Players for the next few years!!!

As Harsha pointed out in his CNN-IBN Discussion, Chennai Super Kings' consistent performance owes a lot to their intelligent choices in the first auction. Picking Dhoni was a master-stroke. And focusing on T20 international all-rounders was also an intelligent decision. [VB deserves Kudos for this]  For the squad and prices paid, please refer http://blog.cskfansite.com/2008/02/chennai-super-kings-squad.html. But the auction that is coming up is much more crucial since 

1. Other Franchises are not so dumb any-more :)

2. This would be an eternal team unlike the first auction. 

Things We Know about the Auction 

1. It would happen in November. That means, Champions League in October provides CSK to analyse their players and an opportunity for players to increase their price tag. 

2. As the first auction showed, top four players' salaries would contribute 50% of the total salaries (i.e. 3.5 Million Dollars) and Top 7 players' salaries would be 75% of Total (i.e. 5.25 Million Dollars). So it is paramount that the team makes intelligent choices of the top 7 players. 

Things We don't know about the Auction

1. Still there is not enough clarity on how many players would be allowed to be retained by the franchises. Now that task of determining the number is assigned to Ravi Shastri, Gavasakar & Pataudi. Personally i expect  4 Domestic Players + 4 Foreign Players to be retained by the franchises. 

Indian Players who will stick with CSK

1. Dhoni - If you are not sure, hear his post-match talk

2. Local Boys Ashwin & Vijay - After their performance this season, they are bound to be tempted to try out the auction. But sticking with CSK would make more sense - For the simple reason that they are bound to get more opportunities in CSK Team. 

3. Badri & Balaji - Though Badri & Balaji might want to try green pastures, their best chances of playing in the team remains with CSK.. [Badri, If you are thinking about shifting loyalties, see what happened to Kaif after his move to KXIP]

Other Players I want to Retain

1. Raina - His consistent performance in 3 ipls has ensured that he would double his auction price. [I am sure one of the newer teams might even tempt him with captaincy]. Hope he sticks around since CSK setup would be lot better than others. 

2. Albie: His All round skills has allowed the team to play that extra player in the team. Hopes he also sticks around. Being a foreign player, I am sure his price would not increase  that much this auction

3. Dougie: Hope he stays. Don't know his price, so can't comment whether he would stay. 

3. Flintoff & Oram: Being all-rounders, I would like them to stay.. I expect both of them to be fit for the Champions League. So can make an informed after their CL performance. But Flintoff's price should be rationalized since international players would not get so much money IPL4. (unless ofcourse you are Kerren Pollard)

4. Ntini, Murali & Hussey: For just being such good team players, they are worth every penny.. 

Summing Up

Indian Players I want to Retain(In the Order of Preference)

1. Dhoni

2. Raina

3. Vijay

4. Ashwin

5. Badri

6. Anirudha

7. Balaji

8. Tyagi

Players I Don't Want to Retain

1. Gony

2. Joginder

3. Parthiv Patel

4. Pererra

Foreign Players to be Retained 

1. Albie

2. Dougie

3. Oram

4. Flintoff

5. Murali

6. Hussey

7. Ntini

My Wishlist For Auction (I have not included any doubtful players who might or might not be retained)

1. Dinesh Karthick & Yo Mahesh (Expect DD to retain only Sehwag, Gambhir, Nehra & Mishra)

2. Any of these Foreign Players Not Retained by DD  - Warner/Dilshan/Maharoof

3. Shane Watson

4. Ravindra Jadeja

5. Sohail Tanvir

6. Vignesh & Satish

7. Mithun & Manish Pandey (Future Players to look out for. I am sure they would also come cheap)

What are your picks??

WHOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Finally.. IPL Champions. And our name inscribed in that cup..

Here are my Heroes of this campaign
1. Raina
2. Dhoni
3. Ashwin
4. Bollinger
5. Vijay

Who are your heroes????

Finals We have been Waiting for!!!

IPL3 has been a season of ups and downs for the team. It started badly in the first half of the group stages - losing 5 of the first 7 games. That super over loss against KXIP in the first half is still in my memory. But then the team made a remarkable turnaround in the second half - inspired by the performance of the local boys - Ashwin & Vijay and the new-recruit Dougie. 

