Delhi Daredevils eye revenge against Pune Warriors
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It has been a story of so near and yet so far for teh Deccan Chargers, who have almost — but not quite — managed to rack up their first win of the season in four of five matches so far.
Taking into account the Kolkata Knight Riders’ tendency of making a mess while chasing low totals, the Chargers had certainly toiled hard to thwart the former till the very last over the other night in Cuttack.
The Bulls, however, will have another crack at the Knights as the two teams resume their battle on Tuesday here at Eden Gardens.
Given the slow and sluggish nature of the Eden track, both sides will be weighing their options carefully and focusing on a proper combination.
For the Chargers, the inability to finish things off has been their biggest problem this season.
In almost all of their five matches so far, DC were well poised for a win, but could not seize the opportunities when it mattered.
Repetition of elementary mistakes, especially while fielding, has allowed their opponents to breathe easy and re-gather momentum.
Their bowling attack too would have borne an even more potent look if spearhead Dale Steyn had found some support from the other end.
Besides, Deccan may think of promoting the in-form Jean Paul Duminy up the order, which helps him settle down nicely before getting ready to launch towards the end.
Importantly, captain Kumar Sangakkara’s stay at the crease too needs to be longer as his untimely dismissal provides opponents with a boost early on.
For the Knight Riders, it may not be unwise if they ponder over replacing the mis-firing Brendon McCullum with Eoin Morgan.
In addition, persisting with an awfully out of sorts Yusuf Pathan needs to be given a re-think before things become too critical for the team.
The hosts’ major concern this season has been the middle overs, where they struggled to accumulate runs on losing skipper Gautam Gambhir early. It is not that KKR lack stroke players, but Jacques Kallis, Manoj Tiwary and the like have not clicked in unison so far.
Basically, the batting has kept Kolkata worried, especially after their previous home match against Kings XI Punjab and at the Barabati Stadium, where they limped home in pursuit of just a 127-run target.
Key player : Deccan chargers: Kumar Sangakkara
With Chargers having lost all five matches so far, Sangakkara will be desperate to come up with a captain’s knock. A feisty effort from the skipper will instill confidence amongst his team-mates.
Key player : Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir
With both McCullum and Pathan mis-firing, Gambhir’s ability to cut loose at any period of play calls for longer stays in the middle. The skipper will play a key role for KKR.
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