On Tuesday night (April 23), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) chased down a challenging target of 211 runs to clinch an unexpected victory, breaking the stronghold of the Chepauk stadium, also known as the ‘Lion’s Den’.

This victory helped LG secure a double lead over the five-time champions, who were assassinated less than a week ago in Akron.

Marcus Stoinis (124*) emerged as the hero for Lucknow, as he scored his maiden century in the IPL, hitting the most runs on CSK’s ground, where the win rate for the yellow team was 100% this season.

Oz took on his role because by the time the first innings of CSK ended, the field had become damp, but the host team didn’t receive any help from some poor fielding and unclear bowling options.

Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad had Mathiesh Pathirana and Mustafizur Rahman with seven overs left, but instead of exerting full force to push the target out of LSG’s sight, he opted to backload them.

Gavaskar expressed in a post-match interview, ‘He played a role, there was heavy dew, and it took our spinners out of the game. Otherwise, we could have controlled the game better and taken it deeper. But it’s part of the game, something we can’t control.'”

“CSK had a significant part in the game as well, as LSG lost Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul in the powerplay overs, with Shardul Thakur being the main impact bowler, conceding only 12 runs off 19 balls.”

“When it seemed like the game was slipping away from their reach, Nicholas Pooran once again stepped up and, along with Stoinis, separated Tushar Deshpande to initiate a comeback.”

In the end, CSK may have lost their patience and slipped to fifth place in the points table, entangled in a mid-table battle with Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Delhi Capitals.

CSK post above-par total

Rajasthan Royals once again lost the toss because KL Rahul, the captain of LSG, decided to bowl first. Rahane started batting with Gaikwad, but Rahane couldn’t push through, and they lost in Matt Henry’s spell, who bowled brilliantly to set them back.

Michelle’s poor form continued with the bat as she played a challenging innings, scoring 11 runs off 10 balls before being dismissed by Yash Thakur. CSK management persisted with Ravindra Jadeja at number four. However, the all-rounder from the southeast couldn’t impose himself on the game and got out in the 12th over.

While others were struggling, Gayakwad held one end and notched up his second IPL century, aiding CSK to a better score. It was assisted by Shivam Dube, who played a crucial innings and kept the LSG bowlers on their toes. Surprisingly, due to accommodating match-ups, the LSG captain refrained from bowling spinners even once against them—a decision that proved costly later on.