The Chennai Super Kings’ consecutive victories, according to former India off-spinner R Ashwin, would lessen the pressure on captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. However, Ashwin also advises the struggling opener to slightly modify his strategy at the beginning of his innings.
Five-time champions CSK have recovered with victories over Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders after starting the season with three straight losses.
“The fact that he’s got a couple of wins as a captain should really ease him into this tournament. Honestly, if I was sitting in the dugout or if I were Ruturaj Gaikwad, I wouldn’t be too fussed. T20 is a game where you need to show intent constantly,” PTI quoted Ashwin as saying on JioStar.
Gaikwad, on the other hand, has had trouble scoring runs at the top, managing just 63 in five games with a best score of 28. Additionally, there has been increasing talk of young Ayush Mhatre opening with Sanju Samson, with the captain maybe dropping to No. 3.
Ashwin advised Gaikwad to play “more down the ground” early in his innings as a technical adjustment.
“There’s just one small thing I would ask for. If you look at Ayush Mhatre or Sanju Samson, they took the right options by going down the ground. Whereas Ruturaj has been going across the line a bit more and getting caught early. It would serve him well if he took it slightly easier at the start of his innings, looked to time the ball, and played more down the ground,” Ashwin said.
Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn said that Samson’s century against the Delhi Capitals was the catalyst for CSK’s comeback.
“That hundred the other day, what it does for the dressing room, there’s a spark in the team right now. And it all started with that hundred from Sanju Samson. He gets a hundred, Overton picks up a couple of wickets, you get a win under your belt,” Steyn said.
“Winning IPL games is really difficult. Sometimes they are there on a platter and you still lose them. So once you win one, the confidence within the team jumps remarkably.”
