IPL 2018

KKR play the perfect death overs game with spin choke

by Akash Sarkar & Deepu Narayanan • Last updated on

Sunil Narine gave away just 20 runs off his four overs to ensure CSK were restricted to a total of 177 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs © BCCI

On the eve of the match against Chennai Super Kings, Shivam Mavi reiterated several times in his press conference that Kolkata Knight Riders are trying to work on the visitors' weakness. Stephen Fleming, a few minutes later, had no hesitation in admitting that CSK need to find a way to combat KKR's spin threat. The plan was set - attack MS Dhoni and his batsmen with spin.

KKR had been struggling with powerplay woesup front and hadn't picked up a wicket in the first six overs in the last four games. That, on Thursday (May 3), changed as Piyush Chawla managed to dismiss Faf du Plessis in the sixth over. Things, however, still continued the way CSK wanted. Shane Watson and Suresh Raina settled down and took the team to 90 for 1 after the first ten overs.

Dinesh Karthik, despite the early wicket, was again forced to control the run flow rather than controlling the game. He was well aware that the death overs have already started with CSK motoring nicely with nine wickets in the bank. They were not only looking at doubling the score but also at taking it past 200. However, the last half of the innings also showed some meticulous pre-match planning that eventually turned the match in KKR's favour. Set plans meant KKR were finally able to play the perfect death over game.

Sunil Narine dismissed Watson in the 11th over while Raina fell to Kuldeep Yadav in the 12th. From 90 for 1, CSK were 101 for 3 but still had two of their biggest match winners at the crease. MS Dhoni has reinvented himself and played a key role in the team surging to the top half of the table. Ambati Rayudu's sensational form has meant the team has been able to put the opposition under pressure.

From 10th to the 15th over, KKR bowled just one over of pace - the 13th by Mitchell Johnson. In this phase, Kuldeep, Chawla and Narine shouldered the responsibility and did exceptionally well to tighten the noose. KKR gave away just 31 runs and picked up crucial wickets of Watson, Raina and Rayudu. It wasn't a coincidence that Karthik fell back on his spinners because pacers proved to be expensive.

While Dhoni has been in magnificent touch, the idea was to not allow him get off the blocks quickly. The idea was to strangle him with spin. In IPL 2018, Dhoni has scored 329 runs at a strike rate of 169.58. However, a close look at the numbers reflects he has struggled against spinners while toying with the pacers. Against spinners, he has scored 112 runs in 91 balls he has faced at a strike rate of 123. Compare that with the pacers, 174 runs off 89 balls at a strike rate of 195, and you can't help but think why teams haven't attacked the CSK captain with spin more.

It's not just this season that Dhoni has slowed down against spin. Since 2013, Dhoni has scored at a strike rate of 109.16 against spinners while scoring at 153.46 against the pacers. Since 2016, the striking ability against spin has come down even more with him scoring at 103.54. In the same period, his strike rate against the pacer, however, has gone up to 155.49.

Dhoni ended with unbeaten 43 off 25 to help the team to 177 for 5. He hit four sixes in the game with three coming against the pacers (two off Johnson and one off Mavi). KKR's plan of stunting Dhoni's momentum with spin almost worked as he smashed Kuldeep straight to square leg but Shubman Gill palmed an easy chance over the fence. In the match, he scored 24 off 12 against the pacers and 19 off 13 against the spinners.

Karthik intentionally held Narine back for the death overs knowing his run against Dhoni. The CSK captain has scored just 29 runs in 56 balls he has faced from Narine and is yet to hit a single boundary against the spinner in IPL. And with Dhoni not able to get away, pressure mounted on Ravindra Jadeja who failed to give the team the late impetus.

CSK scored just 87 in the last ten overs and that, in the end, cost them the game. In those ten overs, seven were bowled by spinners that went for just 55 runs. "We lost intensity," accepted Fleming after the game. "We could have added a little bit more in the last four to five overs. We needed a little bit more from Jadeja. He needs to do a little bit more than that if he's going to fill that role. And they bowled well. They got spinners which was always a threat.

"When it was spinning, we had to take more risks. Narine is quality at the start of the innings and at the end of the innings. He takes a couple of overs out of your innings so he stunted momentum."

What's important to note is that this isn't a one-off when CSK have batted first. In the game against Mumbai Indians in Pune, they lost four wickets and scored just 78 in the last ten overs. In the match against Rajasthan Royals, they were well placed at 175 for 4 but could make just 29 in the last three overs. In that match, Watson's ton had done enough damage for them to recover and post a handsome win. Against KKR again they lost the game after they were not able to launch late in the innings.

CSK, so far, have been hurt twice while batting first because they weren't able to capitalise in the death overs. KKR came armed with plans and executed them to perfection. It won't be surprising if other teams too pick up the spin template against Dhoni to choke CSK as the tournament enters a decisive phase.

© Cricbuzz

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