Rutu in focus as CSK face PBKS

Few transitions carry as much weight as a new leader stepping into the colossal void left by an iconic predecessor. Ruturaj Gaikwad, the new skipper of Chennai Super Kings, found himself in precisely such a position at the beginning of this IPL season, succeeding M.S. Dhoni. It’s a role that comes with a lot of expectations, where every decision is scrutinised against the backdrop of Dhoni’s captaincy acumen. Yet, Ruturaj has managed to establish himself as a dynamic leader in a short time.

He quickly recovered from a disappointing start as a top-order batter before scoring three halfcenturies and a ton in the last five innings. In a team grappling with an inconsistent batting lineup, Ruturaj has been the pillar of stability, anchoring innings with class and authority. His adept handling of the bowlers has also earned him accolades.

Ruturaj will once again be in the hot seat at the M.A. Chidambaram stadium when CSK take on Punjab Kings on Wednesday. With 10 points in nine games, Chennai are locked in a chaotic mid-table battle, while Punjab (six points in nine games) are desperate to climb from the bottom half.

Punjab’s unpredictability is glaringly evident from the fact that they suffered four consecutive defeats at their new home in Mullanpur before pulling off a recordbreaking chase against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens.

English opener Jonny Bairstow, who was dropped for a couple of games, has made a roaring comeback with a match-winning hundred against KKR. Middleorder batters Shashank Singh and Ashutosh Sharma have been the finds of the season. Shashank averages 65.75 and strikes at 182.63, while Ashutosh boasts an impressive strike-rate of 189.28. Though he has taken only four wickets in nine games, left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar has been economical with the ball for Punjab. Pacers Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh are leading the attack with 14 and 12 wickets, respectively.

CSK heaved a big sigh of relief when pacer Tushar Deshpande returned to form by providing crucial breakthroughs in the power play against Sunrisers. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja has a crucial role to play in the middle-overs.

He conceded just one boundary in the previous game and completed his quota of four overs unchanged.