And thanks to some fine bowling in the semifinals, WE ARE IN THE FINALS. Playing against the best team of IPL3 so far. A dream final for the media - since they are able to pit  it as Dhoni Vs Sachin contest. But CSK fans would be having 'guilty' pleasure that Sachin is doubtful for the finals. 

CSK My XI:

1. Anirudha 2. Vijay 3. Raina 4. Dhoni 5. Albie 6. Badri 7. Hussey/Kemp 8. Ashwin 9. Jakati 10. Murali 11. Dougie

Hayden's performance on the semifinals showed clearly that he should be dropped. In the entire innings, he was trying to play across the ball. And not even once he tried to walk down the pitch when the ball was moving sidewise. Since the pitch for the finals would be a lot slower, it might not even provide him the chance for redemption. Hope the team management asks Anirudha or Hussey or Kemp to open in this important match. 

MI Probable XI

1. Jayasuria 2. Dhawan 3. Tiwary 4. Rayadu 5. Duminy/Bravo 6. Pollard 7. Nayar 8. Harbhajan 9. Zaheer 10. Kulkarani 11. Malinga

Most Dangerous Players

1. Harbhajan: In the slow pitch with spongy bounce, we can expect Harbhajan to be handful against any opposition team. He would also be pumped for this big match. 

2. Pollard: His performance was the key difference between Mumbai and Bangalore in the semis. Not only he blew Bangalore away with his batting but also took a few important wickets. His wicket would be very crucial tomorrow. 

3. Zaheer: Being the stand-in captain, he would like to lead the team with his performance. Hope the openers don't lose any early wickets to him. 

Favorites: With respect to the finals,  Mumbai have various things going for them 

1. They are the in-form team this IPL -  with 11 wins so far. 

2. They would be playing in a capacity crowd that would be backing them to the hilt

3. Most of their players have struck form in this IPL

But still Chennai has 'it' in them to defeat the team - as they showed in the match against Mumbai in Chennai.Hope they pick the right XI and play to their potential. 

CSK Qualifies for Another Finals!!!

Great Bowling Effort. A match in which the bowlers proved their worth. A special mention about the middle order batsman to ensure that the team reached a defend-able total. Finals against Mumbai Indians in Mumbai is going to be a tough match. And today's performance showed that CSK has 'it' in them to defeat Mumbai before their home crowd. 

Positives:

1. Brave Team Selection: It was a brave decision (and a correct decision) to pick 3 spin bowlers in the pitch. Hope they have the same bowling attack for the finals too.  

2. We trust in Dougie: Whoever made the decision and put the effort to get Dougie deserves kudos. What a performance from Dougie. Another Australian that Chennai crowd are going to love forever. 

3. Ashwin: What a revelation he has been. Hope he repeats this performance in the next match too. 

4. Anirudha: Though he has been in and out of the team, he never got a chance to show his potential. Today he showed why he deserved to be picked ahead of other domestic batsman in the team. His little cameo ensured that the team crossed that psychological crucial 140.

5. Badri: Another good performance. Ensured that he did what the team expected of him.

Negatives:

1. Openers - Vijay & Hayden: Another failure... Hayden's performance today showed clearly that he should be dropped for the next match. Time to ask either Anirudha or Hussey or Kemp to open for the next match. 

But the best news is that we will see our beloved team playing again this year in Champions League. 

Fan's Man of the Match: Dougie. As the commentators pointed out, he is one of the key reason for CSK's revival in the second half of the tournament. 

No More Mistakes, Please!!!

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

1. 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).
2. 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

1. 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. 

Big Match for Chennai Super Kings & Hayden

Tomorrow is the biggest match for Chennai Super Kings in its campaign for the final semifinal spot. A win would make them again as the leading contender for the fourth semifinal spot. A loss would backtrack the campaign. 

Even bigger pressure would be faced by Hayden. His average of 29 runs is the lowest among the top six batsmen in the team (Top six includes Badri too).Compare this average to the last year's average of 52+ runs. The gulf in his form is much more visible. I am sure the team would pick Hayden for this big clash against Mumbai Indians. But if he fails, the temptation to pick Hussey ahead of Hayden would be much more stronger. 

Chennai My XI:

1. Hayden 2. Vijay 3. Raina 4. Dhoni 5. Albie 6. Badri 7. Anirudha 8. Jakati 9. Tyagi 10. Murali 11. Dougie

Mumbai Probable XI:

1. Sachin 2. Dhawan 3. Tiwary 4. Rayadu 5. Bravo 6. Pollard 7. Sathish 8. Mclaren 9. Harbhajan 10. Zaheer 11. Malinga

Though Mumbai Indians have won 7 games out of 8, they are still beatable. They might not be as strong as their results might showcase, but they have been clearly the strongest team in the first half of the tournament.

