What is a good strike-rate for a batter to go at in T20 cricket? Does the answer change to that question change if you bat first, or are chasing? Is it necessary to have only one opener going hell for leather in the powerplay, as if by choice so that the other opener digs deep, or bats long?
These questions will trouble the loyal and passionate Chennai Super Kings fans after their batting malfunctioned for the second game in a row as they chose safety over adventure and succumbed against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
One wonders what was the role given to Ajinkya Rahane and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and whether the discussion was to score at 116.66 and 123.80, respectively. Of the 120 balls available to a side in T20 cricket, the two batters combined faced 51 of them for 61 runs.
That is a strike-rate of 119.60. Unacceptable in modern T20. Especially when you are against a powerhouse batting line-up.
One wonders what the target would have been had Shivam Dube not got 45 (24).
If Rachin Ravindra does get out early in the quest of quick runs, like it happened on Friday, CSK will need to be a bit more dynamic in their batting order.
Keeping power hitters like Daryl Mitchell in the shed to do the heavy lifting after a conservative top-order effort and sending out Ravindra Jadeja, who is not known to attack immediately, especially on a slowish surface with the quicks bashing the pitch with slowish off-cutters, is a tactic fraught with danger.
The impact sub rule allows teams to bat deeper and hence be more carefree in the quest for quick runs. Hence, inhibition is an unwanted guest.
