It is the early days of IPL 2022 and the teams are almost settled with the environment and their new squads. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) locked horns this time with LSG being the new addition to the IPL this year and CSK, the defending champions. Both sides had lost their first game and it was very much evident that they needed to work on their batting as it was the primary reason for their initial defeat. Lucknow won the toss and decided to bowl first.

From the first ball, CSK looked like a side that was determined to make something big. Thanks to Robin Uthappa, it was a terrific start for the Chennai Super Kings. Ruturaj was dismissed through a run out very early in the innings while Uthappa and Moeen Ali took over. The balls were smashed all over the park. While Moeen was dismissed for 35, Uthappa scored his 50 in just 27 balls.

His magnificent play kept the match under CSK's control and soon after he was dismissed, Shivam Dubey took his role and played a blistering innings. Unfortunately, Dubey was dismissed for 49. With good little cameos from Rayudu, Dhoni and Jadeja, CSK posted a huge total of 210 runs on the board by losing seven wickets. In six balls, Dhoni had scored 16 runs with two fours and a six. Though it was brief innings from CSK's former captain, Dhoni has created history and joined the elite club by breaching 7,000 runs in his T20 career. 

The Lucknow Super Giants knew it was a mammoth task to chase down such a big score, but they made the chase possible through the brilliant opening stand. KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock gave them a tremendous start with a 99-run partnership for the first wicket. Rahul was dismissed for 40 while de Kock scored a half-century.

LSG started losing quick wickets in the middle, they didn't lose their control over the match. When the match was evenly poised and CSK had a little edge, Evin Lewis had other ideas. He was in top form and turned the tables in a matter of time scoring 55 runs from just 23 balls. With ample support from Ayush Badoni, the Lucknow Super Giants successfully chased down CSK's total and reached the target of 211 runs in 19.3 overs and registered their first-ever victory in the IPL. 

Lucknow, which was defeated by Gujarat Titans in the opening match, had an impressive opening in the IPL by defeating the defending champions. On the other hand, CSK, which was predicted to win the match, had lost its control in the death overs, particularly in the last two spells. In the final two overs, LSG was in need of 34 runs and fans across and beyond the arena predicted that CSK would have a comfortable win. But, proving that anything can happen in limited-overs, LSG's Lewis had smashed the 19th over bowled by Dube and secured 25 runs in six balls. 

It was this over that changed the game and the rest of the target was chased in just three balls. LSG had tasted a thrilling victory with incredible innings of chasing a huge target. With a loss, CSK has recorded its second defeat in two matches and while addressing the post-match presentation ceremony, CSK's captain Ravindra Jadeja cited that fielding was one of the factors that went wrong and cost a victory. He said, "We had a very good 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 were 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 in the middle-overs. The wicket was very good to bat on. As a bowling unit, we need to execute our plans", Jadeja added in the midst of bracing up for a real test to lead the defending champions under his captaincy. With the second defeat in the row, CSK is all set to take on the Punjab Kings on April 3, and of course, in the same Brabourne Stadium.