Chennai: May appears to be the month of inconsequential Clasicos. While the original protagonists — Barcelona and Real Madrid — play next Sunday at the Nou Camp, with the Catalan giants having all but wrapped up La Liga, the Indian version at the MAC this Saturday is probably only of academic interest.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) are three and four wins away respectively from the leading pack of four, and it will take a miracle for these underperforming giants to make the playoffs.
Pride at Stake for Players
While the teams may not have much to play for other than pride, there is quite a bit at stake for the players. At the top of that list is Suryakumar Yadav, India's T20 World Cup-winning captain. Despite being hailed for his captaincy, there was no doubt that he had a poor World Cup, scoring 157 runs in seven matches, with 84 of those runs coming against the USA in the first game itself.
Right after the World Cup, Surya spoke about his ambitions of leading the side to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. But the way things are shaping up for him in the IPL, that looks a far cry.
Worst IPL Season Since 2021
The 35-year-old is enduring one of his worst IPL seasons since 2021, when he managed 317 runs at an average of 22.64. This year, with the team needing the senior pro to stand up and deliver, 'SKY' is faltering time and again, leaving MI in a deep hole. His 162 runs in eight games is far too little, especially for a batter coming in at No. 3 or 4.
Mumbai Indians coach Mahela Jayawardene jumped to his player's defense ahead of practice on Friday. "In practice, he's batting as well as anybody. And even in matches, he's hitting the ball well, and the way he's gotten out a few times is quite unfortunate. A couple of times he got some good balls too," Jayawardene said, adding that he, as a batter, had gone through similar situations.
The coach insisted that Surya needs to "keep trusting his thought process and ability. He's that sort of a player; very unorthodox. We just keep encouraging him. He has had three, four brilliant years, and a little run like this can happen. He'll still come up with a smile and play the same way he knows to play," the coach added.
Pressure from Shreyas Iyer
But Surya knows that Shreyas Iyer is having an outstanding season for Punjab Kings and can become a contender for not just his India spot, but his throne as well. That is added pressure, and in a situation like that, a wounded CSK on a black-soil pitch at MAC with thousands shouting against him is not the easiest proposition. But then, the right-hander has dealt with adversities in his long career, and all his fans will hope that the 'Clasico' will mark the beginning of the return journey for the terrific T20 player.
