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Indian cricket's two poster boys Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni faced off for the second time in just three days as the Pune Warriors sought revenge for the defeat dished out by the Chennai Super Kings in Chepauk. Yuvraj won the toss again and this time opted to bat first having failed while chasing last time out. Yuvi (62*) played a lone hand for the Warriors, eventually finishing with a flourish to power the team on to 141/6, below par for the surface and the opposition. The chase looked closer on paper than it was as two solid partnerships, both involving Subramaniam Badrinath (63*) saw Chennai ease to an 8-wicket win with 3 balls to spare. 

Both teams tweaked their line-up, keeping in mind the significantly different conditions in Mumbai. Mitchell Marsh got his first game of the season at the expense of Kiwi allrounder Nathan McCullum, the only change in the Pune line-up. Chennai meanwhile made two changes adding two seamers Nuwan Kulasekara and Tim Southee for Sri Lankan offspinner Suraj Randiv and the injured Albie Morkel.

Though Jesse Ryder seemed to have fired Pune Warriors off with an eclectic mix of strokes on both sides of the wicket, it was he who set the ball rolling in the other direction when he lobbed Doug Bollinger in a docile hook to Aniruddha Srikkanth at short midwicket after 19 excitable runs.  A flurry of tired, miscued shots followed, going on to fashion the Warriors’ innings into a start identical to what they had succumbed to in their last outing. They had been 40/4 at Chepauk a couple of days ago; today they were 41/4 after 7 overs, with Yuvraj Singh burdened once more with having to resurrect a spiralling innings. How did that happen?

The lines from Nuwan Kulasekara and Bollinger were cramping, and their discipline stood out in stark contrast to the heedless shots they elicited from the Warriors batsmen. Kulasekara had been taken apart in one sordid over in which Ryder had a shot waiting for each change in angle or length.  Bollinger got Ryder, and a ball later, he had Mohnish Mishra (2) repeating the same tame pull. Even as Manish Pandey brought an 11-ball drought to an end with a classy clip through midwicket, Kulasekara continued to curb strokeplay, bringing one in sharply and subtly to cut Mithun Manhas in half; and the fact that he had dislodged the leg stump bail almost went under the radar! Soon, Southee had Pandey (10) slapping tamely to mid-on, and Yuvraj and Robin Uthappa were inducted into the middle, where a pack of wolves, in the form of yellow-clad fielders, awaited.

Uthappa sought to reorganise the scenario to his way, pulling out of the shot a couple of times to let Ravichandran Ashwin know he was not appreciative of being hurried. He settled into his own pace, cutting and reverse-sweeping to  the boundary, and swung Ashwin – his nemesis from last match – a couple of big ones into the stands. Ashwin, however, was the topper in that contest, coming back with a carrom ball to take the leading edge after Uthappa (31) and Yuvraj had put on 43 precious runs and played six wicketless overs. Yuvraj was not done, however. He had been sought to be tamed with the short ones earlier on, and had played second fiddle to Uthappa, contributing but 10 in the partnership, but used the last 5 overs to amass 36 from 19 balls.

He unfurled grand swipes to hit the billboards four times in all. Yuvraj pulled Ashwin over for a flat screamer over long on, caressed Bollinger over long off, and made a meal of Southee’s attempts at yorkers, getting miraculous meat on them for unerring maximums. Mitchell Marsh’s miscue gave Bollinger his third yet the Warriors had done well to clamber up to 141/6 in their 20 overs, a performance that would have served them well to have brought out at Chepauk.

Chennai struggled early in their repost with Alfonso Thomas and Murali Kartik sneaking in a couple of maiden overs in the powerplay. Chennai scored 28 from the other 4 overs and were a tad unfortunate to lose Michael Hussey to a fantastic yet questionable catch in the deep by Manish Pandey. Pandey had taken an oustanding catch on the boundary to send Hussey back a few days ago, and this time he showed his athleticism diving forward, yet replays were inconclusive about whether the catch was indeed clean. In the end though the umpires ruled Hussey out and the Aussie veteran made his way back to the pavilion with 9 from 18 balls. Subramaniam Badrinath joined Murali Vijay out in the middle and the two local lads had their task cut out for them.

It wasn’t until the ninth over that Chennai Super Kings finally gave their innings some impetus. Badrinath tonked Murali Kartik for two boundaries and six over long off. Another inside out hit for six off Yuvraj in the next over and the momentum swung radically CSK’s way. At the half way stage, Chennai had resuscitated their innings at 65/1. Vijay took a cue from his Tamil Nadu teammate and put the first delivery from Jesse Ryder's over into the stands. Just when it looked like Chennai was running away with the game Vijay mistimed a slower one from Ryder and Manhas took a well judged catch to send the opener back for a-run-a-ball 31. Badrinath, however, continued in the same vein and summoned boundaries at volition. The shots that flowed from his blade were a joy to behold - a chip over the infield, squeezing one between backward point and short third man and a beautiful drive which brought up Chennai’s hundred. There was hardly a facet of batting that Badri didn’t display.

The beauty of the Badrinath’s innings came out from under the veil when his 50 was brought up in the next over with a pull off Jerome Taylor. His half century, came off just 33 balls, and included five hits to the boundary and two over it. 38 runs were required by Chennai off the last five overs and with 8 wickets remaining there was never going to be any doubt about who would prevail. Raina, a bit out of sorts in this edition of the IPL, took full advantage of a tiring bowling unit to put some much needed runs under his belt. Two huge hits into the stands in the 18th over hastened the end and it was Badrinath who quite aptly struck the winning runs to take Chennai past the finish line with three balls to spare.

Yuvraj Singh will be a worried man after his team lost their fourth game in a row leaving Pune locked with the other basement dwellers on 4 points. Their bowling has largely been competitive, but their batting has failed to fire as a unit since those first two games of the IPL and they probably need to re-examine how they choose to structure building an innings. Chennai on the other hand seem to be clicking thanks to the exploits of man of the match Doug Bollinger who picked up 3/21 in his 4 overs. Picking up wickets right through the innings can make the difference between having to chase 140 and 160, and Chennai have the tools to make that happen week after week. The champions have announced their intentions and they're going to be tough to beat from here on out.

Chennai Super Kings have a three day break coming up before they face the Deccan Chargers at home on Sunday. CSK feel very comfortable on the slow turner at the MA Chidambaram Stadium and are unbeaten at home so far this season, they will be looking to keep this good run going against another mediocre side. Pune, meanwhile, have a much tougher assignment as they face RCB in Bangalore, who have some momentum going their way with back to back victories.

Teams:

Pune Warriors: J Ryder, M Pandey, R Uthappa, Y Singh, M Manhas, M Mishra, M Marsh, R Sharma, M kartik, J Taylor, A Thomas.

Chennai Super Kings: M Vijay, M Hussey, S Raina, M S Dhoni, S Badrinath, S Aniruddha, R Ashwin, N Kulasekara, S Jakati, T Southee, D Bollinger.

Mini Scorecard:

Pune Warriors 141/6 (20 overs, 7.05rpo)
Yuvraj Singh 62*(43), Doug Bollinger 3/21
Robin Uthappa 31 (22), Nuwan Kulasekara 1/26

Chennai Super Kings 145/2 (19.3 overs, 7.43rpo)
Subramaniam Badrinath 63* (44) Jesse Ryder 1-21 (2)
Suresh Raina 34* (25) Murali Kartik 1-27

Chennai win by 8 wickets with 3 balls to spare

File Photograph Copyright: Michael Henn

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