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Chennai Super Kings batters found the going tough against SunRisers Hyderabad as they could score only 165/5 in 20 overs against SunRisers Hyderabad. In-form Shivam Dube top-scored with a 24-ball 45 while veteran Ajinkya Rahane contributed a sedate 35 off 30 balls after CSK were asked to bat on a pitch that didn’t seem like a proverbial belter. The duo’s 65-run partnership for the third wicket from just 6.3 overs was the only highlight of the CSK innings.

CSK added only 37 runs in the last five overs and that could be the turning point in the match.

But credit must be given to CSK’s all-season’s man Ravindra Jadeja, whose unbeaten 31 off 23 balls was the added fillip that the defending champions needed at the end. There was a point in the innings in the 19th over as Jadeja got in the way of Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s throw at the stumps. SRH’s Heinrich Klaasen also looked like signalling that he might be obstructing the field. But SRH skipper Pat Cummins  withdrew the appeal.

Obstructing or not?

Skipper Pat Cummins opts not to appeal #SRHvCSK #IPLonJioCinema #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/l85UXQEa4S

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) April 5, 2024

Mohammad Kaif, however, said: “Two questions to Pat Cummins on withdrawing the obstructing the field appeal against Jadeja. Was it a tactical call to let a struggling Jadeja be the crease and keep Dhoni indoors? Would he have done the same if it was Virat Kohli at World T20?”

Two questions to Pat Cummins on withdrawing the obstructing the field appeal against Jadeja. Was it a tactical call to let a struggling Jadeja be the crease and keep Dhoni indoors? Would he have done the same if it was Virat Kohli at World T20?

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 5, 2024

But some social media users praised Cummins for his stand too.

Jadeja obstructing the field at 19th over against Bhuvi, it is clearly out, SRH could have appealed but we should appreciate Pat Cummins to withdraw the appeal.#SRHvsCSK #IPL2024

— Vibinraj (@vibin1021) April 5, 2024

Coming out at the fag end of the innings, former captain MS Dhoni remained not out on one from two balls.

For SRH, it was a collective bowling effort with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pat Cummins, T Natarajan Shahbaz Ahmed and Jaydev Unadkat taking a wicket apiece.

CSK made a decent start, reaching 25 for no loss in three overs before veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave SRH the breakthrough with his first wicket of the season in the form of Rachin Ravindra who slices it straight to Markram in the first ball of the fourth over.

One down Rahane then hit SRH captain Cummins for a six in the fifth over. CSK took 15 runs from the sixth over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Rahane and his captain Ruturaj Gaikwad hitting a four and a six respectively.

CSK were well-placed at 48 for 1 at the end of first powerplay but the introduction of spin in the form of Shahbaz Ahmed did the trick as Gaikwad was out for 26 off 21 balls, with Abdul Samad taking a simple catch at long-on.

Rahane did score useful runs but never really looked fluent in his strokeplay as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat and T Natarajan took pace off their deliveries to stem the flow of runs.

Dube was the primary scorer during their 65-run partnership for the third wicket from just 6.3 overs. Dube, who has already scored a fifty this season, was more aggressive then his senior partner, hitting two fours and four towering sixes during his 24-ball innings. He is indeed making a good case for himself as a finisher in Indian squd for T20 World Cup in the Americas.

He was finally deceived by a pace off delivery from Pat Cummins ball outside off and gave an easy catch to Kumar at backward point in the 14th over.

Rahane was out in the next over off the bowling of Unadkat and the two quick wickets did not help CSK’s cause.

With PTI inputs