IPL 2018 Preview: MS Dhoni in red-hot form but his back pain gives CSK headache ahead of KKR encounter

Ajit Vijaykumar 17:05 02/05/2018
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  • Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni has been in sensational form in this year’s IPL. The 36-year-old has hit 286 runs from eight innings at a strike rate of almost 170.

    Incredibly, Dhoni has hit 20 sixes and 17 fours this season that has included three fifties. At a time when many critics felt Dhoni was past his β€˜use by’ date in limited-overs cricket and T20s especially, Dhoni has raised his game to a level he had reached years ago.

    The Super Kings are on top of the table with six wins from eight matches. The hitting power of Dhoni and also Ambati Rayudu has fuelled their campaign so far. But as they gear up to play Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Thursday, the team management will be worried about the fitness of Dhoni who has admitted on two separate occasions that back pain is causing him a lot of discomfort and that he is basically relying on his forearms to do all the hitting.

    After his match-winning fifty against the Delhi Daredevils, Dhoni said: β€œIt (back) is bad but nothing much can be done because there is no rest period. I have not been training much because of it.”

    There are reports that Dhoni is sleeping on the floor and not on a bed to give his back proper cushion while resting.

    The Knight Riders, on the other hand, have tasted four wins and as many defeats. In their last game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kolkata chased down 176 thanks to a sedate 62 from 52 balls by opener Chris Lynn.

    PLAYERS IN FOCUS

    For the Knight Riders, the fitness of middle-order batsman Nitish Rana will be on top of their mind. Rana walked off the field while batting against Bangalore due to a lower back problem. Rana has been consistent for Kolkata and Dinesh Karthik will be waiting anxiously for news about his fitness.

    The Super Kings have a weapon very few teams have this season – a genuine pace bowler. Following injuries to the world’s best fast bowlers, Lungi Ngidi has emerged as one of the very few pacers who can bowl quick this IPL. In the game against Delhi, Ngidi finished with 1-26 on his IPL debut. Expect more of the same from him.

    LIKELY LINE-UPS

    Kolkata Knight Riders: Dinesh Karthik (c & wk), Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Shubman Gill, Andre Russell, Kuldeep Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Nitish Rana, Shivam Mavi, Mitchell Johnson

    Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Faf Du Plessis, Shane Watson, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Karn Sharma, Harbhajan Singh, Lungi Ngidi, KM Asif

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