Moeen Ali returned for Chennai Super Kings against the Lucknow Super Giants on Thursday at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. Meanwhile, pacer Adam Milne, with a sidestrain, was not included in the playing 11. 

Lucknow won the toss and chose to bowl. 

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Ali, who joined the team after his quarantine period got over this week, was CSK’s second-highest run-scorer last season. He scored 357 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of over 137. The 34-year-old also took six wickets. 

Milne was ruled out of the game due to a sidestrain. The Kiwi pacer had gone wicketless in Chennai’s first game against Kolkata Knight Riders. 

Annoucing his decision to bowl, Lucknow Super Kings captain KL Rahul said that the ball is expected to get wet towards the end of the game. 

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Andrew Tye was brought into the playing 11. 

“Going to bowl first. At the end of the day we need to play good cricket as well. But have been watching the last few games, ball gets wet towards the end. Also this looks like a fresh wicket with some grass on it. Enjoyed the last game that we played. Boys showed good fight. Showed real character. Was pleasing for us and will take confidence from that. One change – Tye comes in, Mohsin misses out,” Rahul said at the toss. 

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“Would’ve bowled first too. Now we’re batting so will look to put up a decent score. Blessed with a huge fan following. Three changes – Moeen is back, Milne has a sidestrain so going with three overseas,” Chennai Super Kings skipper Ravindra Jadeja said. 

Teams:

Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja(c), MS Dhoni(w), Shivam Dube, Dwayne Bravo, Dwaine Pretorius, Mukesh Choudhary, Tushar Deshpande

Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): KL Rahul(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Evin Lewis, Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Dushmantha Chameera, Andrew Tye, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan