IPL 2024 CSK v LSG Preview - Who can beat the Super Kings in home conditions?

Key match stats

IPL records at the MA Chidambaram Stadium

Pitch Report MA Chidambaram Stadium 10 most recent IPL matches

Team form CSK vs LSG
CSK: LLWWL
LSG: WWLLW

Recent meetings: LSG won by 8 wickets

Weather

General Forecast: Dry and Clear
Chance of dew: Moderate to High

Preview CSK vs LSG

Reigning champions CSK return home to fortress Chepauk keen to get the 2nd half of their IPL season up and running with a win. The Super Kings have played 3, won 3 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium this season including convincing victories over RCB, GT and KKR. However, their form away from home has been far from convincing with just a solitary victory against MI to show from their 4 matches on the road.

The also lost away last week to the same opposition in LSG who cruised passed CSK's total of 176 for the loss of just 2 wickets. In that game, LSG were able to put on a partnership of 134 for the first wicket between KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock.

In fact, getting those all important wickets in the powerplay is now becoming a real issue for CSK who have struck just 7 times during the first 6 overs. Only RCB have fewer powerplay wickets this season.

However, when you drill down into the numbers further you see the real lack of potency that CSK have found over the last 5 matches. In fact, since dismissing Phil Salt with the very first ball of the match here against KKR, CSK have gone wicketless for their next 18 powerplay overs!

Opposition	Score at end of powerplay	Home or Away
RCB	42 for 3	Home
GT	43 for 2	Home
DC	62 for 0	Away
SRH	78 for 1	Away
KKR	56 for 1	Home
MI	63 for 0	Away
LSG	54 for 0	Away

Individual performances have also stagnated for CSK. Mustafizur took 2 wickets in his first over of the IPL this season. He hasn't taken any further powerplay wickets in his next 7 overs, while Tushar Deshpande has just 1 wicket from 12 powerplay overs so far in IPL 2024.

Meanwhile, we also see a stark difference in performances at home and away with CSK getting that all important break through in all 3 matches here at the MA Chidambaram compared to a solitary powerplay wicket on their travels.

We know how good CSK are at strangling teams in the middle overs of games, particularly here in Chennai. Equally, as we saw with their bowling performance at the high scoring Wankhede stadium, they have arguably the best defensive attack in the tournament. The question now is, can they find a way to penetrate in the powerplay to set up those defensive positions?

In times past, the MA Chidambaram pitch report always suggested that teams should bat first. However, in more recent IPL seasons the pitch hasn't been as slow and favourable to spin as it once was. Add to that the likelihood of dew falling in the 2nd half of the match and this looks like a toss that both teams will want to win and bowl first.

That's what happened the last time these 2 sides played here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in 2023 when LSG put CSK into bat. The home side scored 217 which despite their best efforts was just too much for Lucknow to chase as they fell 12 runs short.

CSK LSG head to head

LSG bowling vs CSK batting

The decision to move Gaikwad down to number 3 is presumably two fold. Firstly, it allows him a bit of a break if CSK are batting 2nd having just come off the field where his captaincy duties now require additional focus and effort. Secondly, it's more likely to allow Rahane to get the match-ups he wants against the pace bowlers while not impacting the left-hand/right-hand combination that CSK have always favored.

Ravindra powerplay batting stats from last 5 matches of IPL 2024

At the same time, that plan only really works when you've got an opening pair that are going to spend at least some time at the crease. Rachin Ravindra started his IPL career with 2 exciting knocks but has since gone very quiet. As noted in other previews, teams in this league learn very quickly and adapt their plans to find a batsman's weaknesses.

At the moment, Rachin is getting out either to a full swinging delivery (see dismissals against LSG and DC) or trying to hit cross batted shots straight down the ground and picking out fielders. In other words, bowlers have multiple options with which to turn to in order to get him out!

Yash Thaku and Naveen-ul-Haq MA Chidambaram IPL records

LSG's last match here at the MA Chidambaram was actually the play off against MI at the back end of last season. Their bowlers performed well to reign Mumbai's powerful middle order back before their batsmen collapsed. The likes of Yash Thakur and Naveen-ul-Haq enjoyed a slower surface on that occasion so we wait to see how the pitch might play in this game.

CSK bowling vs LSG batting

Given CSK's troubles in the powerplay, might they look at bringing back in a spin bowler who is comfortable bowling with the new ball?

The only slow bowler that CSK have used in that manner so far this season is Theekshana but has not played since the game here against KKR. He has bowled once against KL Rahul in the powerplay during the Asia Cup in 2022 and dismissed him with his 3rd ball. Equally, we know that QdK would be far happier starting with pace on the ball.

LSG IPL 2024 batting record in the powerplay vs left-arm pace

The alternative might be to bring back Mukesh Choudhary to exploit an apparent weakness against left-arm swing bowling that LSG have displayed. Mukesh has played 1 game so far this season and bowled 1 over for 27!

Ultimately this is not a venue that some of Lucknow's batsmen enjoy playing on, particularly if it's the kind of slow wicket as we saw in that playoff match in 2023.

Quinton de Kock MA Chidambaram T20 record

With these 2 sides both locked on 8 points from 7 matches and with CSK struggling to win away from home so far this season, could we see the Super Kings produce a pitch at the MA Chidambaram that benefits the strengths of their bowling attack while exposing LSG's limitations?

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All stats used in this blog are from my own databases which are freely accessible below
IPL player head to head records
IPL player records by stadium
IPL stadium records.
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