Most Dangerous Players

1. Sachin: He is they key to the entire batting order of Mumbai Indians. If we take his wicket cheaply, the job is half done. Let us also not forget that Chennai is one of Sachin's favorite hunting grounds. 

2. Bowling Attack: All the wins of Mumbai owe a lot to its bowling attack. Malinga, Mclaren, Zaheer, Harbhajan and Bravo have combined beautifully for Mumbai Indians and have delivered in all the matches. It is crucial that Chennai Super Kings scores against all the bowlers since there is no weak link in this bowling attack. I am sure the way that CSK batsman handle Harbhajan and Malinga would determine the match. 

Favorites: Mumbai Indians are the favorites. But you can't rule out Chennai Super Kings by any stretch. And surely Chennai Super Kings has 'it' in them to win the match tomorrow. 

Crucial Match Against Rajasthan Royals

Tomorrow's match is very crucial for Chennai Super Kings to keep their semifinal hopes alive. A win would help them leapfrog over Rajasthan Royals to become the sixth placed team  in the points table. (Not going by the points table since the teams have played different number of games)

CSK My XI:

1. Hayden 2. Vijay 3. Raina 4. Dhoni 5. Albie 6. Badri 7.Badani 8. Jakati 9. Tyagi 10. Murali 11. Dougie

RR Probable XI:

1. Lumb 2. Watson 3. Ojha 4. Fazal 5. Jhunjhunwala 6. Pathan 7. Dogra 8. Warne 9. Narwal 10. Tait 11. Trivedi

Most Dangerous Players

1. Shane Watson: IPL Season 1 - Man of the Series is back. Warne would be overjoyed to have his talisman back. Chennai should be cautious about both his bowling and batting.

2. Yusuf Pathan: Other Batsman in Rajasthan Royals team who can take apart any bowling. Hope it is one of his off-days tomorrow. Also his bowling will come handy in the slow chennai pitch. 

3. Warne: Though Warne might not have taken as many wickets as his peers - Murali & Kumble, he is still the best bowler of the team. 

Favorites: 

There are no clear favorites for this match. And the match would be most probably decided by Aussie cricketers - Hayden, Warne, Dougie & Watson. 

Dougie & Mike Hussey Join CSK Squad

Finally! Much Needed New Additions to Chennai Super Kings Squad. Dougie Bollinger and Michael Hussey have joined Chennai Super Kings Squad yesterday. Though it is nice to have Mike Hussey joining the team, it is the addition of Bollinger that fans would be excited about. He adds the much needed the pace to Chennai's weak bowling department.

Impact of Dougie:

Though Dougie is a welcome addition to CSK Squad, let us not kid ourself and believe that he would be savior of all the woes of Chennai Super Kings. Yes Dougie would be mixing sharp pace and swing with a consistent line and length. But this might not necessarily translate to wickets. [Remember other fast bowlers in New South Wales team outshone him during their Champions League campaign]. But we will have a pace spearhead to look forward to. A left arm bowler who can haggle Indian batsman with raw pace and short balls. 

Impact of Hussey:

Though Hussey might not be picked for the match against Rajasthan Royals, his presence brings much needed competition for the four foreigner spots. Now the pressure is on Albie, Hayden & Murali to perform and otherwise get replaced by Hussey. 

What do you think? Will these players turn the fortunes of Chennai Super Kings?

Flicker of Hope for Chennai Super Kings Campaign

After an uninspiring performance in the first half of the tournament, most CSK fans have lost their semifinals hope. Even Dhoni seemed to agree and said that Chennai Super Kings would be looking forward to end the parties of other teams. But there is still a flicker of hope for Chennai Super Kings

What is required?

To be assured of a semifinal spot, the team has to win at-least six of the next 7 matches. With a good run-rate and a bit of luck, the team can make it to the semi-finals even with five wins. 

Why there is still flicker of hope?

1. Five Home Matches: Out of the next 7 matches, 5 matches are at home. Thanks to the yellow brigade and benevolent batting pitch, Chennai Super Kings would start with an advantage on those matches.

