IPL 2022 CSK vs PBKS Preview - Attack is the best form of defence, sometimes...

Key match stats CSK vs PBKS

Pitch Stats – Brabourne Stadium

Average first innings score: 182.4
Average first innings winning score: 193.7
Average powerplay score: 53
All-time win % batting 1st vs batting 2nd: 46% / 54%

Team form CSK vs PBKS
CSK – LL
PBKS – WL
Recent meetings: IPL 2021 - CSK won by 6 wickets, PBKS won by 6 wickets

CSK vs PBKS Preview

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As the title of this post suggests this should be an entertaining fixture between 2 teams whose modus operandi will be to go hard with the bat throughout the innings.

For PBKS that came off for them in their win against RCB but a few of their batsmen looked a bit silly in the recent defeat against KKR when attempting something similar. If they continue to play in this manner then they'll definitely be fun to watch but might struggle for consistency.

Similarly CSK came out all guns blazing and wracked up a score of 200+ against LSG only to have it chased down as a result of some poor bowling, poor fielding and poor decision making in general.

In fact both of these teams have limited options with their bowling. We've already mentioned in an earlier preview that PBKS might need to find a way to shoe horn in another seam bowler but against KKR they simply opted to replace Sandeep Sharma with Rabada. Given the pressure that they'd managed to exert on KKR early in their innings, had they had that extra bowler the outcome of that match might have been very different.

Instead, opposition teams can look at the overs from Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar and Liam Livingstone safe in the knowledge that there are some easy runs on offer.

Similarly, the CSK bowling attack looks toothless in the early stages. They are yet to take a wicket in the powerplay this season and the injury to Deepak Chahar is looking more and more costly towards their hopes of defending their title.

Stephen Fleming has come out in the media and stated that he feels conditions for sides defending are unfair with the dew factor playing such a big part. Yes, it's something to consider but if I were CSK I'd be looking more to the fact that they dropped both KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock while they were in the 30s and that they messed up their calculations with bowlers to leave Dube bowling the 19th over. Both bigger contributory factors in their loss than the dew coming down.

It's not a great sign when coaches come out and start blaming things that are completely beyond their control rather than focusing on the things that are. It's also a little concerning that CSK made 3 changes from the side that was beaten in the first game. All in all it suggests that they are struggling both for form and to find the right combinations.

CSK vs PBKS head to head

PBKS bowling vs CSK batting

The veteran Robin Uthappa has been in fine form so far this season scoring 68 runs in the powerplay at a strike rate of 183.8. Against PBKS he also has favourable head to head stats against their pace bowling attack suggesting he can could continue piling on the runs early on.

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Uthappa head to head against the PBKS opening attack options (Rabada, Arshdeep Singh and Sandeep Sharma)

For CSK, the bigger concern is the lack of runs so far from last season's orange cap winner Ruturaj Gaikwad. It always seems to go with batsmen that when they are in poor form they fine new and unusual ways to get themselves out and that is just what happened in the match vs LSG.

From what we saw last season, Gaikwad prefers to give himself some time to get going so in theory the promotion of Uthappa who is keen to get on with things from ball one should help him spend some time in the middle without being overly concerned about the run-rate.

However, in this match he will be up against Arshdeep Singh, a bowler who has dismissed him twice in just 8 deliveries faced. In fact, Gaikwad's record against left-armers in general is a cause for concern particularly when held in contrast to his overall record which to date has been very impressive.

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Gaikwad head to head record vs lef-arm seam

**CSK bowling vs PBKS batting **

As noted above CSK have yet to take a wicket in the powerplay and against this strong looking PBKS batting line-up they'll be keen to change that statistic!

Beyond the lack of penetration at the top of the innings, the concern for CSK must also be the absence of a wrist-spinner in the middle overs who can pick up wickets. Of course, this didn't stop them winning the title last year but without one now and in situations where they are in need of a break through then their failure to recruit could prove costly.

In Jadeja and Moeen Ali they have 2 bowlers who could be effective if CSK can engineer the right match-ups. However, the problem against this PBKS side is that their top 3 in particular are all fine players of finger spin as the chart below demonstrates.

BatsmanAverageStrike Rate
Agarwal30.2146.4
Dhawan39.8120.0
Rajapaksa19.3123.4

PBKS top 3 T20 records vs finger spin

One CSK player who has been able to celebrate at least a personal milestone is the evergreen DJ Bravo who became the IPL's all-time leading wicket taker in their last outing.

What's incredible about his head to head stats against this PBKS squad is that only 3 of their batsmen have ever faced him in T20 cricket before. Given his array of change up deliveries that could be a major advantage as he looks to continue his good start to the season.

All stats used in this blog are from my own database. Images are my own with the exception of player profiles and background images from the below sources and used under a creative commons license or otherwise royalty free

https://www.iplt20.com/
https://pixabay.com/images/search/cricket%20stadium/
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en



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