dhoni and CSK. Although one would think a seamer (Dwayne Bravo) should be replaced by another seamer but that need not always be the case especially when you are dealing with a great bowler like Tahir.

Tahir has also a pretty decent record against RR batsmen and that should come as a good sign for CSK. Rajasthan’s batsmen on their own have been iffy against spin bowling so far this season. Tahir could be key against the solid Rajasthan top-order with him having pretty good records against Steve Smith, Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler. Robin Uthappa will also be in focus given how he took apart RCB’s bowling in the last game. Given RR have given a free license to Uthappa, he automatically becomes a dangerous player for the opposition. CSK will look at Ravindra Jadeja and the two leg-spinners to dismiss Uthappa as he doesn’t have a great record against those bowling types. Even Sam Curran could be quite useful against Uthappa.

In the past two seasons, the veteran leg-spinner hasn’t bowled much in the Powerplay but he has been pretty decent while bowling in the slog-overs. So, Dhoni could perhaps get one from Tahir during the death overs while the main seamers, Sam Curran and Shardul Thakur bowl the other three death overs.

If not Tahir, Dhoni will have to go with Lungi Ngidi or Josh Hazlewood. Lungi Ngidi did well in the first game against Mumbai Indians at the same Abu Dhabi ground and he could use his hard lengths to good effect during the final few overs. However, it remains it be seen whether Ngidi has gained back Dhoni’s confidence after his poor showing during the death overs against the same Rajasthan Royals side at Sharjah earlier in the season. Two seasons back however, Ngidi was a key cog in CSK’s journey to lifting their third IPL title as he proved to be a game-changer during all phases of the game.

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When it comes to Hazlewood, he doesn’t come across as an ideal death overs option. Even on his IPL debut against the Delhi Capitals, Hazlewood conceded 25 runs (including four leg-byes) off the last two overs. Having Hazlewood, Sam Curran and Deepak Chahar in the same line-up is also not ideal as Dhoni tries to use them more as impact bowlers in the Powerplay.