The Hindu : Sport : Super Kings has the momentum

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Super Kings has the momentum

If Gilchrist and Gibbs click, Chargers might just race away with the game

— Photo: AFP

INSPIRATIONAL: Deccan Chargers can be back to winning ways if skipper Adam Gilchrist complements his leadership skills with the explosive batting that he has displayed in some of the encounters.

East London: Pulled back by two successive losses after a fairytale opening wining run, Deccan Chargers is in for a tough contest against Chennai Super Kings, a side riding high on two consecutive wins, in the Indian Premier League here on Monday.

Adam Gilchrist’s Chargers, which finished at the bottom of the table last season but won four successive matches this time around, has hit a rough patch with defeats in the last two matches.

Losses to Delhi Daredevils and Rajasthan Royals may not have affected the side’s number one status in the IPL points table but the twin debacles would have definitely dented the morale.

Revival of sorts

In contrast, it has been a revival of sorts for Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai, which interestingly beat Rajasthan and Delhi to get its IPL campaign back on track after a rather disappointing first week for a team that was the runner-up last year.

The key to Chargers’ success has been Gilchrist’s rampaging form with the bat, brilliantly complemented by fellow opener Herschelle Gibbs.

The duo has done the bulk of scoring for Deccan with Gilchrist amassing 210 and Gibbs 191 runs in six matches. In fact, their early dismissals was a major reason for the side’s losses in the past two matches.

Chennai, on the other hand, has relied way too heavily on Australian opener Matthew Hayden (246), the tournament’s leading scorer after Saturday’s matches, even though Suresh Raina has also chipped in with valuable contributions.

Raina has 232 runs, including a fifty. But skipper Dhoni is yet to click and his form is vital for Chennai down the order.

Edge in bowling

Deccan holds a slight edge in the bowling department, having the tournament’s second highest wicket-taker (as on Saturday) medium-pacer R.P. Singh, who has taken 12 wickets so far, in its fold.

Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha has been in good nick as well picking up 10 wickets in six matches.

Chennai’s bowling, however, lacks the bite with the exception of star off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who has taken five wickets in the five matches he has played.

Left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati, however, sizzled against the Daredevils on Saturday, picking four wickets and Dhoni would be tempted to go in with a two-pronged spin attack again.

Chennai has the momentum going into the match but if Gilchrist and Gibbs click, Deccan might just race away with the game. — PTI

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