IPL 2019: 2 changes Chennai Super Kings should make for their game against Sunrisers Hyderabad

#2 Murali Vijay for Kedar Jadhav

Murali Vijay has always performed for CSK (Image Courtesy: IPL T20.com/BCCI)

While one opening batsman is out of form, the other opener Faf du Plessis won’t be around for the entire duration of the tournament. Hence, this would be the right time for CSK to ease Murali Vijay into the playing XI.

Vijay has a decent IPL record for CSK, having scored more than 1600 runs for the franchise. After his return to Chennai, he has played in only one match. The performances of Watson and Ambati Rayadu in last year’s IPL kept Vijay out of the playing XI. However, this year's a different kettle of fish.

To accommodate Vijay at the top, CSK have to drop either Ambati Rayudu or Kedar Jadhav. Rayudu has scored 138 runs in 8 innings at an average of 20. Kedar has fared no better with 135 runs from 7 innings at an average of 27.

While Rayudu scored his only 50 of the season against RR in a winning cause, Kedar’s painstaking 58 off 54 balls came against MI in a losing cause. In the end, there is not much to choose between these two.

Moreover, with the inclusion of Kuggeleijn in the playing XI, CSK will have 6 regular bowlers and might not need the services of Jadhav with the ball. Dhoni can also always fall back on Suresh Raina to deliver a couple of overs if things get out of hand. Hence, Jadhav needs to be handed a break for a couple of matches in order to experiment with Murali Vijay at the top of the order.

Apart from the 2 changes mentioned, Dhoni might also be tempted to bring back Harbhajan Singh. But with only one left-hander in the SRH top order in the form of David Warner, the chances of Harbhajan making it into the playing XI are slim.

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