Another IPL Season. Another Time CSK Qualified for Semifinals. To be the only team to have qualified for all the three semifinals deserves some special mention for the efforts of the team. But still I could not forget the Team's let down in the last year's semifinals. So it is very important that the team selects the right team and executes its plan properly.
A Tired Team:The team reached back Chennai only yesterday and were forced to travel today to Mumbai. So the team may not have much time to plan and practice for the semifinals.
Chennai My XI:
1. Hayden 2. Vijay 3. Raina 4. Dhoni 5. Albie 6. Badri 7. Badani/Anirudha 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Murali 11. Dougie
It is time to be brave and pick 3 spinners in the team. As showed in today's match between MI & RCB, the spinners were able to dominate the game better than pace bowlers.
DC Probable XI
1. AC Gilchrist 2. MD Mishra 3. TL Suman 4. RG Sharma 5. A Symonds 6. Sumanth 7. MR Marsh 8. RP Singh 9. PP Ojha 10. Vaas 11. Harmeet Singh
Most Dangerous Players
- Gilchrist: Only one batsman in Deccan chargers, who can outdo Hayden (that too, without a Mongoose bat). Just hoping that Gilchrist does not repeat his performance in last year's semifinals. (To know what he did, just have a look at last year's semifinal scorecard).
- Symonds & Rohit: Fortunes of Deccan Chargers' batting would be decided on how they handle the middle and the last overs. It is crucial that Chennai Super Kings take their wickets cheaply
Royal Contests
- Dougie Vs Gilchrist: If Dougie keeps Gilchrist in control or takes his wicket early, Chennai Super Kings would have won half their battle.
Favorites: Thanks to the last five wins, Deccan Chargers are coming to the match with a lot of momentum. They are also the in-form team in the semifinals. But Chennai Super Kings has 'it' in them to stop the momentum. Surely it would be a very interesting match. If Hayden or Gilchrist find form, expect their respective team to coast easily to finals.
9 comments:
Who handles pressure well enough will decide the winner. Dhoni's back to form is a good news although Hayden is still a worry. For Mumbai pitch not a bad idea to try an extra batsman as today we say Pollard innings saved them the match. So I would expect an extra batsman in place of Murali or Jakati.
Before the Punjab Match I put the first comment and CSK won it ..trying the same this time hope this centiment works for few more times
@Murali - LOL, :) !!!
Leave alone Cricketers, even Cricket fans are excessively superstitious, i must say...
Mumbai track is not turning square nor is it too slow. Its just a good track for both batting and has something there for the bowlers.
With Pollard taking 3 wickets, I will be tempted to pick Kemp ahead of Murali. Its a gamble as Murali did bowl well against DC in the 1st league match.
Hayden is key for tomorrow's match and if we see off the first 3-4 overs with Vaas bowling we should be in for a cracker of a contest.
DC are very poor bowlers at the death. We need a good platform and its okay if we make only 100-110 runs in the first 15 overs. We can look at making 60-70 runs off the last 5 overs off DC bowling.
Win the toss, we have to bat first! In crunch matches, thats the best approach
Go CSK!!! (I'm just screaming out here.)
I wish I was in Mumbai to support the team.
please please play to your potential CSK.
As Reshma pointed out, Hayden might be key. I truly believe in law of averages. Playing with three specialist spinners might not be that good a plan considering the fact that we also have Suresh Raina. So, we need to bolster the batting. Choosing one betwen Kemp/Hussey should entirely depend on the pitch. Also, if Kemp is only going to bowl one over, we're better off choosing Hussey. Barring that one handed catch, Kemp hasn't really proved himself. You can say the same of Hussey too, but going by sheer statistics, you could choose Hussey over Kemp.
@Robin
I too read that blog by VB Chandrasekar where he had hinted that Muralidharan might get to play. In that case, I don't think Jakati might play as well. Let's see. Ultimately, we need to win this game.
I think today, they should pick murali...If they drop hayden then its a biiiiig mistake..not now..not in the semis...Play hayden , vijay, raina, albie, dhoni, murali, bollinger, badri, ashwin, jakati , anirudha..
I pick anirudha because he is a perfectlu suited for t 20 format...like father like son..
Win the toss, yes definitely bat first but not to forget DC are good at chasing..So chasing is also not a bad option..
A score of 170 + can be expected in this wicket...but CSK need to buckup their bowling and fielding..
HAve a feeling that the team that fields better will win today..But BIG GUT FEELING>> CSK win today ...
lets see
Batting 1st is still safe irresp of our unpredictable bowling. The main reason is they have 3 key players plus Suman. Which is surely 1 short of CSK and other teams.(not that others cannot contribute)
and I think the key is Symmo!
Also the fact as how we play Ojha. Some one has to play him aggressively.
i still believe hayden is a big match player.. or even aussies for that matter..
they know their worth more than anyother team.. and i wont be surprised if gilly scored some 70 odd runs.. becoz thatz the way they play.
same with hayden.. he will come good.. and he should.
and dhoni, raina, aswin and vijay.. holds the key to unlock the final :)
and if badri, dougie and hayden comes good, then we are deadly :) i mean DEADLY.. its just a matter of holding nerves. dhoni knows that well.
Hopefully tomorrow we talk abt the victory :))
p.s : law of averages will surely get em.. (deccan chargers)
I hope MSD and gang don't end up thinking like their fans do.
Rather than banking on our strengths to see them through, most of us are praying for the law of averages to make Deccan stumble.
There have been umpteen instances of teams stumbling because their play is based on opponents' weakness rather than our strengths. For instance, bat second because chasing is your strength and NOT because opponent is bad in setting a target.
@M - Four reasons for batting first.
(1) In big crunch (play-off) matches, batting first is best option as Mumbai Indians showed yesterday though Mumbai have won generally batting second most of this season. There is added pressure when chasing a decent total.
(2) The pitch in Mumbai is not a batting paradise. Its not bad for batting either but it should deteriorate a little bit as the game progresses (read spin friendly)
(3) DC are good at chasing but they did bat first in the previous match against DD (judging the conditions and match situation). We should take a leaf out of their book.
(4) We already know what a good total is in this ground based on 1st Semi-final. So no 'setting-the-target' dilemma for us.
CSK should bat first and should try to pressurize DC to crumble (like how they did against RR). If you get Rohit Sharma/Symonds out they are pretty much gone (its easier said than done, though). Mentally prepare to play the slow-medium bowlers with Gilly standing-up to the stumps (dont know how many times i have repeated this, but somehow feel this is the most crucial aspect of this match)
Hold onto all the catches. Cant afford a Shaun Marsh lapse in SF.
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