As the Indian cricketing season draws to a conclusion, the wearing pitches are becoming increasingly spinner-friendly. The spinners are proving winners.
R. Ashwin was the cynosure at Chepauk on Tuesday, bowling with exemplary control with the new ball and getting his deliveries to turn and bounce. His was a match-turning performance.
The off-spinner bowls with a rather open-chested action but puts his strong wrist and supple fingers to good effect to impart revolutions on the ball. He can bowl different deliveries including the carom ball and the flipper.
Ashwin – he has 10 wickets in eight games at an economy rate of 6.59 - also varies his pace and length; crucial in this format.
Ahead of their crucial league clash at Chepauk on Thursday, both, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils will be seeking the right balance of pace and spin in their attack.
The race for semifinal berths of the Indian Premier League has reached a dramatic last phase and both the teams are on 12 points from an equal number of matches. However, CSK’s run-rate of +0.348 is ahead of Daredevils’ +0.024.
Despite a heady win over Kolkata Knight Riders, CSK would be wary of the dangerous Daredevils. Any side with a certain Virender Sehwag in its ranks cannot be discounted. Sehwag’s form, by his own lofty standards, has been lacklustre in the ongoing edition of the IPL. Yet, with 344 runs from 12 innings at 28.66 (strike-rate 165.38), he has been the Delhi side’s leading batsman this season. He can change gears and swing matches so effortlessly.
The powerful David Warner is another explosive batsman for the Daredevils upfront. Skipper Gautam Gambhir is seeking runs while Paul Collingwood and Dinesh Karthik, fighting cricketers both, have come up with valuable knocks.
CSK is expected to retain the same attack with the impressive Doug Bollinger and all-rounder Albie Morkel manning the pace attack. Left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati has been steady while Muttiah Muralitharan leaked runs in the last game. Muralitharan, though, can still be influential. Will left-arm paceman Thilan Thushara receive a look-in?
And the left-handed Suresh Raina – he has scored 400 runs in 12 games at 50.00 with a strike rate of 143.31 – has impressed with his explosive batting. Opener M. Vijay continues to stroke the ball smoothly but Matthew Hayden’s form slump remains a concern for CSK.
For the Daredevils, fast bowler Dirk Nannes, who appears to have recovered from a hand injury, should be fit for the game. The left-armer can strike with his full length balls of terrific air-speed or vicious short-pitched deliveries.
Nannes does add much to the attack – with the new ball and at the death. Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori, a fine bowler, should also be back in the attack. A high-octane duel is on the cards at Chepauk.
