LSG vs CSK: A Must-Win for Chennai Super Kings

MS Dhoni's return to captaincy duties has been far from a happy throwback for the five-time title-winning skipper. His team resembles a 'ship full of holes' and the signs this year are even more ominous. CSK has one more win at this stage than they do now, and they are knee-deep in a batting quicksand that needs careful attention over the next month.

LSG's Strengths

Lucknow Super Giants, on the other hand, carry none of CSK's woes into their fourth home fixture of the season. They've enjoyed three wins and just one loss at the Ekana Stadium and have the tournament's most prolific six-hitter, Nicholas Pooran, turning out for them. LSG's batting cushion of their top-three (Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, and Pooran) has been a key factor in their success.

Tactics & Matchups

LSG pacers need to go hard at Rachin Ravindra and test him with the short ball, a ploy that has worked well against him in the IPL. CSK couldn't turn to Matheesha Pathirana in the last game, but unleashing the Sri Lankan in Lucknow will be imperative. Pathirana has dismissed Pooran four times in 25 T20 deliveries, conceding only run-a-ball.

Probable XIs

LSG: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi

CSK: Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Matheesha Pathirana