IPL 2018, CSK vs KKR: 5 Talking Points

#3 Suresh Raina's brilliance on the field

Raina's direct hit helped end Robin Uthappa's stay at the crease

Suresh Raina's brilliant run-out to dismiss an in-form Robin Uthappa turned out to be a turning point in the match as the 32-year-old was looking in terrific touch with the bat as Ravindra Jadeja found out with those two towering sixes off his bowling.

Kolkata had just lost Nitish Rana and they would have ideally wanted their two most experienced batsman - Uthappa and skipper Dinesh Karthik - to settle down and build a good partnership.

However, the stand lasted just two balls as a miscommunication between the two batsmen saw Uthappa fall short of his crease after Raina dived to his left to stop the ball after a drive from Uthappa and hit the stumps at the non-striker's end with a direct hit.

Uthappa's dismissal proved crucial at the juncture as it slowed down the KKR innings and one can only wonder what damage he would have caused to CSK alongside the carnage dished out by Russell.

Raina's direct hit proved crucial in the final analysis of a match that right down to the wire and it shows just how important an aspect fielding is in T20 cricket. The CSK veteran had also held on the crucial catch of Sunil Narine to give CSK their first wicket of the day.