IPL 2024: LSG to face CSK's top-notch bowling attack at Ekana Stadium

Lucknow Super Giants (Pic: AFP)

Lucknow Super Giants will face many questions as they take on Chennai Super Kings in their next IPL 2024 match at the Ekana Stadium on Friday.

Both teams had different results in their previous IPL 2024 matches. Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK are still in the top four and on the other hand, LSG under KL Rahul's captaincy is still trying to make way after two defeats.

With LSG's batting unit not exactly inspiring the highest level of confidence despite its firepower, it remains to be seen how it tackles an attack where each bowler brings something different to the table.

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Matheesha Pathiran with his toe-crushing yorkers makes it difficult for batsmen to score runs whereas, Mustafizur Rahaman being consistent with his line and variations is another pacer LSG needs to tackle.

Ravindra Jadeja, on tracks where the ball grips like it often happens at the Ekana, could be more than a handful. At Lucknow, it could be an option to play the extra spinner in Maheesh Theekshana to make full use of the conditions.

The average first innings score in Lucknow this season has been 175, which is at least 15 sub-par compared to some of the other grounds, and this is exactly the kind of total where Dhoni, like the seasoned 'Concert Master' of an orchestra team, controls the 'pitch and tune'.

Lucknow, on the other hand, have had issues with injuries. Their young pace sensation Mayank Yadav had to sit out of the last two games after suffering lower abdominal strain after playing just two and a quarter games.

The 21-year-old has resumed training on Wednesday and his blistering pace could seriously have an impact on the match as most of the other bowlers playing this game are either medium-fast or fast-medium. But there is still no clarity if Mayank will be playing on Friday.

In the spin department, Ravi Bishnoi has been bowling tight spells, but his one-dimensional skill of bowling one googly after another has been found out as he got only four wickets in the six games so far.

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Hard striker of the ball Shivam Dube against slow turner Ravi Bishnoi will be an interesting contest to watch ahead of the IPL 2024 clash. Opener Quinton de Kock has also experienced a sudden dig into his batting after scoring consecutive half-centuries.

The contentious 'Impact Player' rule has also meant that Krunal Pandya, a more than capable left-hander, has been batting as low as No. 7 and faced 41 deliveries cumulatively in six games an average of seven balls per game. Krunal isn't exactly a finisher, and not using him at optimum level has also been a problem.

Coming to the LSG's batting lineup, KL Rahul is yet to put on a big show with the willow in the IPL 2024. Ayush Badoni seems to deliver promising knocks in the lower-middle order, only Nicholas Pooran with 19 sixes in six matches has looked dangerous.

While CSK will look to consolidate their place in the points table with what could be their fifth win, a defeat would further push LSG southwards.

IPL 2024 squads for CSK vs LSG match:

Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (wk), Aravelly Avanish (wk), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Shaik Rasheed, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, RS Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Daryl Mitchell, Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, Nishant Sindhu, Deepak Chahar, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Choudhary, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Prashant Solanki, Shardul Thakur, Maheesh Theekshana, Sameer Rizvi.

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh, Prerak Mankad, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra, Shamar Joseph, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, K. Gowtham, Shivam Mavi, Arshin Kulkarni, M. Siddharth, Ashton Turner, Matt Henry, Mohd. Arshad Khan.

(With PTI Inputs)