IPL 2024: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Dilemma, ‘Not Sure What to Do’ Despite Practicing Tosses, CSK’s Loss to PBKS

Ruturaj Gaekward admitted that he has been practicing winning the toss but it has yet to come to any avail after he lost his ninth toss in 10 games so far in the 2024 Indian Premier League. “I have practiced the toss (during practice sessions), it is not going well in the match, I am not sure what to do. To be honest, I am under pressure when I go to the middle (for the toss),” Gaekward said after the match. Gaekward also said that the absence of two frontline bowlers, Matisha Pathirana and Tusshar Deshpande, and a heavy dose of fog hurt Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their seven-wicket defeat against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Wednesday.

CSK can only get below 162/7. Gaekwad scored a fine 62 but the other batsmen struggled against the accurate spin bowling of Harpreet Brar and Rahul Chahar. CSK had to make two changes for the match as their Sri Lankan pacer Pathira was nursing a niggle and Deshpande was ill. Richard Gleeson and Shardul Thakur failed to impress due to heavy fog during the PBKS chase. “It is a real problem (not having Pathirana and Deshpande). There are phases where you want to get wickets, and you only have two bowlers, plus spinners are out of the question because of the mist. Can’t do much,” lamented Gaekwad during the post-match presentation.

The skipper added that the mist added to CSK’s problems as they tried to restrict the PBKS batters. “It is very difficult. Even in the last game we were surprised to know that we won by such a margin. “This (haze) is something we cannot control. We can bat a bit better in the first innings. In the last two games we tried our best to get 200-210. It was difficult to get 180 on this pitch,” he said. Gaikwad said another 50-60 runs would have made the difference. “To be honest, 50-60 runs less. When we were batting first, the pitch was not good, plus the mist (in the second innings).” The skipper also lamented his luck with the toss, saying that despite his best efforts, he could not find the right formula to call it right. “I have done a lot of practice (tossing). I am winning in practice, but I am really under pressure in the toss, not in the game,” Gaekwad said.