Two teams with contrasting starts in IPL-3 face off in what can be a cracker of a game at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday night. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be riding on the crest of twin victories when they take on Chennai Super Kings, who went down tamely to Deccan Chargers in their opener on Sunday.
It will also be a face-off between two of India’s most successful captains. Bold decisions and aggressive body language have been the cornerstone of Sourav Ganguly’s success, while MS Dhoni’s man-management skills have made Team India one of the most formidable sides in world cricket.
Dhoni is now having to marshal forces in Chennai Super Kings, who looked rusty during their 31-run defeat to Deccan Chargers at home. Dhoni would need to pep up the pacers, who looked off colour at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. George Bailey, the Tasmania skipper with loads of domestic runs under his belt, has joined the squad, but it remains to be seen if he can force a berth in the CSK XI straightaway.
Even as CSK worry over getting their combination right, hosts KKR have a problem of plenty. These are early days in the competition and the team management is rightly not willing to go overboard on the win-win start. It’s time to build on the positives, the most important of them being the performance by Sri Lankan Angelo Mathews. He has already shown his match-winning qualities, both with the bat and ball.
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