“50-60 runs short”: CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s candid confession on defeat against PBKS. cricket news

Captain Ruturaj Gaikward believes the absence of two frontline bowlers, Mathisha Pathirana and Tushar Deshpande, and abundant dew at the Chepauk Stadium hurt Chennai Super Kings in their seven-wicket defeat against Punjab Kings here on Wednesday. CSK could only muster a score of less than 162/7. Gaikwad scored a brilliant 62 but other batsmen struggled against the accurate spin bowling of Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar. CSK had to make two changes for the match as their Sri Lankan fast bowler Pathirana was suffering from discomfort and Deshpande was unwell.

Replacements Richard Gleeson and Shardul Thakur failed to impress due to heavy dew during PBKS’s chase.

“It’s a real problem (not having Pathirana and Deshpande). There are stages where you want to take wickets, and you only have two bowlers, plus spinners are out of the question because of dew. Not doing much Couldn’t,” Gaikwad lamented during the post-match presentation.

The captain said that dew added to CSK’s problems as they tried to restrict the PBKS batsmen.

“It is very difficult. Even in the last game we were quite surprised that we would win by such a margin.”

“It (dew) is something we cannot control. We can bat a little better in the first innings. In the last two matches, we tried our best to score 200-210 runs. It was difficult to score 180 runs on this pitch ” He said.

Gaikwad said that scoring 50-60 more runs would have made a difference.

“To be honest, 50-60 runs less. When we were batting first, the pitch was not good, there was dew as well (in the second innings).”

The captain also lamented his luck in the toss and said that despite his best efforts he could not find the right formula to call it fair.

“I have practiced the toss a lot. I have tossed it in the match. I am winning in practice, but not in the match. What to do. I am really under pressure on the toss, not in the game ” Gaikwad said.

PBKS stand-in captain Sam Curran, who played a key role with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 26, said it was always a great feeling to beat CSK on their home ground.

“Whenever you come to Chennai and get two points, it is a great feeling. Last year also we lost all our home games and won the away games. We are getting a hint of the formula.” Curran said that winning the toss gave PBKS a huge advantage, given the dew factor which comes into play in the second innings.

“Obviously, winning the toss was a big thing. KG (Kagiso) Rabada set the tone amazingly. We thought we would give him the new ball today and he came with a storm.” Leg spinner Chahar remained comfortably unbeaten and returned figures of 2/16. Curran accepted the role of spinners.

“Chahar has made a very good comeback into the team. We tried to do something different in the 19th over. He showed confidence in bowling to MS (Dhoni), which was very good. The spinners were the pick of the bowlers.”

“I bowled and got hit. The fast bowlers were going all the way, so thankfully it (spin) worked. This game is tough for the bowlers, we have to be creative,” Curran said.

Riley Rossouw, who scored 43 runs for PBKS, said his team can still enter the playoffs.

“It’s not over until it’s over. We’re confident we can make the playoffs. Hopefully, we can turn things around.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)