Mumbai, March 24: Having regained the winning momentum with a superb display against Kolkata Knight Riders two days ago, Sachin Tendulkar-inspired Mumbai Indians are holding all top cards in the deck going into their fifth Indian Premier League match against Chennai Super Kings here tomorrow.
With in-form Tendulkar leading from the front in batting and the home team’s bowling looking potent with two other top Indian stars Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh spearheading it, they appear to carry too many guns for the liking of the
struggling visitors.
Tendulkar’s two masterly half-centuries towards winning causes �- against Delhi Daredevils at the Ferozeshah Kotla and at the Brabourne Stadium here on Monday -� have shown very clearly that he holds the key in batting for Mumbai Indians.
The big thing about the hosts’ display thus far has been the fact that their foreign recruits have been just support actors in the MI batting order with youngsters like Saurabh Tiwary and Ambati Rayudu rising up to the challenge splendidly
to give excellent support to their captain’s endeavour.
The trio’s superb display thus far has ensured MI keep its foot on the accelerator in the race to reach the semifinal despite the poor form of Sanath Jayasuriya, who had to be
omitted in their previous clash and replaced with Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order.
West Indians Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard have threatened to break loose after joining the Mumbai franchise at the conclusion of their international engagements at home, but have not really set the Brabourne Stadium on fire yet.
With Zaheer and Harbhajan doing their jobs well along with Sri Lanka’s sling-arm pacer Lasith Malinga, who has been brilliant at the fag end of the innings, MI have managed to forge a good bowling combination too to keep the opposition
run-rate within manageable proportions.
The fielding has been a bit inconsistent even with South African fielding expert Jonty Rhodes in the support staff but this has not so far denied them victory where they deserved it.
MI are in second position just behind leaders Royal Challengers Bangalore in the table with six points from four ties, their lone defeat significantly coming against the
latter.
They would be eager to maintain their running start in the cash-rich League and book the last-four berth at the earliest. The hosts are also fortunate to have avoided
traveling outside for their matches after returning from Delhi.
The massive crowd support at the Cricket Club of India is also working in Mumbai Indians’ favour and their chief coach Robin Singh being a former Tamil Nadu player could also be to the MI’s advantage.
Super Kings were clearly missing Mahendra Singh Dhoni both as captain and as player who galvanises their clueless middle-order batting.
The injury to the India skipper after they had the early momentum has greatly upset the Chennai franchise’s plans.
Dhoni is to reach Mumbai ahead of the match and his fitness will be assessed tomorrow, according to sources in the CSK management.
The India captain has not played for the franchise after getting hit under his elbow by an express delivery from New Zealand pace ace Shane Bond in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders on March 16.
Without Dhoni’s power-hitting, the middle order has just drifted along with neither Murali Vijay (53 runs in five innings) nor Subramaniam Badrinath (95 in five) appearing to be capable of taking the opposition bowlers by the scruff.
The return of India stumper to lead their campaign is, thus, eagerly awaited by the Chennai franchise.
Without Dhoni, CSK have become too dependent on Australian tyro Matthew Hayden and his Mongoose bat and the moment the former Test opener departs the wheel comes off their vehicle despite the best efforts of stand-in skipper Suresh Raina.
They are also missing current Australian batsman Michael Hussey, who is busy with international commitments presently, and injured all-rounders Andrew Flintoff and Jacob Oram, who are not part of their campaign this year.
Albie Morkel has not been able to plug the gap effectively while the injury to Justin Kemp has not helped them either.
The visitors might be tempted to include C Ganapathy in place of the under-performing Vijay or Badrinath to try and get things going in the end overs of batting and pacer Makhaya Ntini to have better fire-power at their disposal at the start
of the rival innings.
The CSK bowling also lacks a good death bowler to support the superb efforts of Sri Lanka ace Mutthiah Muralitharan. It was shown in the way Laxmipathy Balaji was hammered for a spate of sixes and fours by RCB’s Robin Uthappa in last
night’s clash in Bangalore.
From a winning position, the Super Kings lost their way against the struggling Kings XI Punjab at home leading to the Super Over defeat on Sunday night.
Having played last night at Bangalore, it would be tough on them physically too to travel to Mumbai to play their third match in five days.
CSK were fourth with four points from five matches after losing to RCB and the situation may change depending on tonight’s clash between the two bottom-placed teams King’s XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals at Mohali.
—Agencies