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IPL 2018: 3 key player battles to watch out for in the SRH vs CSK Final

Saksham Mishra
Published

SRH Captain Kane Williamson was gracious in the moments of defeat after SRH lost the IPL 2018 Final against CSK.

Although cricket is a team game and all of the XI players have to contribute as a team for the side to taste success, we have these 3 key player battles to watch out for in the SRH vs CSK Final.

CSK defeated SRH in the Qualifier 1 to confirm a spot in the Final. On the other hand, after tasting defeat at the hands of Chennai, SRH had to take the long way and beat KKR in Qualifier 2 to ultimately reach the Final.

Here are the 3 key player battles to watch out for in the SRH vs CSK Final:

Shikhar Dhawan vs Deepak Chahar

Shikhar Dhawan started his IPL campaign at a good note. He was also in possession of the Orange cap for some time. However, he suffered an elbow injury and was ruled out of the few following games.

When he came back, he could not find his touch. It is only in the last few matches that the southpaw has come back to scoring ways and is looking dangerous now.

However, it was Deepak Chahar who bowled the left hander on the first ball of the Qualifier 1. The final would certainly bring back memories for the two as Chahar would try his best to exploit the swing on offer with the new ball.

MS Dhoni vs Rashid Khan

CSK skipper MS Dhoni has gained his touch with the bat and is threatening to single-handedly finish games. Mahi has not only done wonders with the bat, he has shuffled with his bowlers quite ingeniously. Many-a-times he has taken CSK out of tough situations and this is what has helped to build up a terrific team culture.

On the other hand, Rashid Khan has been sensational for the Hyderabad franchise in the IPL. In 16 matches, Rashid has picked 21 wickets in 16 matches and has turned games around on their head. Lately, Rashid has also shown that he is a capable batsman and has the ability of scoring some quick runs with the bat. He came up with an extraordinary all-round performance in the Qualifier 2 against KKR.

In the Qualifier 1 between CSK and SRH, it was Rashid who had bowled MS Dhoni. There are very few bowlers in world cricket who have the ability to do that and Rashid is certainly one of them. This makes him a key player. If he can succeed in dismissing MS Dhoni again, it would be a huge blow for CSK.

Also Read: 3 CSK players who can be game changers in the Final against SRH

Suresh Raina vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Suresh Raina has regained some form as the tournament is approaching its conclusion. Raina has 4 fifties under his belt and is a very versatile player.

He plays as per the match situation. The southpaw can play an explosive cameo as well as bind the innings together.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has not lived up to the expectations till now but on his day he is a handful for any batsman. If he can swing the ball first up, he can put Raina in a spot of bother.

About the author

Saksham Mishra

Saksham Mishra

I, a failed cricketer say: write picturesque, write insightful; otherwise don’t write. My writings are a source of self pleasure. Enjoy a fiercely fought test session much more than a slam bang T20. I write anything, as per whim- news piece, feature, opinion, editorial, preview, analysis etc. Hope to write a book one day!

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