IPL Trader’s Tips: Will Chennai bowl their way to another win?

Preview for Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings have a chance to extend their lead at the top of the IPL table in today’s South India derby against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Super Kings have won seven of their eight matches so far and sit four points above Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians.

They’re looking for a fifth straight win over Sunrisers, who’ve slid down the table after three successive defeats.

Can the hosts pull off an upset here? Before it gets underway at 3:30pm on BT Sport 1, our cricket trader Andrew Harriott has given us his tips…

Coral News: Super Kings have been the standout team so far this season. What’s been the key to their success?

Andrew Harriott: Experience. All the old hands are still performing very well, with MS Dhoni leading the way. Everyone keeps waiting for age to catch up with this team, and maybe it will at the end of a long tournament, but I wouldn’t count on it.

They’re definitely the best team on the slower tracks with Harbajhan Singh and Imran Tahir bowling well. Deepak Chahar has been the find with his bowling in the 1st six overs being very handy indeed.

CN: They’re up against a Sunrisers side who are struggling for form. How do you see this match going?

AH: Hyderabad looked to have the best attack on paper, and they have performed OK with the ball. The batting is very top heavy however, and all their wins have come on the back of runs from Warner and Bairstow.

The same applies for this game, and it’s hard to see them winning without contributions from at least one of them. Vijay Shankar is talented, they could do with a big innings from him.

CN: David Warner has just been recalled to Australia’s World Cup squad. How good has he been alongside Jonny Bairstow?

AH: Warner’s comeback to top-level cricket has been very good. Whatever your opinion of him, he has been remarkably consistent in his IPL career, and he plays the situation well.

It’s a huge bonus for Australia going into the World Cup to see him in this form.

CN: A weak middle order has been a real problem for Sunrisers. Will Kane Williamson’s return help to fix that?

AH: I’m not sure Kane Williamson’s return will help that much unless Warner and Bairstow can set a good platform.

The Sunrisers lack firepower in the middle order that other teams like Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai possess. Yusuf Pathan looks well past his sell-by date.

CN: Imran Tahir has taken 13 wickets in eight games, could he be the key man for CSK?

AH:  If Hyderabad produce a turning wicket they will be in trouble. Although they have Rashid Khan, Chennai are loaded with quality spin with Harbajhan, Tahir and Ravindra Jadeja formidable on helpful surfaces.

If the wicket is flat, Tahir can be expensive, but he looks to have refound his top form and he has been the leading performer with the ball this year.

CN: What markets have caught your eye for this one?

AH: As I mentioned earlier Hyderabad lack power, so I wouldn’t put anyone off going under the line on Match Sixes (5/6) and getting with Chennai to hit the most Sixes at 4/6.

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