IPL 2021 Stats - The contrast between Wankhede and Chepauk
A comparison of the key numbers in Mumbai and Chennai in the 10 matches they hosted in IPL 2021
Sampath Bandarupalli
26-Apr-2021
Run-rates and average scores
The conditions at Wankhede Stadium in IPL 2021 were tilted towards the batters, where the average first-innings score was 177. In Chepauk, it was only 155. The average batting strike-rate in Mumbai was 138.01, also far superior to Chennai's 120.33. There have been only two totals above 180 at the Chepauk, 187 for 6 by Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad and 204 for 4 by Royal Challengers Bangalore against Knight Riders. Eleven out of 20 team innings at Wankhede went over 180, including four 200-plus totals.
The conditions at Wankhede Stadium in IPL 2021 were tilted towards the batters, where the average first-innings score was 177. In Chepauk, it was only 155. The average batting strike-rate in Mumbai was 138.01, also far superior to Chennai's 120.33. There have been only two totals above 180 at the Chepauk, 187 for 6 by Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad and 204 for 4 by Royal Challengers Bangalore against Knight Riders. Eleven out of 20 team innings at Wankhede went over 180, including four 200-plus totals.
Chasing the preferred option in Mumbai
Chasing was a tricky trade at Chepauk. The highest successful one this season was only 160, and only four times did a chasing team cross the finish line. The highest target chased down at Wankhede was 196, and the 200-run mark was hit twice while chasing. Teams winning the toss preferred chasing nine out of ten times at Wankhede, with the Super Kings on Sunday being the exception in a day fixture.
Chasing was a tricky trade at Chepauk. The highest successful one this season was only 160, and only four times did a chasing team cross the finish line. The highest target chased down at Wankhede was 196, and the 200-run mark was hit twice while chasing. Teams winning the toss preferred chasing nine out of ten times at Wankhede, with the Super Kings on Sunday being the exception in a day fixture.
Spin dominance in Chennai
The slow pitches in Chennai did give an advantage to spinners, who came out in flying colours almost every game. As many as 50 wickets fell to the spin bowlers at the venue at an average of 26.34 but in Mumbai they could only strike 21 times at 41.33. The pacers had assistance early on at the Wankhede as they claimed 91 wickets at 27.27 across the ten games.
The slow pitches in Chennai did give an advantage to spinners, who came out in flying colours almost every game. As many as 50 wickets fell to the spin bowlers at the venue at an average of 26.34 but in Mumbai they could only strike 21 times at 41.33. The pacers had assistance early on at the Wankhede as they claimed 91 wickets at 27.27 across the ten games.
Wankhede's death-overs scoring-rate trumps Chepauk
Lack of movement with the new ball helped the batters score at a decent run-rate during the powerplay at Chepauk. The powerplay run-rate in Chennai (7.64) was marginally higher than in Mumbai (7.63).
Lack of movement with the new ball helped the batters score at a decent run-rate during the powerplay at Chepauk. The powerplay run-rate in Chennai (7.64) was marginally higher than in Mumbai (7.63).
Batting was easy in the post-powerplay period at Wankhede, where the run-rate was 9.34 while at Chepauk it was only 7.66. The run-rate at Chepauk was 7.29 during the middle overs (7-16) and 8.64 at the death (16-20), both below the corresponding numbers recorded at Wankhede (8.83 in middle overs and 10.86 at the death).
Best strikers at Chepauk
While not many batters were successful in getting the better of the tricky conditions at Chepauk, the Royal Challengers' overseas stars AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell outclassed the rest. De Villiers scored 125 runs at a whopping strike rate of 189.39, while Maxwell amassed 176 runs at 149.15. Their success with the bat was the reason behind Royal Challengers' 100% win record at Chepauk this season. Though the Sunrisers managed to win only one of the five outings in Chennai, their top-order batter, Jonny Bairstow, scored more runs than the rest. Bairstow smashed 14 sixes, five more than anyone else and scored 211 runs in total while striking at 141.61, with two half-centuries.
While not many batters were successful in getting the better of the tricky conditions at Chepauk, the Royal Challengers' overseas stars AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell outclassed the rest. De Villiers scored 125 runs at a whopping strike rate of 189.39, while Maxwell amassed 176 runs at 149.15. Their success with the bat was the reason behind Royal Challengers' 100% win record at Chepauk this season. Though the Sunrisers managed to win only one of the five outings in Chennai, their top-order batter, Jonny Bairstow, scored more runs than the rest. Bairstow smashed 14 sixes, five more than anyone else and scored 211 runs in total while striking at 141.61, with two half-centuries.
Five of the 11 batters to score 100 or more runs in Mumbai had a strike rate of 150-plus, while only one of the eight batters in Chennai with 100 or more runs struck at 150-plus.
Sampath Bandarupalli is a statistician at ESPNcricinfo