IPL 2022: Jadeja reckons CSK needs to practice with wet ball to counter dew factor

Chennai Super Kings suffered a six-wicket loss to Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022. While CSK blamed the huge dew factor for the loss, Ravindra Jadeja has called for the team to practice with the wet ball.

Image credit: BCCI

It was a shocking defeat for four-time defending champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to new side Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 7 of the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL). Played at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, CSK suffered a six-wicket defeat, losing its opening couple of matches. Meanwhile, the dew factor played a heavy role in the game, while CSK skipper Ravindra Jadeja has reckoned that his team should now practice with the wet ball.

After the match, Jadeja considered, "We had an excellent start. Robbie and Shivam Dube were playing brilliantly. We had a good start, but in the fielding, we have to take catches, then you'll win matches. We should have taken those chances. There was a lot of dew. The ball wasn't sticking to the hand."

"Next time, we have to practise with the wet ball. We batted brilliantly in the top-six and the middle-overs. The wicket was terrific to bat on. We need to execute our plans as a bowling unit," added Jadeja. Later, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming rued the same point, stating that the dew took the spinners out of the equation in the entire match.

Fleming termed the dew and wetness as 'Niagra Falls' and affirmed that it was the very reason why LSG played so well. "We knew we had to be accurate. At no stage did we feel comfortable. And that showed in our fielding as well. The conditions were wet. The guys hung in there defensively very well, proud of the effort," he concluded.