Dhawan eyes pre-injury form, Raza to stay: PBKS’s probable XI vs CSK | Cricket
Punjab Kings (PBKS) will take on four-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on April 30. The team had suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of LSG in their last game and will look to set up the game. Things are going right against CSK. PBKS have won four and lost four of their eight matches in the current IPL season and are currently placed eighth on the points table. The Trevor Bayliss-coached outfit defeated Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals in their opening two matches, before suffering two defeats against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans in the latter games. Then PBKS defeated LSG by two wickets in a hard fought match in Lucknow. PBKS lost to RCB in Mohali but came back strongly to beat MI at Wankhede. Last time PBKS had to face a heavy defeat at the hands of LSG.
A hapless PBKS attack looked in despair as Kyle Mayers’ dashing half-centuries and brutal power-hitting from Ayush Badoni and Marcus Stoinis took LSG to a seemingly insurmountable first innings score of 257/5 on the belt of one wicket. Went. Second highest team total ever in IPL. PBKS scored 201 in reply but always chased defeat after the first innings.
Captain Shikhar Dhawan has scored 234 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 145 so far this season. He returned to the team against LSG after missing the last few matches with an injury. The team is heavily dependent on the captain as he is the top run-scorer for the team even after missing a few matches. PBKS would like their talismanic captain to regain his pre-injury form as soon as possible to help them climb the table.
Prabhsimran Singh and Jitesh Sharma have so far scored 168 and 169 respectively. Sam Curran has scored 163 runs this season so far with one fifty. Atharva Tayde scored his maiden half-century in the IPL against LSG and is expected to continue in the line-up instead of Prabhsimran Singh. Sikandar Raza replaced Short in the last game and is expected to feature in the starting XI against CSK as well.
Arshdeep Singh has taken fourteen wickets this season, while Nathan Ellis has picked up seven wickets so far. Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar and Harpreet Brar have also taken eleven wickets between themselves. Sam Curran has also taken six wickets so far. Both Arshdeep and Rabada scored more than 50 runs against LSG. Ellis may replace Rabada in the line-up against CSK. Harpreet Brar is also expected to return to the line-up in place of Gurnoor Brar as the pitch at Chepauk favors spin over the seam.
Rishi Dhawan, Rahul Chahar, Mohit Rathi, Harpreet Bhatia, Prabhsimran Singh and Gurnoor Brar could be options for the role of impact player.
PBKS’s probable XI vs CSK:
Openers: Shikhar Dhawan (c), Atharva Tayde.
Top and middle order: Shah Rukh Khan, Jitesh Sharma (wk).
All-rounders: Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, Liam Livingston.
Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Nathan Ellis.
impact player
For impact players, PBKS will rely on Rishi Dhawan, Rahul Chahar, Mohit Rathi, Harpreet Bhatia, Prabhsimran Singh and Gurnoor Brar.
