The second match of the IPL 2021 will see three-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) taking on IPL 2020 finalists Delhi Capitals (DC) and the match will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 10. The match will be a night affair beginning from 7.30 PM IST.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, none of the participating franchises will play a match at their home grounds and all matches will be played at neutral venues.
The IPL 2021 will be played across six cities- Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, and Bengaluru. Ahmedabad will also host the playoffs and the final of the IPL 2021 on May 30.
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Keeping in mind the excitement of CSK and DC, two of the most amazing teams in the IPL 2021 clashing with each other, TEAM COC presents to you the Predicted Playing XIs for the CSK v DC match.
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS (CSK)
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will be itching to erase the bad memories of their forgettable outing in the IPL 2020 season when they failed to make it to the playoffs of the tournament for the first time in their history.
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In the IPL 2021 auction, CSK was very calculated in their biddings and went for a foreign all-rounder option to replace Shane Watson and bid more than Rs 7 crores for England’s Moeen Ali.
They also bid big for K Gowtham, who was purchased for Rs 9.25 crores to fill the gap they had by releasing Harbhajan Singh, their only finger spinner.
They also traded in Robin Uthappa from Rajasthan Royals as an opener, while added Cheteshwar Pujara, Harishankar Reddy, Hari Nishaanth, and Bhagath Verma for backups.
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In this first match which will be played at Wankhede Stadium, which is a high scoring ground, CSK might want to play their best possible eleven.
They might open with Robin Uthappa and Faf du Plessis, given that Du Plessis was their highest run-getter in IPL 2020 season. Suresh Raina has returned back into CSK fold and is expected to take back his no.3 spot.
This means Ambati Rayudu moves one spot down to no.4 and MS Dhoni might bat at no.5. Then comes the slew of all-rounders that CSK possesses with either Ravindra Jadeja or Moeen Ali at the no.6 spot, with Dwayne Bravo and Sam Curran following the two.
Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar are expected to be their first-choice pacers. South Africa's Lungi Ngidi will be unavailable for the first match as he is in mandatory quarantine since his arrival from South Africa.
CSK has the luxury of playing a left-hand spinner in Mitchell Santner as well or bring in another fast bowler at cost of an all-rounder to strengthen their bowling attack. It will be exciting to see which playing XI MS Dhoni unveils for their first match of IPL 2021.
DELHI CAPITALS (DC)
The Delhi Capitals (DC) will be led by Rishabh Pant, their new captain in the IPL 2021 season, where they would look to go all the way and win the tournament, unlike last year, where they were beaten in the final.
Delhi Capitals will be without the services of their three main players in Akshar Patel, who tested COVID-19 positive and in is isolation, while South Africa pacers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje are in their mandatory 7-day quarantine.
Hence the DC team management has to work around these limitations against a champion team like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their first match.
Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Rishabh Pant, Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, and R Ashwin are more than confirmed to play as first choices. They might see bringing in either Ajinkya Rahane or Steve Smith to add to the experience in the middle order.
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With Nortje and Rabada not available, DC might need to look for Chris Woakes or Tom Curran in the foreign pace bowlers options. Woakes might be preferred over Curran, given his superior batting skills and he can take advantage of whatever movement there is in the Wankhede pitch.
Amit Mishra can be the best choice of the second spinner to partner R Ashwin, while Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma may be picked as the fast bowling options from India. They are massively experienced in Indian conditions.
The match will an exciting one given the strengths of both sides and the uniqueness of the master MS Dhoni going against his former apprentice Rishabh Pant in a one-on-one battle in Mumbai.
Chennai Super Kings COC Predicted Playing XI:
Robin Uthappa, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (C&WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar
Delhi Capitals COC Predicted Playing XI:
Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Steve Smith, Rishabh Pant (C&WK), Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmyer, Chris Woakes, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma
