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A game both teams would hate to lose

CSK may go in for Morkel or Ntini or both, writes
Ravi Shastri

After two days, the Indian Premier League (IPL) moves out of Cape Town. The Bangalore and Chennai teams head for Port Elizabeth which only last week produced a high-scoring ODI between Australia and South Africa.

It still though wouldn’t be like India’s batsmen with better techniques are better bets.

It moved prodigiously in Cape Town, more so in the second game which could be attributed to evening conditions. Here too this game is under lights so both teams would hate to bat second.

Different options

Mahendra Singh Dhoni would be tempted to look at the options of Albie Morkel and Makhaya Ntini who have the advantage of being locals. Muthiah Muralitharan too wouldn’t be kept under wraps for long.

Batting positions would be reviewed. I thought Andrew Flintoff came in at one slot too high, more so since he has played only three ODIs after his return from injury. He is better at striking deadly blows towards the death rather than at the job of reconstructing an innings.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni also needs to give himself more overs to bat.

Bangalore would be cock-a-hoop. Rahul Dravid was an absolute delight; and so was Anil Kumble. They still though would be reminding themselves that only Dravid and Kevin Pietersen could manage scores in double figures.

Also, 133 was too meagre a score to defend. The truth is Bangalore relied too much on a few individuals to pull off an upset. Still, being two down on the first two balls and still pull off a massive 75-run win was astonishing.

I have this sneaking feeling that teams with more all-round talents and experienced batsman with technique to fall back on are going to do well in this IPL. Batsmen who can bowl and bowlers who can bat would give depth all around.

Not too good

If you could bat well in the first five overs, and bowl well in the last five, you would be a tough cookie in this format. Frankly, both Bangalore and Chennai aren’t too good in this area.

A team like Mumbai Indians, which has Sanath and Sachin at the top and Zaheer and Lasith Malinga as new-ball bowlers, would be the envy of other teams.

It could then come down to the toss and as I suspect, both teams would prefer to bat first. Chennai Super Kings almost certainly would turn towards their South African recruits, Morkel or Ntini or both, and Bangalore could be sizing up the new South African sensation, Roelof van der Merwe.

It’s a game both teams would hate to lose.

TCM

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