Deccan Chargers will have its task cut out when it takes on the formidable Mumbai Indians in a match of the IPL at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, here on Sunday.
The Chargers outfit has had mixed luck so far, but it has shown that when it plays in a consistent and co-ordinated manner, it is a force to reckon with. Coach Darren Lehmann is confident that the team's good performance will continue against Mumbai.
Lehmann's optimism is based on solid reasoning for it is true that Deccan Chargers does have the fire-power to pull off an upset against the fancied Mumbai outfit. What Chargers needs to do is to get its act together and play in a focussed and determined manner.
Also, a lot will depend on fielding the right combination of players. There is plenty of talent available, but making the right choices and picking the right men for the contest will play an important role in deciding the course of the battle.
For Chargers, the bulk of the responsibility will rest on skipper Kumar Sangakkara in the batting line-up. He has performed fairly well with the bat so far, but he knows that he needs to pile up a really big score to give his team's morale a boost.
To back him up are vice-captain Cameron White, the hard-hitting Shikhar Dhawan, Karnataka's Bharat Chipli and Sunny Sohal, the enterprising youngster from Punjab. Both Chipli and Sohal are in good form.
In bowling, paceman Dale Steyn is always a threat on any track and to support him there is Ishant Sharma — itching to prove himself once more against the big guns. Daniel Christian and Harmeet Singh came good against Delhi Daredevils, so Deccan Chargers should have no worry in the seam bowling department.
Coming to the spinners, Pragyan Ojha, winner of the purple cap in the previous edition, can be a difficult bowler to counter. So the Chargers' bowling attack looks good on paper, but it will have to function with great discipline and accuracy if it hopes to contain the rival batting — at the forefront of which is Sachin Tendulkar. The little maestro will probably be the biggest hurdle that the home team's bowlers will have to surmount.
Tendulkar's fame and popularity have added a new dimension to the excitement and anticipation among his fans who have been buying up tickets like never before. They are hoping that he will give them a treat with his bat on his birthday.
West Indian Kieron Pollard can be devastating when in form, while the presence of Hyderabad-based Ambati Rayudu could give the contest an interesting new twist. Rayudu's commitment and energy in everything that he does on the field makes him a very useful player.
In bowling, the experienced Lasith Malinga could prove to be a key factor and the Chargers batsmen will have to counter his pace and movement effectively if they expect to put up a good total.
Harbhajan Singh's experience and ability will add variety and strength to Mumbai's attack.
The crafty off-spinner must be high on confidence after his rich haul against Chennai Super Kings.
Finally, there is one aspect of the game that both teams will have to pay close attention to — the fielding.
In the Twenty20 format, more than in any other, good fielding is vital, and even a single dropped catch can make the difference between victory and defeat.
