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Cricket Players‘All the focus has been on Jadeja, but he is the one who always sets the tone’: Styris names ‘key contributor' for CSK
Ravindra Jadeja has been CSK's standout player, proving his effectiveness with both bat and ball. However, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris reckons another batsman has been an equally crucial element of CSK's success.
Following the disappointment of last IPL, Chennai Super Kings have roared back to hit top gear in IPL 2021. With just one loss out of five matches, CSK are right on top of the points table with 10 points. Safe to say, Ravindra Jadeja, along with several others, has been their standout player, proving his effectiveness with both bat and ball.
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However, former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris reckons another batsman has been an equally crucial element of CSK's success, who is none other than Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina.
Styris reckons Raina is as effective as ever and that CSK's decision to drop him a spot down to No. 4 has been an exceptional move. Raina, who over the years, has batted at No. 3 for CSK has batted at No. 4 this season with Moeen Ali coming out to bat one down. Styris feels it's the right move from CSK as it gives Raina time to go after the spinners and build his innings accordingly.
“Fielding wise, all the focus has been on Jadeja, but he is the one who always sets the tone. So he’s always been a key contributor too. I like the move of CSK to drop him down to 4. That’s why Moeen Ali’s inclusion is a fit and good one given his struggles against short balls and the quick balls. So if he drops down one spot, he can sit there and make No. 4 his own,” Styris said on the Star Sports pre-show.
Styris is convinced that Raina can be even more effective batting at No. 4 given his immense success ratio against the spinners. The former all-rounder in fact reckons that Raina's innings at No. 4 have been the difference between CSK's performances last year and this year, saying the veteran batsman offers the team impetus in the middle overs, something the franchise struggled to do last year.
“He is so good against spinners I think he can make those middle overs – five to 15 before he starts having some fun – I think he can own those. And if you look at last year, that’s where CSK struggled, their slowness through the middle, their ability to rotate strike and find boundaries against spinners. Raina does that perfectly,” Styris explained.
