Qualifier 1 of the IPL will feature a high-voltage battle between table-toppers Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings, with both teams competing for a place in the finals. After putting their past demons behind them and ultimately conquering Chennai after a three-match losing streak, the Delhi Capitals will be full of confidence.
One thing that both teams have in common is their openers’ performance. They’ll both rely on their openers to get them off to a good start, however the structure of their bowling combinations will be different. While Delhi’s final eleven has a solid balance of spinners and quick bowlers, CSK’s final eleven has a preference for fast bowlers and all-rounders.
Players to watch out for
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who recently scored his first IPL century, has been the breakout performer of the season. Gaikwad had a phenomenal average of 44.41 for his 533 runs. The dynamic opening duo of Faf and Gaikwad was the vital reason that Chennai finished among the top two teams. Their performance has relieved the pressure on MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina, who now have different responsibilities to play down the order.
Shikhar Dhawan
Shikhar had a terrific start to the season but has slowed down in recent games. He’s amassed 462 runs at a respectable 42.00 average. Shikhar will be trying to reclaim his form in the IPL’s final stages. He’ll also be carrying a chip on his shoulder following his omission from the World Cup squad.
Faf Du Plessis
With all the limelight on his batting partner Gaikwad, Faf Du Plessis has been performing consistently for the CSK. He serves as the anchor and paces himself according to the innings. This IPL, he is the second-highest run-scorer with 546 runs at a blistering average of 45.5. It would be the shoulders of Faf and Gaikwad to provide a solid base for CSK’s middle order.
What can we expect
Delhi Capital will be high on confidence after their last win over CSK. Delhi will rely on their opening pair of Dhawan and Shaw to get them off to a good start, as they have done in the past. The bowling variety allows Delhi to be variable in terms of favorable match-ups, ground conditions, and consistent quality of attack, making them the most dynamic team in the IPL 2021.
Chennai will also try to retain its dominance over Delhi. Despite losing to Punjab Kings, Super Kings learned a vital lesson. They’ll know how to respond to opposition offense now, as the KL Rahul did against them. With all of their big-game experience, Chennai will enter the field as favorites as It’ll be fascinating to witness how new guns fare against seasoned veterans of the game.
Probable playing 11
Delhi Capitals
Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Steve Smith, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Shimron Hetmyer, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan
Chennai Superkings
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Josh Hazlewood, Sam Curran, Deepak Chahar