Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

IPL 2020 Match 14: CSK vs SRH Preview Dream11 Possible Playing 11 Pitch Report | CSK vs SRH Dream11 Prediction | Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Key Players | Dubai Pitch Report

The IPL 2018 finalists do battle in what is a crucial early season encounter in 2020. A different venue, different circumstances and team changes have provided challenges for both sides so far this season, with both teams winning just one of their first three games to date.

But, as Mumbai Indians showed yesterday, you can shoot up the table in a hurry given how tight the tournament is. This is what Chennai Super Kings will be aiming for after a six-day break, which began with Stephen Fleming claiming they were a “bit muddled” in the early stages of the tournament. They will welcome back Ambati Rayudu, who performed brilliantly vs MI, and Dwayne Bravo is available for selection. So, can CSK prove that it has been their team selection that has held them back so far in IPL 2020?

Cometh the hour, cometh the Kane. The brilliance of Kane Williamson was immediately on show for Sunrisers Hyderabad last time out in their win against the previously unbeaten Delhi Capitals. The clear argument for Williamson’s inclusion was the extra cushion he provides to an otherwise fragile middle order. He did just that, scoring 41 off 26 balls on a slow Abu Dhabi track after Warner and Bairstow set the platform.

However, SRH have questions regarding their bowling attack. Can they persist with Abhishek Sharma as their fifth bowler? Is it time to bring in a replacement for Priyam Garg, whose role in this team is still undefined? The latter seems a good idea, given that another bowling option will be crucial for SRH both in this game and going forward.

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Key Players to Watch/Key Stats

• Even with Williamson’s inclusion, David Warner remains a very important cog in SRH’s team. The skipper has an excellent record for SRH vs CSK: 6 matches, 311 runs, avg. 50.83, SR 166.31. Also, Warner scored well vs CSK in 2019 (57 off 45 balls & 50 off 25 balls).
• MS Dhoni has the most runs in CSK-SRH matches of any player in the current squads. His 313 runs come at a superb average of 82.75. Will this be the game where MSD fires?
• Jonny Bairstow has two half centuries in three games in IPL 2020. Also, Bairstow scored a half century in his first game vs CSK last season (61* off 44 balls).
• Ambati Rayudu is set to return. In an even bigger boost for CSK, Rayudu has scored 241 runs for CSK vs SRH at an average of 80.33, including a century.
• Shane Watson has threatened to go big in 2020, but hasn’t done so. However, today could be the day as he boasts a superb record for CSK against SRH: 6 matches, 310 runs, avg. 62.00, SR 159.79. This includes 96 (53) in 2019 and 117* (57) in the 2018 Final.
• Kane Williamson marked his return to IPL cricket in style last game, hitting an important 41 (26) vs DC. Against CSK, Williamson has scored 241 runs in 6 matches against them, at an average of 47.00 and SR 143.29.
• Faf du Plessis is currently third in the Orange Cap race, with a game in hand on both KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal. du Plessis has scored two fifties in three innings this season (SR 149.13), and hit 45 (31) against SRH last season.
• Do CSK stick with Sam Curran or bring Dwayne Bravo in? Curran has taken five wickets in three games in IPL 2020, at an economy rate of just 7.37. Also, he has looked good with the bat, with his 36 runs so far coming in just 14 balls.
• However, Dwayne Bravo has the most wickets in CSK-SRH matches (15, strike rate 15.60).
• Deepak Chahar has the second-most wickets in CSK-SRH matches among players in the current squads (7, strike rate 19.71).
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar was back in the wickets last game, performing well to take 2/25 vs DC. Can he build on his seven wickets in 10 matches vs CSK?
• Rashid Khan was deservedly man of the match vs DC. His 3/14 was superb, and will be required to perform again against a CSK batting lineup that is a little out of touch. Rashid has six wickets in six games vs CSK.

Stats and Facts

• Head-to-head: Matches 13, CSK 10, SRH 3.
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Shane Watson in the IPL: three dismissals, SR of just 94.
• Both teams have won just one out of three games so far in IPL 2020.
• Ravindra Jadeja averages 100.3 with the ball vs SRH (38.3 overs).

Possible Playing 11

Murali Vijay is struggling in IPL 2020, with just 32 runs in three games at a strike rate of 74.4. So, he could be left out in this game. CSK could look to stick with Sam Curran given the good impression he has made so far. Also, do CSK look to finally bring in Imran Tahir, or do both Dwayne Bravo and Curran play? Imran Tahir could be a good option, as SRH struggled against the wristspin of Yuzvendra Chahal earlier this season.

Chennai Super Kings: 1. Shane Watson, 2. Ruturaj Gaikwad, 3. Faf du Plessis, 4. Ambati Rayudu, 5. Sam Curran, 6. Kedar Jadhav, 7. MS Dhoni (c & wk), 8. Ravindra Jadeja, 9. Imran Tahir/Dwayne Bravo, 10. Deepak Chahar, 11. Piyush Chawla

SRH have a call to make regarding Priyam Garg. S Nadeem, Siddharth Kaul or Vijay Shankar (if fit) could come in for another bowling option.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1. David Warner (c), 2. Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3. Manish Pandey, 4. Kane Williamson, 5. Abdul Samad, 6. Abhishek Sharma, 7. Priyam Garg/S Nadeem/Vijay Shankar, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. T Natarajan, 11. Khaleel Ahmed

Dubai Pitch and Weather Report

The team batting first has won 10 out of 13 games so far in IPL 2020. In Dubai, the team that has won the toss has chosen to bowl first every time, only to lose on each occasion. Here, despite the dew factor, the team who wins the toss may opt to bat first on a pitch that will still be good for batting as we are in the first quarter of the tournament.

Dream11 Prediction

Option 1:

Option 2:

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Match Prediction

An important game for both teams. CSK have had an important six-day break, which has allowed them to reassess their approach. Their great record against SRH gives them the upper hand in this one. CSK to win.

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