'VIRAT HAS BEEN REDUCED': Matthew Hayden TELLS CSK how to end RCB's challenge in CSK vs RCB match

On Friday, March 22, 2024, Chennai Super Kings will play Royal Challengers Bangalore in the much-awaited inaugural match of the 2024 Indian Premier League. This match not only ushers in the revival of the spectacular game of cricket, but it also paves the way for the historic contest between MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. With strong lineups on both sides, the competition at the legendary MA Chidambaram Stadium is sure to get off to an exciting start.

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Matthew Hayden opines on how to dismiss Virat Kohli

Prior to the opening day of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) on March 22, Matthew Hayden, a former batter for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has stressed the need of dismissing Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star batter Virat Kohli early, particularly during the powerplay period. Returning to cricket after a paternity leave, Kohli will play at the Chepauk Stadium, where his record isn't exactly up to his normal high standards. Through 12 games at Chepauk, Kohli has amassed 362 runs with a strike-rate of 111.38 and an average of 30.17.

In an interview with Star Sports, Hayden recognised Kohli's importance in the game but also emphasised the difficulty he faced at Chepauk. He underlined that even a player of Kohli's calibre has failed to perform at his best on this ground, underscoring the need for CSK to remove him from the game early.

Hayden voiced confidence in the former RCB captain's potential to change the tide if he can stay at the crease for the full innings, even if Kohli's record at Chepauk is somewhat poor. Hayden hinted that an extended innings from Kohli would lead to an RCB effort that wins the game. Matthew Hayden said:

“One thing is for certain, it's a blockbuster showdown. Virat Kohli this year is going to be celebrated across all the games. His record is a 30 average at Chepauk stadium with a strike rate of 111. You know what that means? Someone like Virat, even the greatness of Virat has been reduced in terms of his overall performance at that venue."
 

"It is a tricky venue to bat on, especially as an opening batsman. It gets a weird tennis ball type bounce, it's quite slow and difficult to play shots early, but the longer you bat, the game opens up and that's where Virat can be at his most dangerous. If he is prepared to bat the 20 overs, he can put together a match-winning performance," 

“200 is very accessible at Chinnaswamy but not necessarily at Chepauk Stadium. A 150, 130 at times has been plenty of runs when you get guys as good as Jadeja there who bowls stump to stump with the odd ball to turn and the odd ball that stays low, it's really tricky, so they're going to need Virat Kohli out early inside the powerplay. They've done so thrice over the last 5 innings, and they'll need to do so for the 4th time,”