2. Dougie Surprise: Bollinger would surely add the much needed "Fast Spice" to the team. With his addition, Chennai Super Kings would have 2 match-winning bowlers with a good support cast. Also if Hayden fails for another 2 matches, the team have the option to replace him with Hussey. 

3. Batsmen: Slowly all the batsman are getting to form - Albie, Dhoni, Raina, Badri, Hayden & Vijay - All have atleast 1 good innings. It is high time that the batsman took control and started winning matches for Chennai. 

4. Good Run Rate: Thanks to our good run-rate, there is  a high probability that Chennai Super Kings will make the semi-finals even if they win 5 more matches. 

What we need to pray for?

1. Mumbai Indians & Royal Challengers to win against all the opposition teams (other than CSK) 

2. Kings XI Punjab to win a few games

What team should do?

The key thing for the team would be getting their act together. 

1. Team Selection: Fleming & Co. desperately need to get their act together. They can't win by playing Joginder & Arun Karthik in the team. Hope Tyagi & Ntini gets a look-in for the next match. 

2. Passion: One key element lacking from the team is passion. It seems as if everybody is playing for them self rather than for the team. 

3. Aggressiveness: Team lacks the aggressive edge. After 1 or 2 good overs, the team always looks to consolidate rather than ending the match then and there. You don't see the batsman in the team taking any risks.  Hope the team becomes a little positive and goes for the kill. 

4. New Tactics: It is time that the team started to experiment with a few things. Today, the team would have benefited from sending a Thusara/Joginder as a pinch hitter. It seems as if the team does not lack the will to innovate. 

Though the road to a semi-final is an uphill task for the team, I believe the team has 'it' in them to do it. Hayden, Murali, Dhoni, Raina.. Please get your act together. 

Chennai Super Kings Vs Rajasthan Royals - Review

Rajasthan Royals effectively ends the semifinal campaign of Chennai Super Kings. Now only a miracle can help the team to reach the semifinals. Blame of the poor performance should rest solely on the team's selectors who missed from buying good talent from this season's auction and acquiring talented ICL players (Satish playing for MI & Vignesh playing for KKR) and domestic teams. 

Positives

1. Thushara: Though I would have preferred Ntini to Thushara, Thushara bowled well. Surely deserves another chance in the team. 

2. Jakati: Another fine performance by him. 

3. Vijay: His initial outburst set up the match beautifully. But he should have continued and finished the game. Also blame rests on the middle and lower order batsmen, who did not make use of the opportunity. 

4. Albie: Good to see his big-hitting again on the field.  

Negatives:

1. Joginder: I still don't understand why Joginder is getting picked ahead of Tyagi & Balaji. Other than this, team selection got everything right.

2. Badri: His 27 ball 25 runs effectively ended Chennai Super Kings hopes. His run-out of Dhoni was the real turning point of the game. 

Do you also think this defeat ends Chennai Super Kings Semifinal Campaign? Post your comments. 

Do or Die Battle for Chennai Super Kings

Finalists of IPL Season 1 play against each other in India again. Fortunes of both the teams can't be any different. One of the pre-tournament favorites - Chennai Super Kings, now find them self in the bottom of the table with three successive defeats. Written off by most, Rajasthan Royals have turned the table on their critics, after three successive victories. This is a do or die battle for Chennai Super Kings to get their semifinal campaign on track. 

CSK My XI:

1. Hayden 2. Vijay 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni 6. Albie 7.Jakati 8. Balaji 9. Tyagi 10. Murali 11. Ntini


Reasons for My Choice

1. Vijay is a better player than Parthiv. 
2. Unless he is going to keep wickets, Parthiv should never be picked considering his liability on the field. 
3. Tyagi should never have been dropped. 
4. It is better to play a quality bowler rather than an all rounder who can't bowl quality balls and who does not get the opportunity to bat. 

RR Probable XI

1. Lumb 2. Ojha 3. Yusuf Pathan 4. AC Voges 5. AA Jhunjhunwala 6. P Dogra 7. SK Warne 8. S Narwal9. 10. SK Trivedi 11. SW Tait

Most Dangerous Bowlers

1. Yusuf Pathan: Only Batsman in Rajasthan Royals team who can take apart any bowling. Hope it is one of his off-days tomorrow. 

2. Tait: How Rainas & Parthiv/Vijays of the world play against him will decide the match. 

3. Warne: Though Warne might not have taken as many wickets as his peers - Murali & Kumble, he is still the best bowler of the team. 

