IPL 2022: CSK Are Putting A Lot Of Pressure On Mitchell Santner By Sending Him At No.3 - Imran Tahir

Once more Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) try-out of advancing Mitchell Santner up the order misfired. Batting at No.3, the left-hander could score only nine runs from 15 balls against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Monday, April 25.

Former CSK spinner Imran Tahir believed that the side has been putting pressure on Santner by requesting that he bat at that position. He expressed that the Kiwi bowling all-rounder is more qualified further down.

They Are Asking Too Much From Him: Imran Tahir On CSK Sending Mitchell Santner Up The Order

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo after the match, he said: “CSK had a slow start and they also lost a couple of wickets up front. I think CSK is putting a lot of pressure on Mitchell Santner by sending him at No.3. He is more comfortable batting down the order and has proven that in the past seasons. They are asking too much from a guy who’s always batted down the order.”

I Think The Rationale Was Probably Right: Daniel Vettori On CSK’s Plan

On the same show, Daniel Vettori called attention to that the Super Kings think tank needed to offer Santner another chance at No.3. While the ploy hasn’t yielded positive outcomes, he accepts that the reasoning was correct.

He stated: “I think CSK were looking at the left-right combination. He did that in the last game and maybe they wanted to give him one more chance. It was a case of let’s give him another go. It often doesn’t look great when it doesn’t work, but I think the rationale was probably right.”

It is worth focusing on that Santner was advanced up the batting order in the team’s last game against Mumbai Indians (MI) too. The southpaw was unable to have an effect with the bat in the contest and was dismissed for 11 runs.

Ambati Rayudu was the only positive for CSK in their contest against PBKS. The veteran campaigner gave his side a good omen with his smashing knock of 78 off only 39 balls.

Ambati Rayudu Bought CSK Back Into The Game: Daniel Vettori

Vettori called attention to that Rayudu, with his counter-attacking approach, set the strain back on the PBKS bowlers. He thought that the player played with a clear plan and made an honest effort to shift the match in his side’s favor.

He added:

“It felt like PBKS were in control the whole time until Rayudu’s innings. His innings was exceptional and it almost feels like it’s forgotten because we started talking about MS Dhoni in the last two overs. But PBKS were in charge and Rayudu tried to take the game away from them. It felt like he had a plan. He was able to hit a lot of bad balls and executed it well. He put the pressure back on PBKS bowlers.

In any case, Rayudu didn’t get a lot of help from the remainder of the Chennai hitters. The team was unable to pursue an aggregate of 187 and lost the game by 11 runs. The reigning champs experienced their 6th loss of the season. They are currently at the 9th spot in the league points table with just 2 wins from 8 games.

Also Read: IPL 2022: SRH Batting Coach Brian Lara Shares Secrets On Team’s Form And Success