CSK vs LSG: Moeen Ali, Ruturaj Gaikwad star in happy ...

IPL 2023, CSK vs LSG: Chennai Super Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 12 runs in Chennai on Monday to secure their first points of the season. Ruturaj Gaikwad (57) and Moeen Ali (4 for 26) starred with bat and ball for CSK.

Moeen picked up four wickets to turn the game in CSK's favour (Courtesy: AP)

By Rajarshi Gupta: Chennai Super Kings made a special return to Chepauk after 4 years. In front of adoring home fans on Monday, CSK smashed 217 for 7 off their 20 overs and defeated Lucknow Super Giants by 12 runs to secure their first points of the season.

The CSK win was scripted by Ruturaj Gaikwad (57), Devon Conway (47) and Moeen Ali (4 for 26). It was an all-round performance from a side that was totally battered last year.

Unlike 2022, Chennai Super Kings did not have to wait long for their first win of the season this year. CSK had failed to defend a good total against Gujarat Titans on Friday but their bowlers were a lot more disciplined in their second match of the 2023 IPL. The result was a much-needed early win and an assertion of their domination at home.

Lucknow Super Giants stared at a stiff total but Kyle Mayers was undaunted. He had rattled Delhi Capitals with his fireworks on Saturday and two days later, he was back at it against the Super Kings. KL Rahul, his opening partner and captain, was only too happy to watch on from the other end as Mayers took apart the CSK bowlers in the powerplay.

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Deepak Chahar, Ben Stokes and Tushar Deshpande (Impact Player for the second straight game) failed to bowl to their fields. There were serious fielding lapses and you wouldn't be surprised if MS Dhoni was fuming behind the stumps. On a good batting surface, it was important for the fielders and bowlers to keep the pressure on the batters.

The pressure was finally created by Chennai's overseas spinners. Moeen Ali struck twice to remove the dangerous Kyle Mayers for a 22-ball 53 before a poor shot from KL Rahul gave Ali his second wicket. In between, Mitchell Santner snared Deepak Hooda and all of a sudden, CSK were back in the game again.

After a stunning opening stand, Lucknow Super Giants lost three wickets in three overs and the focus was now on all-rounders Krunal Pandya and Marcus Stoinis. The LSG 100 came off the first ball of the 10th over when Stoinis hit Moeen Ali for a six. The chase was still on and at that stage, the game could have swung either way. Moeen shifted it a little more towards the Super Kings by getting rid of Krunal.

Nicholas Pooran joined Marcus Stoinis in the middle and LSG scored 25 quick runs but their progress was dented again by Moeen Ali in his final over. Stoinis tried to smash a good length ball over long-on but missed the line and was cleaned up by the CSK spinner.

Ravindra Jadeja came on to bowl in the 14th over and Nicholas Pooran immediately dispatched him for two sixes and by the end of the over, the equation was down to 68 runs off the last 5 overs for the Super Giants. Tushar Deshpande made amends for his erratic first over with a splendid effort in his second - he gave away only 6 runs and picked the big wicket of Nicholas Pooran.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway were relentless in their assault on the Lucknow Super Giants bowlers. Ruturaj Gaikwad has started the season brilliantly and after scores of 92 and 57, he is the current Orange Cap holder. But it's not just the runs, it's the rate at which he got them.

Ruturaj Gaikwad batted spectacularly in the season opener against defending champions but his 92 went in vain. On Monday, Gaikwad was unstoppable again as he dug into the LSG bowling attack with some stunning shots. His opening partner Devon Conway was equally destructive as CSK raced away to 78 off 6 overs, their highest powerplay score at home and third highest overall.

Last year, among many other issues, CSK were plagued by a poor batting performance. In two matches so far this summer, at least the batting has looked more resolute thanks in no small measure to Gaikwad who made his IPL debut in 2020 and has only impressed since.

CSK have a left-handed heavy batting line-up and they often use several of them as floates. After Ravi Bishnoi broke a 110-run opening stand with the wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube walked in at No.3 and played a few delightful shots even as Conway fell to Mark Wood for 47.

Shivam Dube (27 off 16 balls) took his time to settle down but delivered a few telling blows on the LSG attack. Moeen Ali (19) and Ambati Rayudu (27 not out) played important knocks down the order but Ben Stokes failed with the bat for the second straight match.

The biggest roars were reserved for MS Dhoni who came in at the last over and smashed Mark Wood for two sixes in two balls before perishing in an attempt to aim for a hat-trick of maximums. In the process, Dhoni became the first wicketkeeper to score 5000 runs in the Indian Premier League.

Mark Wood, who rocked Delhi Capitals with figures of 5 for 14, struggled on a flat pitch but still finished with 3 wickets. However, he gave away 49 runs in his 4 overs. The pick of the bowlers for LSG was leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi who picked 3 for 28 off his 4 overs.