Favorites: Though Rajasthan Royals are the in-form team, Chennai Super Kings are stronger team on paper. Hope Chennai Super Kings are able to reverse their fortunes tomorrow. 

End of Semi-final Hopes for Chennai Super Kings?

With this loss, Chennai Super Kings has lost four of the first six matches. To comfortably make it to the semi-finals, the team has to win at least six of the next eight matches. An uphill task for a. weak team. After this performance, everybody except Chennai Super Kings Fans would write off the chances of Chennai Super Kings. 

Positives:

1. Raina & Badri Partnership: It was good to see the partnership from Raina & Parthiv. Finally both got to show their talent. But a 190+ score could have effectively put the match away from the grasp of Mumbai India. 

Negatives

1. Team Selection: Why pick Parthiv when he has been doing badly? Why drop Tyagi after a good match? Why pick Perera ahead of Ntini? It seems as if the team rewards non-performance. 

2. Medium Pace Bowlers: I still don't see the reason for bowling short when the pitch is on the slower side. How can all the bowlers bowl Full-tosses?

3. Fielding: Any team that gives so much easy twos does not deserve to win

4. Perera: It is time Chennai Super Kings send Perera and Gony to their homes. 

Just the fact that Dhoni's captaincy can't inspire a win with such a good score speaks volumes about the team this season. Now the team needs a lot of luck (i.e. lot of matches to go its way) to have any chance of making it to the semi-finals. 

Another Disappointment Waiting?

Tomorrow Chennai Super Kings plays against another form-team Mumbai Indians led by Sachin Tendulkar. Good News First

1. Dhoni is back with the team and practiced with the team today. But Fleming was still cautious and said that the final call on his fitness would be taken tomorrow. His return as a captain and batsman would bolster the team hugely.

2. Clarity on Role: Finally VB agrees that all the players need to have more clarity on their roles in the team. Hope every player is elaborated on their roles by tomorrow's match. Otherwise we might have another Bailey-like test innings. 

CSK Probable XI:

1. Vijay/Parthiv (Based on whether Dhoni is keeping) 2. Hayden 3. Raina 4. Badri 5. Dhoni 6. Albie 7. Kemp/Bailey (Based on whether Kemp is fit) 8. Ashwin/Jakati 9. Balaji 10. Tyagi 11. Murali

MI Probable XI

1. Sachin 2. Jayasuria 3.Dhawan 4. Tiwary 5. Bravo 6. Pollard 7. Sathish 8. Tare 9. Harbhajan 10. Zaheer 11. Malinga

Most Dangerous Players

1. Tendulkar: In-form Captain is the most important batsman in the team. As Bangalore showed, taking his wicket early would greatly help in restricting Mumbai's score

2. Tiwari: This Dhoni-alike batsman has been in great form this season. Hope Murali does not allow him to free his arms and takes his wicket cheaply

3. Malinga: Whenever he has played for Mumbai, he has been in menacing form. It would be interesting to see how Hayden plays him. 

Favorites: Mumbai Indians are the stronger team on paper. But Chennai Super Kings need this win desperately. My bet is on Chennai Super Kings. 

Robin Uthappa demolishes Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings showed extreme kindness to 'my name alike' by dropping 2 lollipop catches. And he did pay back in kind. Robin single-handedly demolished all the good work done by Murali & Tyagi in the earlier overs. And took his team to an unbeatable position.  Only thing Bangalore Royal Challengers bowlers have to do thereafter - was not to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. 

Positives:

1. Tyagi: Finally, Tyagi showed some justice to his talent. Hope he gets more opportunities in the team. 

2. Murali: The purple cap owner showcased the gulf of difference between him and other bowlers in the team. 

Negatives:

1. Catches: Any team that misses 3 lollipops does not deserve to win the match. 

2. Raina, the captain: How can somebody give the last bowler to a spinner.. that too your second choice spinner. 

3. Bailey: After Uthappa's bliztrieg, there was only a slim chance of Chennai Super Kings winning the game. And that slim chance was effectively neutralized by Bailey's innings. 

4. Parthiv: I don't understand why the team prefers Parthiv as an opener. 

Dhoni, please come back for the match against Mumbai Indians. We miss your captaincy. 

