Desperate CSK look to arrest steep slide against LSG

Chennai Super Kings have never experienced a worse phase in the Indian Premier League and their faltering batters will have to deliver to arrest their steep slide in a must-win game against an upbeat Lucknow Super Giants here on Monday.

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LUCKNOW:

CSK have never lost five games in a row, including an unprecedented three at the Chepauk, their proverbial fortress. If there is anyone that can get CSK out of the doldrums, it is MS Dhoni but even his return to captaincy following Ruturaj Gaikwad's injury could not turn their fortunes in their previous outing on Friday.

Considering their struggles against spinners at home, the batters would not mind playing an away game in a desperate attempt to find form. The absence of their best batter, Gaikwad, thus makes their comeback bid all the more difficult.

CSK have been accused of sheltering players past their prime in the past and those questions have expectedly resurfaced after a record losing streak. The lack of power-hitters in their squad has also become a talking point with Dhoni himself conceding that even targeting 60 runs in the powerplay is a tad too ambitious for them.

Openers Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway are two fine batters but expecting them to go hammer and tongs from ball one goes against their style of play.