The Hindu : Sport : Challengers’s confidence rekindled

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Challengers’s confidence rekindled

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

Kings XI will look to build on its recent momentum

— Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

OLD WARRIOR: Anil Kumble of Royal Challengers, at a practice session in Bangalore on Sunday, is part of a bowling attack which can test the best batting line-up.

Bangalore: Royal Challengers Bangalore managed to grab a breath in the DLF-Indian Premier League on Saturday with its three-run victory over Deccan Chargers but before the team can savour its hard fought victory, Monday night will pit the home side against Kings XI Punjab at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

With two wins and four points from six matches the team’s confidence has been rekindled by Saturday’s result. Royal Challengers skipper Rahul Dravid would hope that his team would continue its good form against Yuvraj Singh’s Kings XI.

Kings XI, after shrugging aside its opening two losses, has notched up four consecutive victories to gift endless dimples to franchise owner Preity Zinta.

Long practice session

On the eve of the match, Royal Challengers had a long practice session but as Dravid said in earlier press conferences, it is all about implementing the plans. Royal Challengers has a bowling attack — with the likes of Dale Steyn, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar and Anil Kumble — capable of testing any batting line-up.

However, the bowlers need the batsmen to create sudden impact, which has been missing in the home side’s ranks. And with Ross Taylor returning to New Zealand, the need for some raw power and shots that cannon onto the billboards has not been completely fulfilled.

Virat Kohli, who stepped into Taylor’s No. 3 slot, did promise to fill the gap with his cameo knock of 38 against Deccan Chargers but he needs to be consistent.

Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher, except for their knocks against Mumbai Indians in a winning cause, have inexplicably slumped though Wasim Jaffer’s new coat of aggression and Dravid’s hefty hits have lent a bit of hope to a team which has so far failed to intimidate rival bowling attacks.

Squaring up to Dravid’s men are Yuvraj’s Kings XI, which seems to have put the ‘slap-controversy’ firmly behind.

Marsh strikes form

The team, with opener Shaun Marsh striking form and with Yuvraj and Kumar Sangakkara being the impact players does hold a few aces, at least on paper. It also has the composed Mahela Jayawardene and the allround skills of Irfan Pathan to fall back on.

Kings XI will look to build on its recent momentum, which it has managed despite Brett Lee’s departure. In S. Sreesanth, V.R.V. Singh and Pathan, the team has a decent pace attack which can be handy on a pitch that has adequate bounce though a few balls did stop a bit on Saturday.

The teams (from):

Royal Challengers Bangalore: R. Dravid (capt.), J. Kallis, M. Boucher (wk), W. Jaffer, S. Chanderpaul, Cameron White, Misbah-ul-Haq, D. Steyn, V. Kohli, S. Goswami, A. Razzak, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, S. Joshi, B. Akhil, D. Patil and N.C. Aiyappa.

Kings XI Punjab: Yuvraj Singh (capt.), S. Marsh, R. Sarwan, K. Sangakkara, M. Jayawardene, K. Goel, Irfan Pathan, P. Chawla, S. Sreesanth, V.R.V. Singh, Gagandeep Singh, James Hopes and Luke Pomersbach.

Umpires: Steve Davis and Billy Doctrove; Third umpire: Suresh Shastri. Match Referee: Clive Lloyd.

Match starts at 8 p.m.

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