Chennai Super Kings Vs Hottest Team of the Tournament

After a shameful performance, the team comes against the hottest and the strongest team in the tournament. Bangalore Royal Challengers team would be confident that they could easily tame the wounded lions from Chennai. And their understanding would be that our team is about individuals. So if you dismiss Hayden early and don't lose wickets to Murali, you can win the match. I am sure they are in for a suprise. Expect the fringe players from CSK to put up their hands and showcase their potential. 

CSK Probable XI:

1. Hayden 2. Parthiv Patel 3. Suresh Raina 4. Badri 5. Vijay 6. Bailey 7. Albie Morkel 8. Ashwin 9. Balaji 10. Jakati/Tyagi 11. Murali

BRC Probable XI:

1. Kallis 2. Pandey 3. Robin 4. Kohli 5. Morgan 6. Dravid 7. Boucher 8. Praveen Kumar 9. Kumble 10. Steyn 11. Vinay

Most Dangerous Players

1. Kallis: None has been able to take his wicket this season. Somebody from the team has to dismiss Kallis tomorrow. Otherwise, he would ring the death-bell for Chennai Super Kings. Even he is dismissed early, his tight bowling can still make a difference to the result. 

2. Kumble: Not only his bowling but also his captaincy can decide a game singlehandedly. All the players should be wary of this inspirational and wily fox. 

Favorites: Only a die-hard Chennai Super Kings Fan would pick Chennai Super Kings ahead of Bangalore Royal Challengers. 

Few Strategies that Fleming & Raina can Use

1. Bring Jakati for the third seamer. In this season, spinners had made a bigger impact than the faster bowlers

2. Send Albie at No:3. Albie is a kind of player who will hit big shots only after settling in. It would be good for him to get some match practice. So that he is ready for the bigger matches at the latter stages of the tournament. 

Do you have any other strategy that Fleming & Raina should use in the match against Bangalore Royal Challengers? Post them in the comments

Shameful Performance from Chennai Super Kings

Two easy points lost. A Shameful performance from the batsmen and the team. A Match that clearly showed why Dhoni is crucial for the team.

Positives:
1. Bowlers: It was a commendable performance from the team to keep Kings XI Punjab under 140. Except for Gony, everybody else bowled beautifully. Murali was surely the pick of the bowlers.
2. Parthiv: Though Parthiv's slow strike-rate was one of the key reasons for Chennai making such a huge mess of the run-chase, it was good to see him among runs. It should give him a little bit of confidence.

Negatives:
1. Middle Order Batsman: Hope somebody drills a little bit of wisdom to all middle order batsman. I am still not able to comprehend how the team lost the run chase from such a strong position. If you know why, please write in the comments
2. Casual Attitude: Right from the toss, the team had a very casual attitude towards the game. e.g. Not Rotating the strike enough. Forgetting the simple lesson that Singles still win matches
3. Gony: He can't bowl. He can't catch. He can't field. He can't bat. And still we find him in the team. His six balls where he swung the bat rather than playing intelligently was the key reason for the defeat. Please I don't want see him in the team sheet ever.

Chennai Super Kings Vs Kings XI Punjab - Match Preview

Tomorrow Chennai would be hosting Kings XI Punjab - the team at the bottom of the points table. Kings XI Punjab would be keen to record their first win. Until now, they have lost all the matches by a very close margin. (Kings XI Punjab has the lowest Run Rate among the last four teams - 2 of which have won 2 matches and lost 2 matches). So be assured of a close game tomorrow.

CSK Probable XI:
1. Hayden 2. Parthiv Patel 3. Suresh Raina 4. Badri 5. Vijay 6. Justin Kemp 7. Albie Morkel 8. Ashwin 9. Balaji 10. Gony/ Tyagi 11. Murali

Kings XI Punjab Probable XI
1. R. Bopara 2. M. Bisla 3.K. Sangakkara 4. Yuvraj 5. M. Jayawardena 6. A. Barath 7. Ojha 8. Irfan 9. P. Chawla 10. Bipul Sharma 11. S. Sreesanth

Most Dangerous Players:
1. Yuvraj Singh: Kings XI Punjab's Most Talented and Most Aggressive Batsman
2. Sreesanth: If Sreesanth takes Hayden wicket early or keep Hayden under control, we are in for a very close game.

Favorites:Chennai Super Kings
Though Kings XI Punjab would be fighting hard for the elusive first victory, they are playing against a much stronger team on paper. 

