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Will the Super Kings rule?
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Chennai Super Kings are confident of rising to the Indian Premier League challenge. But what are their strengths and weaknesses? Read on…
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Photo: R.Ragu
LOOKING AHEAD Chennai Super Kings players Mike Hussey (right), Stephen Fleming and Jacob Oram during a practice session at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium
Chennai Super Kings is eyeing the Indian Premier League challenge with belief and confidence. The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side is a blend of experience and youth.
What are the strengths and shortcomings of the Super Kings? Let’s analyse the squad here for some possible answers.
Strengths: The side is not short of batting firepower. Dhoni and Jacob Oram are explosive strikers of the ball. They can clear the ground effortlessly; change the course of matches in a matter of a few minutes. Albie Morkel too can dump the ball into the stands. A side with six hitters starts with an advantage in Twenty20 cricket.
Matthew Hayden can consolidate and cut loose at the top of the order. The big man is at home on the sub-continental tracks, can disrupt the rhythm of attacks. Stephen Fleming, a clever manipulator of the ball, could find a place in the top three slots. Michael Hussey’s finishing skills with dabs and drives, cuts and flicks are well-known. Like Michael Bevan, he can absorb pressure, has an instinctive ability to drill the ball through the empty spaces. If Hussey can rotate the strike, the heavy hitters can inflict considerable damage at the other end.
The side has batting depth. An in-form Suresh Raina can scintillate and score. Parthiv Patel has been striking the ball with increasing confidence this season. Subramanium Badrinath’s ability to accelerate the run-rate with proper cricketing shots or innovate is grossly under-rated. Young Anirudh Srikkanth and Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan are both aggressive openers who should relish the shortest format of cricket.
The line-up is dominated by left-handers, can pose searching questions to the bowlers.
Now, to bowling. Muttiah Muralitharan’s four overs could alter scripts. The off-spinner’s flight, turn, guile and variations apart from his ability to read the flow of the game could spell trouble for the batsmen. A Mkhaya Ntini can make inroads with the new ball.
Dhoni has led well in the opportunities he has been provided with. The side also has an astute cricketing mind in Fleming. Coach Kepler Wessels will not be short of inputs from senior cricketers.
The Super Kings should be sharp on the field and the youthful energy and exuberance of Raina could lift the team.
Problems and weaknesses: The Super Kings will have problems managing the overseas cricketers. Hayden, Hussey and Oram will be available only for the first four games before they set off to represent their countries. Someone as influential as Hayden will be hard to replace.
And Ntini and Morkel will miss the first three games. One of the major challenges for Wessels would be to find men for similar roles without affecting the balance of the side.
Super Kings is short on the pace bowling front. Ntini will be missing for the early part and it remains to be seen how much load comeback man L. Balaji’s body can withstand as and when he is drafted into the eleven. Oram can be handy with his off-stump line and natural bounce but the side will not have his services for the last ten games.
With his lively pace and lift, the big and strong Manpreet Singh Goni holds promise. However, he lacks experience on the bigger stages. The Super Kings would require a reliable pace bowler at the death. Can Joginder Sharma repeat his World Championship heroics?
One of the options for the side would be to take the pace off the ball. In other words, rely on spin. While Muralitharan looms large, offie R. Ashwin and left-armer Shadab Jakati are the other spin options for the side. How will the youngsters respond to the varying situations?
The days ahead bristle with possibilities.
S. DINAKAR
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