IPL 2020: CSK vs SRH Game Plan 2 – Can Warner, Bairstow, Pandey and Williamson be suppressed?

The fourteenth match of the IPL 2020 tournament between the blockbuster teams, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, could all be about match-ups. We take a look at a key game plan that could play a role in the fourteenth game of IPL 2020 – CSK vs SRH.

CSK vs SRH Game Plan 2 – How do CSK stop the SRH top-order?

Six times these two teams have faced each other since 2018. Five times the Super Kings have been on the winning side. Albeit, in five of those six games, Sunrisers Hyderabad had two different players scoring 40-plus, which means although CSK have been winning they, like many teams before them, have failed to strangle SRH’s top-order.

Today they will run into many of the same faces; a likely top-four of David Warner, Jonny Bairstow, Manish Pandey and Kane Williamson await. Another thing to note is David Warner has scored a fifty in each of his last five matches against the Super Kings.

Also Read: IPL 2020: CSK vs SRH Game Plan 1 – Should SRH play Sandeep or Kaul?

Early days yet, but so far this season has shown that the age-factor can finally catch up to the Dad’s Army. They failed to show any kind of intent in two chases, and were duly criticized for the same, even though chasing is something they have excelled in in the previous two seasons. With their batsmen not showing up, it becomes even more vital that their bowlers build pressure on the top-order early.

CSK vs SRH – David Warner

David Warner this season thus far has scored 87 runs in his first three matches; never before has he gone as many matches without scoring a fifty since 2017. CSK will look to extend this dry period by following the template others have set for Warner. In the Powerplay, the CSK bowlers – especially Deepak Chahar – should keep pitching the ball on a good length. Going fuller may bring some swing, but Warner has excelled in putting away the half-volleys this season, scoring 24 runs from 8 full-length deliveries, with 2 sixes and 2 fours.

From balls pitched on a good-length by pacers, he has struggled to get going so far. The IPL run-machine has faced 19 such deliveries and scored just 7 runs, without a single boundary and a dot percentage of 63. Back of a length is also a viable option against him; 15 balls have brought him just 16 runs and a solitary boundary.

Also Read: IPL 2020, Match 14 – CSK vs SRH MyTeam11 Prediction, Team, Playing XI and Fantasy cricket Tips

If he survives the Powerplay, Piyush Chawla can take a page out of the wily Amit Mishra’s book and bowl wide googlies to the southpaw, thereby building more dot-ball pressure and forcing him to try something extravagant.

CSK vs SRH – Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow is the leading run-scorer for the Orange Army in 2020 thus far, and has scored two fifties. However in his previous innings against Delhi, he looked all at sea against the pace barrage in the Powerplay, and failed to up the scoring rate throughout his innings, finishing with a 48-ball 53. Effectively, he faced 40% of the team’s total quota and contributed less than one-third of the final total, which is not a good knock by any means.

Good-length in the Powerplay should be effective against Bairstow as well, but it is vital that the bowlers don’t go short or wide. The Yorkshire lad thrives on awry lengths and lines and is excellent at putting them away. Spin early is also a good option; Bairstow struggles early on against leg-spin in particular. 8 of his 11 career dismissals have come to spinners, 6 of which have been right-arm wrist-spinners. However it could just as well backfire; his opening partner is one of the best players of wrist-spin in the world.

ALSO READ: CSK vs SRH – Game Plan 1 – Sandeep or Kaul?

CSK vs SRH – Kane Williamson and Manish Pandey

Kane Williamson is a class apart. From guiding the Sunrisers to a final in 2018 to adjusting to the number four slot for the sake of balance, he has shown he is truly a team player. However if there is one chink in his otherwise excellent T20 game, it is spinners who take the ball away from him. Since 2018, he has struggled to up the scoring against leg-spinners and left-arm orthodox spinners in the IPL, scoring at 6.76 and 6.71 rpo respectively.

Bowlers who spin the ball away have also troubled Manish Pandey, who averages 25.8 against leg-spinners and scores at 5.25 against SLA bowlers since 2018. Keeping this in mind, it wouldn’t be a bad idea if MS Dhoni decides to bowl Piyush Chawla or Ravindra Jadeja to them, and thereby forcing these two to take risks against the other bowlers.