2014 IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders will have a tough task at hand when they lock horns with the formidable Chennai Super Kings in the opening Group A match of Oppo Champions League T20 here on Wednesday.
2014 IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders will have a tough task at hand when they lock horns with the formidable Chennai Super Kings in the opening Group A match of Oppo Champions League T20 here on Wednesday.
The Shahrukh Khan-owned, KKR is raring to go for the kill in the Champions League as they have never lifted the coveted trophy. On the other hand, MS Dhoni’s ‘Yellow Brigade’ will look to mark a stamp of authority in the tourney with a victory.
So will prevail in the contest? Well, these intriguing battles between the two colossal teams will decide the outcome of the opening CLT20 match. Take a look:
Gautam Gambhir vs. Ravindra Jadeja
KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir may be a good player of spin but the southpaw has some deficiencies especially against left-arm spinners. That’s where Ravindra Jadeja comes into play and the former will have some task cut out against the Delhi-batsman, who will look to make amends for the English tour failures.
MS Dhoni vs. Umesh Yadav
Umesh Yadav didn’t get a single game on English shores but had a successful stint on the India A tour to Australia. With pace upfront, Umesh will be looking to clean up the formidable CSK batting line-up especially MS Dhoni, who is known to be a clean hitter of the cricket ball. Dhoni’s sixes and fours are unstoppable but Umesh Yadav have some strategies up his sleeve to dismantle the Indian skipper.
Yusuf Pathan vs. Ravichandran Ashwin
When Yusuf Pathan sets in, expect a blitzkrieg! The Baroda mauler has a huge range of shots that can dismantle any opposition. Set for the T20 mode, Yusuf Pathan was one of many reasons why KKR won the 2014 IPL title. But in opposition, Ravi Ashwin knows Pathan’s secret and may look to send back the batsman early in this blockbuster contest.
Dwayne Smith vs. Piyush Chawla
Another contest of spin and bat to look forward for is that of West Indian powerhouse, Dwayne Smith and KKR’s spin magician, Piyush Chawla. CSK have a lot to thank to Smith’s blistering batting at the top of the order but it could come to a halt if Piyush Chawla comes to the party.
Suresh Raina vs. Sunil Narine
The best batsman in India versus the best spinner in the T20 format – Suresh Raina and Sunil Narine can make sure that there is no stone unturned of a superb battle between a ball and the bat. If Raina gets into his groove, Narine will have to take a step ahead to stop the CSK’s dashing southpaw.
Watchout for these superb battles as Chennai Super Kings battle it out with the IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders in a T20 battle!
