Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ambati Rayudu slammed CSK’s middle order after their crushing 50-run defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The loss marked RCB’s first victory in Chennai since 2008.
Tasked with chasing a target of 197, CSK never found their rhythm. They lost wickets in clusters, leaving them with little to no chance of chasing down the target and winning the game. The top order collapsed, with three wickets falling in the Powerplay, including two in a single over by Josh Hazlewood.
Rayudu Highlights CSK’s Middle-Order Struggles
The middle order, comprising Shivam Dube, Deepak Hooda, and Sam Curran, failed for the second consecutive game. MS Dhoni coming in to bat at number nine, after Ravichandran Ashwin, has drawn criticism from all quarters. Like many others, Rayudu also questioned the former CSK captain’s batting position.
“I am not so convinced about the middle order that CSK possesses right now. To play good quality bowling, you need your best batsmen to bat at those numbers,” Ambati Rayudu said after the match. “Ruturaj has to open, and also, you need to get Ravindra Jadeja slightly up. And you cannot have MS Dhoni so low in the order. CSK have their task cut out; they are not playing well against spin either, and it does not look great.”
The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK have played two games so far this season. In both games, they opted to chase. While they somehow managed to chase down a low total in the first game, pulling off a last-over win, their batting faltered when it came to chasing a bigger target. On both occasions, the middle order failed to fire.