Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said the team’s comeback plan was fuelled by a message from Sanju Samson after Lucknow Super Giants surged early in their chase. In the end, CSK sealed a tense run chase of 204 at Chepauk, with late momentum swinging sharply after Jamie Overton struck twice in a crucial spell.
Samson’s message and LSG’s explosive start
Gaikwad explained that Samson spoke to the CSK group once LSG—led by Josh Inglis in particular—had provided a strong opening. After the first timeout, the wicketkeeper-batter reportedly urged the side to stay in the contest and aim to hold their opponents down. Gaikwad said, “After the first timeout, Sanju just came in and said, ‘If we have it in us, we have to make a comeback here, and try to restrict them as low as possible.’”
LSG had been dominant in the powerplay, reaching 91 for 1. Inglis then shifted gears, racing to a fifty off just 17 balls and making the chase look headed toward a much larger total. Gaikwad highlighted how difficult it was to counter that kind of hitting, adding, “I think he played some amazing shots, which we actually didn’t have any answer to and you can’t quite plan for it, or you can’t quite set the field for it. I think the way they were playing, it looked like [they would get] 240 or 250. But to keep it down to 200-odd, it was a great effort.”
Overton’s double-wicket spell turns the tide
CSK’s turnaround arrived through Jamie Overton, who removed Josh Inglis and then struck again in the tenth over. Inglis was caught behind, while Rishabh Pant followed up with a dismissal via chopping the ball onto the stumps. Inglis finished on 85 off 33 balls as LSG’s scoring tempo slowed after that burst.
Overton ended with figures of 3 for 36, delivering the kind of wickets CSK needed to stop the chase from running away.
What Overton said about the key over
When asked about the double-wicket over, Overton pointed to his execution and line. He said, “I think it was just doing what I’ve been doing well. Just keeping top of the stumps and trying to make them hit like good balls off the top of the stumps. Nice to get a sort of a strangle from a leg-side one, and then a nice one to get Rishabh out… To get Josh out at that point was crucial.”
Gaikwad on the bowling plan
Gaikwad also explained the thinking behind introducing Overton into the attack. “I think it was just about getting your bowlers right,” he said. “How you can attack from one end, how you can be defensive from one end, so we thought let’s get our best bowlers for the next three or four overs and see how it goes after that.”
He further credited the overall bowling response, noting that Noor Ahmad and Overton applied pressure by pulling the game back after the early surge. “Noor [Ahmad] and Jamie bowled really well. They just pulled it back really well and after that we knew that once the ball gets older, it’s going to be tough for the new batter to come in and play shots.”
CSK’s chase: powerplay thrust to closing over finish
CSK answered LSG’s early acceleration with their own strong start in the chase, scoring 97 for 1 in the first six overs. The foundation was laid primarily by Urvil Patel, who struck a 13-ball fifty to keep the target within reach.
However, once Urvil fell, the required run rate began to bite. New batters struggled to consistently match the tempo, and CSK entered the final three overs needing 30 runs. They crossed the line with help from big hits from Prashant Veer, before Shivam Dube struck back-to-back sixes in the final over to seal the victory.
Gaikwad on handling the chase pressure
Gaikwad described how the chase typically unfolds when chasing a total around 200-plus. “Chasing 200, when you start the innings, you know it will always go to the 18th on the 19th or the 20th over,” he said. “So, yes, we started off really well in the powerplay, but it was a bit tacky for a new batter to just go in and play the shots.”
CSK move up the table
The win keeps CSK moving in the playoff race. They are now placed fifth with 12 points after 11 games. Gaikwad underlined the importance of staying calm with the remaining fixtures. “It’s still three games to go. But I think it is just about keeping it simple,” he said. “Keeping it simple as long as possible. I know it’s easy to say at times, when you are under pressure or under the pump. But that’s a mantra and we are going to stick to it.”
- LSG powerplay: 91 for 1; Inglis reached a 17-ball fifty.
- Overton’s key impact: removed Inglis and then struck again in the tenth over; finished with 3 for 36.
- CSK chase start: 97 for 1 in the first six overs, anchored by Urvil Patel’s 13-ball fifty.
- Final phase: CSK needed 30 from the last three overs; Veer’s big hits and Dube’s back-to-back sixes in the last over finished the job.