Hayden & Raina lead Chennai Super Kings to Victory

What a blitzkrieg from Hayden! It should have quietened the nerves of both CSK Management and the fans - still reeling from the shock of sudden injury to Dhoni. If anybody were questioning the impact of Mongoose bat, they just have to watch the innings of Hayden to see its potential. But the bat needs more innings from its users to establish itself. 

Positives

1. Hayden Vs Sehwag & Nannes

As discussed in the preview of this match, Sehwag did come good and Nannes did bowl well. But Haydos' innings was enough to negate the brilliance of both these players. Personally, expecting another great IPL season for Hayden. 

2. Raina, the batsman: Captaincy seemed to have brought a little maturity to Raina. It was good to see him play second-fiddle to Hayden. Once Hayden departed, he took charge and led the team to victory. Truly a Captain's Knock. 

3. Murali: Wickets of Sehwag and Dilshan were crucial as it turned a 200+ score to a 180+ score. 

Negatives

1. Raina, the Captain: Nervousness & Lack of Experience as a captain clearly exhibited in Raina's performance. His poor bowling changes and field placements cost at least 20 runs for the team. But it was his negative outlook as a captain that worries me the most. Team requires Raina to learn the art of captaincy very quickly. And also it would be better if he  backs his bowlers on the field. 
2. Albie, Parthiv & Kemp; All these three batsman had a horrendous outing. If Kemp does not make use of his opportunities, I am sure Bollinger/Hussey would be drafted in his place after April 1.

Fan's Man of the Match: Hayden. (Any Doubts???)

CSK Turns to Bollinger for a Bowling Boost

IPL CEO Sundar Raman has confirmed through his twitter account that Bollinger would be replacing Oram in the team. (Link - Raman's Tweet). Even Harsha Bhogle thinks it is an excellent decision. (Harsha's Tweet) It is great news to have a fast bowler among the ranks. Since he is currently playing the test matches against New Zealand, we can expect him to join the squad on April 1 - along with Michael Hussey.

Brief Bio:

Douglas Bollinger  is a professional Australian cricketer who currently plays first-class cricket for the New South Wales Blues. He is a left-handed batsman and a left-arm fast bowler. He is known as Doug "The Rug" by the general public.

Bollinger is one of a select group of up and coming Australian cricketers who have spent time at the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence honing their cricket skills, in the hope of gaining national selection. He made his Test debut for Australia on 3 January 2009 in the Third Test against South Africa at the SCG. On 1 May 2009, Bollinger claimed his first ODI five-wicket haul, which came against Pakistan at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. He picked up 5/35 and won his first Man of the Match award. In the 6th ODI versus India at Guwahati, he took 4 wickets and was declared as the Man of the match again.

Bollinger was once again drafted into the Australian XI for the second of three Tests against the West Indies in November – December 2009 following injuries to leading pacemen Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle. He took 5 wickets in the match at Adelaide, and continued his good bowling form into the third and final Test, taking career best figures of 5/70 in the first innings and 8/141 for the match. During the test series, Gayle famously said he is becoming Bollinger's bunny. (Source: Wikipedia)

 What do you think? Will the addition of Bollinger have any impact on the team?

[But there is no information about the addition of Bollinger in the official website. Thanks Siddharth for the tip]

Which of the stand-in captains would triumph today?

Is it going to be Suresh Raina, who lives close to Delhi but leads Chennai Super Kings or Dinesh Karthik, the Chennai boy leading Delhi Daredevils?

CSK Probable XI:
1. Hayden 2. Parthiv Patel 3. Suresh Raina 4. Badri 5. Vijay/Badani 6. Justin Kemp 7. Albie Morkel 8. Ashwin 9. Balaji 10. Sudeep Tyagi 11. Murali

DD Probable XI:
1. Sehwag 2. Warner 3. Dilshan 4. Dinesh Karthick 5. Maharoof 6. Manas 7. Rajat 8. Mishra 9. Nannes 10. Sangawan 11. Ladda

Most Dangerous Players:
1. Sehwag, Dilshan & Warner: If one of these players are on fire, only a Herculean effort from Hayden can save the game for Chennai Super Kings
2. Nannes: Only Bowler of international quality in Delhi Squad.

Favorites: 
1. Though Delhi Daredevils have more explosive batsman than Chennai Super Kings, Chennai's bowling gives an edge to the team. But the team that bats first would be a natural favorite.