Teams in the initial phase of the 15th Indian Premier League are thus far adhering to a simple formula, to win the toss and put the opponents in to bat.
All the first four results in the early part of this season have gone in favour of the teams chasing a target, including in a day match. No one has put it more succinctly than new skipper of the title holders Chennai Super Kings, Ravindra Jadeja.
“Dew will be the vital part in this edition. If you win the toss, you will look to bowl first”, he said after his team lost to former champions Kolkata Knight Riders in the lung opener at the Wankhede Stadium on March 26.
Mantra for success
The script as far as the decision to field first is concerned is expected to remain the same when Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore take on KKR, captained by Shreyas Iyer, at the D Y Patil Stadium today under lights.
KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer. Pic/PTI
While RCB will come off a defeat to Punjab Kings at the same venue on Sunday last, KKR will have their confidence on a slightly higher level after having won their opening game against defending champions CSK at the Wankhede Stadium.
Significantly it was KKR which halted RCB’s progress in the play-off phase last season and their head-to-head record is 16-13 in favour of two-time champions KKR.
The teams look evenly balanced on paper and whoever bats first will be aiming to take the dew factor out of the game by scoring big. Both teams are aware that even the total of 205 put up by RCB against PBKS at this venue was comfortably overtaken by the latter.
But the southern franchise’s bowlers were also guilty of contributing to the defeat by conceding 22 wides off 11 misdirected deliveries. “We literally bowled 11 wides [leading to 22 extra runs], some of which went for boundaries. We bowled almost two extra overs. That put us back in the game,” said RCB head coach Sanjay Bangar after the lost opening game.
A course correction on this count would have been advised to the bowlers one of who, Mohammed Siraj, had an off day as he was smashed for 59 runs and also contributed 14 wide runs.
Shahbaz Ahmed bowled only one over and Bangar said he will be given more work as a bowler as the tournament progresses. “On this wicket the wrist spinners got a little more turn as you must have seen Rahul Chahar [of PBKS] bowl and we had [Wanindu] Hazaranga bowling well for us. As the tournament goes forward , we will try to use him more”, said the former India all rounder.
Du Plessis, as the new captain in place of Virat Kohli, had led from the front and blitzed his way to 88, smoking seven sixes on the way, after a measured start. The former South Africa captain and Kohli are the team’s main batsmen at present.
Rahane in form for KKR
KKR, at the other end, won a low-scoring game against CSK. They chased the target of 131 with a measure of comfort. What must be pleasing for the team’s think-tank was the attacking display put up by the seasoned Ajinkya Rahane who was not afraid to take the aerial route while making 44 in 34 balls to set the team on the way.
Rahane, last year’s success Venkatesh Iyer and captain Iyer appear to be the batsmen to watch out for by their opponents, other than Andre Russell lower down.
They also have the unorthodox Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy to apply the brakes in the middle overs, apart from Russell to bowl in the end.
