Former New Zealand cricketer Scott Styris has picked the playing eleven that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) should field in their upcoming match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday, October 2 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The team, led by MS Dhoni, are currently placed eighth in the points table after defeats to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Delhi Capitals (DC).

To start with, Styris kept Faf du Plessis and Ruturaj Gaikwad as their openers. It meant that he wanted CSK to drop Shane Watson and Murali Vijay and change their combination at the top. At number three, he picked Ambati Rayudu, who missed the last two games due to injury, but is available for the next game. The right-hander was a key factor in CSKs win over Mumbai Indians (MI).

No Dwayne Bravo in CSK lineup

Kedar Jadhav and Ravindra Jadeja are Styris’ choices at number four and five respectively. Both the cricketers are yet to fire thus far in the tournament. He slotted Dhoni to bat at number six. In the first three games, the Super Kings’ captain batted lower down the order and couldn’t make much of an impact. Styris picked England’s Sam Curran as the only overseas all-rounder.

He didn’t go for Dwayne Bravo, who has been deemed fit to play from the next match onwards. Styris felt that Shardul Thakur should come in, though he was in dilemma of whether or not to drop leg-spinner Piyush Chawla from the playing eleven. Josh Hazlewood replaced Lungi Ngidi, who went for plenty against the Royals at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in the last match.

Josh didn’t get a wicket, but Styris persisted with him for the upcoming contest as well. As his 11th and final pick, Styris want South Africa’s Imran Tahir to be a part of the eleven. Tahir has been a key member of CSK since 2018. However, that he hasn’t played a match in the 2020 IPL has raised quite a few eyebrows, if not a whole lot.

Here’s Styris’ XI:

Faf du Plessis, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (C & WK), Sam Curran, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur/Piyush Chawla, Josh Hazlewood, Imran Tahir

Who have you got for the @ChennaiIPL team for tomorrow

Assuming everyone is fit and ready for selection

F DuPlesis
R Gaikwad
A Rayudu
K Jadhav
R Jadeja
MSD
S Curran
D Chahar
S Thakur/P Chawla
J Hazelwood
I Tahir

Thoughts

— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) October 1, 2020