IPL 2023, CSK vs LSG: Decoding the key player battles

Chennai Super Kings will take on Lucknow Super Giants in the sixth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Chepauk stadium on Monday (April 3). Both teams are packed with match-winners. CSK have a sensational middle order, while LSG have a star-studded team. It will be interesting to see how the players battle it out. Here are the key battles.

KL Rahul will be the key to LSG's plans this season. He has smashed (3,172) the most runs in IPL since 2018. Meanwhile, Deepak Chahar has picked 44 wickets in the Powerplay, the most by any bowler in this phase since IPL 2018. The two have met eight times in the IPL, and Rahul has smashed 120 runs without getting dismissed (SR: 160).

Nicholas Pooran will be crucial in the middle order and may encounter Ravindra Jadeja's bowling in that phase. Pooran strikes at 150.39 against spin in the IPL and has scored 382 runs in 32 innings. He was also dismissed nine times. Pooran and Jadeja have met three times in the IPL. The former smoked 29 runs, striking at 193.33, and was dismissed once.

Moeen Ali is the designated spin basher for CSK in the middle. He may face Ravi Bishnoi in the upcoming match. While he has smoked 405 runs against spin in 32 IPL innings with a strike rate of 147.81, he has also got dismissed 20 times. Bishnoi has scalped 17 wickets against left-handed batters in the 34 IPL innings at an average of 22.47.

MS Dhoni has been a batting juggernaut against pace in the IPL. He mostly bats in the death overs and encounters pace really well. He has scored the most runs (3,041) in that phase (16-20 overs) in IPL history. Mark Wood, who recently picked a fifer, has scalped 20 wickets in the death overs in 35 T20s at an average of 19.95.

The Chepauk Stadium pitch generally remains low and slow, aiding the spinners. Anything around the 160-165 mark will be a suitable score. Batters will need to get their eyes in and once set, it will favor them. Star Sports will telecast the match, while fans can also live-stream it on JioCinema from 7:30 PM onward.