In a recent match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the ongoing IPL 2024 season, Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s captaincy came under scrutiny. Former cricketers Matthew Hayden and Irfan Pathan expressed their dissatisfaction with some of Gaikwad’s on-field decisions, which they felt contributed to CSK’s defeat.
Speaking to Star Sports after the match, Hayden highlighted two key errors he believed Gaikwad made. He said, “There were a couple of decisions which weren’t quite sharp. When you think of Moeen Ali as an all-rounder, he ended up contributing nicely with the ball, but he should have been batted up the order. He should have been given a licence. They were lagging inside that powerplay. They were 1 for 49 in the powerplay. So to me, they needed an injection of some hope and some courage, and Moeen Ali could have provided that.”
Hayden also pointed out another decision regarding the bowling strategy, suggesting that Maheesh Theekshana should have been introduced into the attack earlier. He said, “With the ball, I think they probably could have bowled Theekshana straight away to Travis Head. It’s a great match-up. Don’t wait until the fourth over. He went for plenty of that second over. So for me, Theekshana straight up front against Travis Head could have been a better move.”
Irfan Pathan agrees what Hayden said
Irfan Pathan echoed Hayden’s sentiments, emphasizing that Gaikwad might have found it challenging to make decisions with the pressure of succeeding MS Dhoni as the captain of CSK. He added, “I think it can never be easy with a cloud of MS Dhoni around you, and I’m not saying that’s because of MS Dhoni. But it is what it is. He is Thala. So Ruturaj Gaikwad might be having that sort of pressure inside him, and maybe his reaction and decision-making process need to be just a little quicker and a little sharper.”
Despite the criticism, both Hayden and Pathan acknowledged the difficulty of Gaikwad’s position and expressed their support for him going forward.
In response to the criticism, Gaikwad defended his decisions, stating that he trusted his instincts and the team’s plans but acknowledged that there is always room for improvement.
CSK’s loss against SRH has dropped them from the top spot to the third position in the IPL points table. As the season progresses, Gaikwad will be under increasing scrutiny to lead CSK back to winning ways and live up to the expectations set by his predecessor, MS Dhoni.
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