PBKS vs CSK: "Guys were struggling with flu..." - Ruturaj Gaikwad uncovers concerns in CSK camp

Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) played an away game against the Sam Curran-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 53rd match of the Indian Premier League 2024 (IPL 2024) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday, May 5.

Gaikwad, as usual, lost the toss and CSK were invited to bat first. The visitors finished with a score of 167 for 9 as the batters didn't perform well. Ravindra Jadeja (43) emerged as the top run-getter while Ruturaj Gaikwad and Daryl Mitchell contributed runs in 30s.

Defending the score, Ravindra Jadeja showcased his bowling masterclass and picked 3 wickets for 20 runs. Simarjeet Singh and Tushar Deshpande picked up two wickets each while Shardul Thakur and Mitchell Santner got one each as PBKS were restricted to 139/9. CSK won the match by 28 runs and inched closer to playoffs.

At the post-match presentation ceremony, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad stated that the pitch was on a slower side and they were satisfied with the score they posted. Ruturaj Gaikwad said:

"Everyone believed the wicket was slow. Even low bounce. Just that the start we got, we were thinking of pushing till 180-200. After losing wickets, thought 160-170 was a good score. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad spoke about Simarjeet Singh and said that the pacer didn't get many chances but it's never too late to introduce him. Ruturaj Gaikwad said:

"Don't know what he's doing, but even in preseason, he was clicking 150kph (on Simarjeet). He didn't get too much chances, but it's never too late. Were thinking of going with impact batter, but then we thought the batter will give 10-15 runs, but he could give 2-3 wickets."

Ruturaj Gaikwad signed off by expressing his delight over the victory and said:

"Some of the guys were struggling with flu. Weren't even sure till the morning who's playing or not. To get the win, really happy with that."

Chennai Super Kings Struggled Against Punjab Kings In Previous 5 Matches

Chennai Super Kings surprisingly don't have a highly supreme head-to-head record against the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League. Entering their second IPL 2024 match against each other, CSK held a slender 15-14 lead over PBKS from their 29 encounters. However, in the previous five matches, it was a complete domination by the Punjab Kings franchise as they had won all of those games.

In the history of the cash-rich league, only two teams have beaten the 5-time champions Chennai Super Kings in five back-to-back matches with the first team predictably being Mumbai Indians and the other team being Punjab Kings, who started their streak in 2021 and equaled MI's record on Wednesday, May 1, as they thumped CSK by seven wickets at Chepauk.

Speaking about those results, On October 7, 2021, PBKS won by 6 wickets with 42 balls remaining before registering consecutive wins in IPL 2022 by 54 and 11 runs respectively. In IPL 2023, they only locked horns once and PBKS won the match by 4 wickets on April 30.

Now after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League 2024 match between Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings, the head-to-head record stands at 16-14 in CSK's favor. 

Read More:  IPL 2024 Points Table