TABLE OF POINTS | ACCESSORIES
Rayudu played a brilliant 48-ball, 71-run shot in CSK’s five-field victory over defending champion Mumbai Indians in the tournament’s opener, but the right-hander has been sidelined the last two games due to an injury to the hamstring.
But Dhoni expressed hope that Rayudu will be available in his next game, which he says will provide much-needed balance for the winger.
“I don’t think it was a good game for us,” Dhoni said of CSK’s 44-run loss to Capitals of Delhi on Friday. ( Scorekeeper)
“There was no spray, but the wicket slowed down. We lack a little steam in the hitting and that hurts. Execution speed keeps increasing after such slow starts and it adds pressure. We have to figure that out.
“We need to come back with a clearer picture, looking at the combination. Perhaps, the team’s balance will improve once Rayudu comes back in the next game,” Dhoni said after his team lost to Delhi.
“That will give us room to experiment with an extra pitcher, maybe. There are a few things we can think of. We’re an extra hitter to start with, so the players need to step up.”
The veteran skipper also asked his bowlers to roll up their socks after two regular outings.
“We need to improve with our lengths, lines and pacing. I think the spinners have not come to the party yet. We are making good deliveries, but we are giving away limit deliveries too often,” he said.
Barring a few glitches on the field, Delhi Capitals captain Shreyas Iyer is happy with his team’s performance so far.
“I’m very happy with the performance. I’d give them the benefit of the doubt, it’s difficult to catch in these conditions. You don’t judge the ball well, you really don’t know how to control your pace,” he said.
“At the team meeting, we decided that we are going to assess the batting conditions early and then play accordingly. The way the starters started gave us a lot of confidence and the finish was good too. I’m lucky to have KG (Kagiso Rabada ) and (Anrich) Nortje on the team. It is important to stick together as a team and we must enjoy each other’s success. ”
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