Rutoraj Gaikwad blamed his spinners for Chennai Super Kings’ five-wicket loss to Punjab Kings in their IPL match on Friday, saying an off-day from them hurt the team despite a strong total on the board.Chennai Super Kings scored 209 runs for 5 wickets, Ayush Mahatre scored 73 runs off 43 balls. But Punjab Kings chased the target and scored 50 runs in 18.4 overs led by captain Shreyas Iyer.After the match, Gaekwad described the performance of his spinners Noor Ahmed and Rahul Chahar as an important factor in the defeat. Chennai had seven options like Gurjapaneet Singh and Jamie Overton available as impact replacements but opted to bring in Chahar.“We felt we had three seamers going, and obviously we had two good wrist spinners (Noor Ahmed and Rahul Chahar) bowling together, especially in the middle after the powerplay. We felt you know, that would help,” Gaikwad said.“But I think, you know, a little bit of an off day for both of them. So, I think, it cost us. Sometimes we executed very well. Sometimes we didn’t execute at the right time,” he added.He said that the team could not create pressure in the middle overs.“There was a time when it (required run rate) would go to 11, and a few good overs would take it to 12-13. We didn’t get pace (with the ball) in the middle.”Gaikwad added that the batting partnership of Mahatre and Shiv Dubey had positive effects, but said the bowling needed to improve.Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer said the start given by openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhasmaran Singh played a big role in the chase.“The way we started today, it was a phenomenal start for us. I think the way they (Arya and Prabhasmiran) are batting is phenomenal and it sets the rhythm for us,” Iyer said.“I am happy that everyone is batting. It gives the team immense confidence. Whenever we are in a pressure situation, people know how to handle it. We have just decided in the dressing room, we will play a brand of cricket to inspire each other — that gives us a certain kind of clarity, and basically challenge each other.”In the chase, Iyer’s 29-ball 50 and his 59-run partnership with Nihal Vadhira took Punjab to 210 for five. The target was 209.Priyansh Arya (39 off 11), Prabhasmaran Singh (43 off 34) and Cooper Connolly (36 off 22) also contributed for Punjab.Iyer started slowly, scoring 8 off 9 balls while Connolly took charge. After Connolly fell to Anshul Kamboj, Iyer took control and hit the spinners. He reached his fifty in 26 balls but was later dismissed by Kamboj after a wide delivery.Punjab completed the chase in 18.4 overs, Chennai suffered their second successive defeat.
