12 May,2011 06:33 AM IST | | Sai Mohan
The last time Chennai Super Kings lost a home tie was against their latest opponents, Delhi Daredevils, here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on April 15, 2010. While nine out of 11 players from that Chennai side take the field today, Delhi have 10 new players besides David Warner, a brand new skipper, and little hope of qualifying to the playoffs.
Delhi Daredevils' skipper Virender Sehwag during an IPL match against
Mumbai Indians at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi recently. pic/afp
While a win for Chennai will almost guarantee them a place in the playoffs, a loss for Delhi would mathematically rule out any possibility of them finishing in the top four. Daredevils coach Greg Shipperd feels that Virender Sehwag's abrupt exit from the Indian Premier League (IPL) is being received positively by his camp: "Viru will be a huge loss for us as he is the holder of Orange cap.u00a0 He fired in each of our wins, will be sadly missed as both captain and batsman.u00a0 Having said that, it's time for us to assess which player can handle pressure. Next three games are important from the franchise point of view to establish, who would be committed to and which player will get the opportunity," he said, before hinting that Irfan Pathan could be asked to move up the order: "Pathan is a solid figure in the team and he will be given more opportunities in the next three games. He has been playing in middle (order) instead of setting up in building a total for our team. He is prepared very well and perhaps requires some more chances to excel."
Despite odds stacked heavily against James Hopes & Co, Chennai bowling coach Andy Bichel has warned his side against complacency. "The makeup of their team has changed a lot from last year, but I think they are still a dangerous side. It's a big loss for them to lose their leader (Sehwag), but it will probably inspire the others to step up to the mark. We want to continue playing the way we have at home," said Bichel, as his side attempt to win their sixth consecutive home game this season.
Bichel confirmed that off-spinner Suraj Randiv would be playing his final game before travelling to England tomorrow. "He will be missed a lot, but Dwayne Bravo coming in has helped us a lot. Bravo balances the side beautifully with his lower-order batting. He's been a great buy for us, and has already made an impact," said Bichel.
Taking an indirect swipe at Rajasthan Royals, Bichel said that pitches in the IPL must be uniform. "When IPL started, flat wickets and short boundaries is what sold the product. That's what the game has been built on, and I think it's important for the organisers to stick to guidelines, the concept of home and away is not so much," he said.
