Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist. The two ‘retired' skippers in the Indian Premier League know each other's minds, as well as game, too well.
Having been part of the all-conquering Australian team that dominated the game for over a decade, these players know what it means to make winning a habit.
It is only due to the shortest format of the game that the lovers of the game still get to see these two stalwarts still in action. In the context of the IPL, the two battle-hardened professionals know how it feels to lift the winner's shield.
The two are more than just captains. They are leaders who command respect of their teammates, irrespective of the nationality.
These tacticians have led by example and motivated the younger and little-known players to perform to the optimum. The results in the past three years are for all to see.
On Thursday, these highly combative individuals and team-men go out for the toss at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium with contrasting levels of confidence.
If a happy Gilchrist and his men are well-rested after Kings XI Punjab's two successive chase-downs, on-the-hop Warne has a few reasons to be worried about.
After two wins at the start, Rajasthan Royals lost twice in the space of three days to Kolkata Knight Riders.
The abandoned match against host Royal Challengers Bangalore did not help the confidence of the team but surely brought in an unscheduled, but much-needed, rest.
Though all teams, at some point in time in the league, are made to face hectic travel in this competition, Royals is at the end of its four-match blitz in seven days. It would surely like to return to Jaipur, for the next two games, armed with a victory here. Looking for a third victory, Kings and Royals are evenly matched. The presence of the Aussie trio — Warne, Shaun Tait and all-rounder Shane Watson plus South African Johan Botha — clearly gives Royals' bowling a look of assurance.
But then, all are unlikely to play in one game since it leaves no room for a potential game-changer like Ross Taylor.
The batting debacle in Kolkata means Warne's thoughts will firmly be on strengthening the middle-order. Should a fit-again Rahul Dravid return to action, the top-order gets the muscle it currently lacks!
Taylor could be promoted in the batting order since the trio of opener Amit Paunikar, Faiz Fazal and Abhishek Raut has not inspired much confidence. On the brighter side, big-hitting Ashok Menaria holds the promise of turning the match on its head.
Having tamed the 2010 champion Chennai Super Kings and 2009 winner Deccan Chargers, Kings will be looking to make a hat-trick of triumphs by stopping the triumphant team of 2008.
Paul Valthaty, too, will be keen to complete a unique hat-trick of Man-of-the-Match awards against all champion IPL teams.
Valthaty's discovery has lent Kings' top-order a surprise edge, with the first-choice opener Shaun Marsh offering Gilchrist more flexibility. Abhishek Nayar, Dinesh Karthik, Sunny Singh and Ryan McLaren can all bat well. David Hussey is waiting for his turn to join the action. Should Hussey replace Marsh, Gilchrist can well retain the services of fast bowlers McLaren and Ryan Harris.
The placid pitch is ready to throw up another high-scoring match.
Intermittent showers in the past couple of days have brought down the temperatures in the region.
But Warne and his men might well feel the heat once Kings fans throng the stadium to enjoy this intriguing clash, rich in Aussie flavour.
