Sunrisers Hyderabad will welcome back opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan when they take on Chennai Super Kings in an IPL 2013 encounter at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Dhawan has not played a single game in the IPL this season, but his return will be warmly received by a Sunrisers side struggling for runs.
"The good news is that Shikhar Dhawan is back into action and he will be playing his first game of this season tomorrow (Thursday)," Sunrisers mentor Srikkanth said.
"That should be a great boost to our batting. We have been a bit behind in our batting but with Dhawan in, we will be reasonably well sorted out."
Both CSK and the Sunrisers have started well in the tournament, winning five of their seven games. While CSK have depended on their batting, the bowlers have been the saviours for the Hyderabad franchise.
So, it will be an interesting battle between bat and ball in Chepauk, with CSK starting favorites owing to their home advantage.
"We have been playing well, especially in the last game (chasing down 185 against RR)," said CSK's coach Stephen Fleming on the eve of the match. "We were at the top of the table and we know that by winning this game we will get back there and increase the gap in points between us the other teams.
"Bowling at the death is a very tough skill to master as there are some big hitters batting then who can put even the good balls away. We do want to get better at that and in fact, at our bowling performance on the whole."
CSK opener Murali Vijay has been a big disappointment this season, struggling to get any sort of runs at the top, while his opening partner Michael Hussey has been one of the best players in IPL 2013. Fleming, though, insisted the team would persist with the right-hander for a few more games.
"Around the same time in the tournament last year we dropped Vijay as he was not doing too well," Fleming added. "But this time he is doing all the right things.
"It's just not happening out there in the middle. So, this season we will back him for a while longer. We know that when he comes good, he's real good."
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