Ravindra stars in IPL opener
Cameron Green’s big Indian Premier League move to Royal Challengers Bengaluru midfired as Black Caps Rachin Ravindra stole the headlines and helped his Chennai Super Kings to a six-wicket win.
Green, who has been traded from Mumbai Indians in one of the IPL’s most high-profile moves, opened his account promisingly with his new franchise, making 18 with the bat before his 2-27 off three overs briefly threatened the holders’ comfortable run chase.
The much-hyped opening clash had been billed as a showdown between the two old masters, 42-year-old Dhoni, who’s gven up the Super Kings captaincy in what’s expected to be his final season, and RCB’s still princely 35-year-old Virat Kohli.
But after all the Bollywood pre-match razzamatazz, both the home idols had only bit parts, Kohli making a 20-ball 21 for the newly-branded RCB - this was their first match since ditching the Anglicised spelling of Bangalore - in their modest 6-173, and Dhoni not need in Chennai’s comfortable chase.
After electing to bat first, RCB struggled against the outstanding left-arm pace of Bangladeshi Mustafizur Rahman (4-29), while Maxwell’s dismissal left them on 3-42, leaving Green, at No.5, to try to effect a repair job as he scored his 18 off 22 balls, with just the one cut boundary.
After Green had been bowled by Rahman’s cutter that clattered into his stumps as he tried to make room to cut again, RCB were grateful to the lateinnings salvage job of Anuj Rawat (48 off 25 balls) and veteran Dinesh Karthik (38no off 26) which gave them a fighting chance.
But Chennai went about their chase
briskly, with newcomer Rachin Ravindra making a particularly good impression with his 37 off 15, decorated with three sixes.
It completed a fine debut for the 24-year-old New Zealander, who had earlier also enjoyed playing his part in getting rid of Kohli, taking the boundaryedge catch once Ajinkya Rahane had dived full length and, before crashing into the cushion, successfully lobbed the ball back to the youngster to complete the job.
Green did his bit for RCB with the ball, getting Rahane caught expertly on the midwicket boundary by Glenn Maxwell the delivery after being hit for six, and then using the short ball to good effect again in his next over by having Kiwi star Daryl Mitchell miscuing to long-on.
But it all proved a bit of a cruise for the champs as Shivam Dube (34no) and Ravindra Jadeja (25no) combined in a halfcentury stand to take them to 4-176 with eight balls still remaining.