Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings: Match PreviewThe Kolkata Knight Riders will be taking on the Chennai Supper Kings in the 48th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on May 7, 2011 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Kolkata, owned by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, have shown significant progress in this year’s IPL as compared to the previous three editions.
Gautam Gambhir, after being appointed as their skipper, has ignited a new sense of victory in the squad.
However, after losing against the Kochi Tuskers Kerala on May 5, the side will need to triumph against Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men to take the top spot.
Unfortunately for KKR, their middle order seems to have run out of gas at a crucial juncture in the tournament. Only their openers, Jacques Kallis and Eoin Morgan performed up to the mark while the rest of the squad succumbed in front of the the Kochi attack.
Repetition of such a lackluster performance is not what Gambhir will want to see against Chennai.
Yusuf Pathan, with his weak performance, is another concern for the Knight Riders. Although the all-rounder is quite talented, he has failed to meet expectations. KKR will want Pathan to find his form in the upcoming fixtures.
The two teams are led by quite contrasting skippers. On one hand, Gambhir is hot headed, emotional and short tempered while Mahendra Singh Dhoni is known for his calmness under pressure.
Chennai trounced the Knight Riders the last time they met. KKR will be looking to avenge their defeat.
Players to watch out for:
Kolkata Knight Riders: From the KRR, Gambhir will be looking to lead his side from the front. The inclusion of Mark Boucher will be something to look out for. Jacques Kallis is another batsman who on a good day, can easily lead his side to victory.
In the bowling arsenal, KKR have some big guns like Brett Lee and Lakshmipathy Balaji while Manoj Tiwarydelivers good spin.
Chennai Super Kings: From Chennai, the wicketkeeper/ batsman Dhoni will be key and the way he leads his team will be crucial. Michael Hussey and Suresh Raina will be expected to rise to the occasion. While in the bowling department, Tim Southee has shown much improvement. Murali Vijay and Ravichandran Ashwin will be backing Chennai with spin.
Kolkata Knight Riders (probable XI): Gautam Gambhir (c), L Balaji, Pradeep Sangwan, SS Ladda, Brett Lee,Iqbal Abdulla, Yusuf Pathan, Jacques Kallis, M S Bisla, Mark Boucher, Eoin Morgan.
Chennai Super Kings (probable XI): MS Dhoni, Srikkanth Anirudha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Subramaniam Badrinath, Shadab Bashir Jakati, Suresh Kumar Raina, Timothy Grant Southee, Scott Bernard Styris, Murali Vijay, Michael Hussey, Joginder Sharma.
No comments:
Post a Comment