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Former Indian cricketer and part of India's 2011 ODI World Cup winning team, Piyush Chawla, praised Chennai Super Kings (CSK) spinner Akeal Hosein for his strong impact since joining the XI, noting that his presence has significantly strengthened the bowling unit, particularly in the powerplay overs where the team had previously struggled.
Chawla highlighted Hosein's consistent ability to bowl tight lines and lengths, restricting scoring opportunities and applying pressure on opposition batters. He also pointed out that Hosein has been highly effective in similar roles across different teams and in the IPL. Despite an impressive spell, Chawla felt Hosein was unlucky against Kolkata Knight Riders, as a couple of dropped catches denied him potential wickets, adding that he could easily have finished with a better return on another day. "Akeal Hosein is bowling really well. Earlier, when he was not in the playing XI, CSK's bowling was not looking up to the mark. But once he came into the team, the Powerplay overs where CSK was struggling and conceding a lot of runs, he began controlling those. We know what he is capable of. What he has done in the Powerplays over the years for different teams and here in the IPL, he made the opposition players feel his impact. He just comes and bowls good lengths and good lines. He does not give batters anything to hit easily. He was unlucky against KKR because two catches got dropped off his bowling. Otherwise, he could have had two or three wickets in his kitty. But he bowled brilliantly," Piyush Chawla said on Star Sports. After losing three straight matches, CSK opted to include Hosein in the playing 11. Since Hosein has been included in CSK's team the five-time champions have won back-to-back matches. Hosein has only scalped a wicket in two matches he has played so far this season, but has improved CSK's power-play bowling with his tight line and length, where the five-time champions seemed to struggle in the first three matches. Against Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday, Hosein ended his spell with the wicket of Angkrish Raghuvanshi, but was left frustrated as he dropped chances off his bowling of Ajinkya Rahane, and Raghuvanshi went down. Coming to the match, CSK put 192/5 in 20 overs, with Sanju Samson (48 in 32 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes) and Dewald Brevis (41 in 29 balls, with four fours and two sixes) playing standout knocks, and Kartik Tyagi (2/35) being a standout bowler. During the chase, KKR was reduced to 29/2 and was in contention with a 50-run stand between skipper Ajinkya Rahane (28 in 22 balls, with two sixes) and Angkrish Raghuvanshi (27 in 19 balls, with three fours and a six). However, a game-changing spell from Noor Ahmed sank KKR to 90/6, and they ended their innings at 160/7. KKR is still winless, having lost four and one no result, sitting at the bottom of the table. CSK has climbed to eighth spot in the points table, with four points. (ANI)
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