Faf du Plessis, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener, who scored 56 off 38 balls on Wednesday against Sunrisers Hyderabad to earn the Orange Cap, said a few changes to his batting this season helped him get among runs. The former South Africa skipper leads the run-getters list with 270 runs in six matches at an average of 67.5. He has also maintained a good strike rate of over 140.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) marked their return to the top of the table after registering a comfortable victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 23 of the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday. Chasing 172, CSK openers continued their rich form and got off to a flying start, being in control of the proceedings right from the beginning.
Faf Du Plessis: One Or Two Tweaks Were Made From Last Season To This Season
A display of timing and class from the CSK openers – Ruturaj Gaikwad (75) and Faf du Plessis (56) at the top comfortably helped Chennai chase down the target after SRH scored 171/3 on board.
“I went back to try and make sure my basics were good. I looked at what was the thing I did well last year and have been doing the same this year. One or two tweaks were made from last season to this season,” said the 36-year-old batsman.
Faf Du Plessis was a livewire on the field in Wednesday’s game, making diving stops and taking a diving catch as CSK ensured tight fielding.
“I am disappointed, haven’t been getting many catches. Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) has been stealing the show, he’s the superman at the moment, but [am] happy to grab one tonight,” said the former Proteas skipper talking about the diving catch he took to get rid of Manish Pandey.
Chennai Super Kings are currently the table-toppers and are looking to bag their next victory against Mumbai Indians on Saturday, May 1.
Manish Pandey And David Warner’s Fifties Go In Vain
Earlier, SRH elected to bat first, with both teams making two changes each – Lungi Ngidi and Moeen Ali replaced Dwayne Bravo and Imran Tahir while Sandeep Sharma and Manish Pandey replaced Abhishek Sharma and Virat Singh in their respective sides.
No. 3 batsman Manish Pandey slammed his half-century in the 14th over after opener Jonny Bairstow’s dismissal and SRH was eyeing a destructive finish with the bat. He was followed by David Warner, who not only reached his 50th IPL fifty but also smacked his 200th six in IPL.
The duo brought the 100 partnership up for the second wicket before CSK bounced back with the ball. Lungi Ngidi scalped two wickets in an over to dismiss both batsmen who were trying to clear the ropes. Faf du Plessis took a terrific catch in the outfield to end Manish Pandey’s stay at the crease.
In reply, CSK’s Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 75 and Faf du Plessis’s 56 ensured an opening partnership of 129 which was cut short by Rashid Khan who picked 3 wickets of Moeen Ali and both openers but it came too late.
Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings: 173-3 (Ruturaj Gaikwad 75, Faf du Plessis 56; Rashid Khan 3-36 ) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad: 171/3(Manish Pandey 61, David Warner 57; Lungi Ngidi 2-35) by 7 wickets.