Chika Talk
Kris Srikkanth
Super Kings off to a royal beginning
April 21, 2008
My heartiest congratulations to the Chennai Super Kings for having kicked off their IPL campaign in thunderous style. Cricketers thrive on confidence and a good start is of paramount importance to the finest players.
It would only be stating the obvious if I were to say Mike Hussey played a sensational innings. What stood out was the calmness with which he proceeded. Even after the fall of Dhoni he remained unperturbed and his clarity of thinking sets him apart from the rest. His shot selection was immaculate and he was able to hit through the line, not hitting across wildly. It was a devastating innings yet there was very little risk involved.
The only time I thought when the Super Kings dressing room, or should I call it dug-out, would have been shaken was when Dhoni was dismissed. At 62/3, no one would have envisaged a score in excess of 200. Suresh Raina looked like he was having a net while S. Badrinath made all the difference between a healthy total and one that could not be surpassed. Badri's knock was crucial, he rotated the strike for the first few minutes he was in and then took charge, and all this happened within a few minutes. His ability to adapt was phenomenal.
Dhoni and his men would have certainly thought 241 was a target that was insurmountable but James Hopes and later Sangakkara kept them in the hunt with some very effective hitting. To their credit, the Super Kings maintained a positive body language. Their shoulders never drooped even under the ferocious onslaught. A few catches may have missed their clutches but the effort was always there.
I have always maintained spinners have a role to play in all formats. One has to look at wickets consistently to keep the run flow down and who better than Muralitharan to provide them. His last two overs made the difference in terms of margin. It was a closer game than the scorecard would suggest. Murali will have a pivotal role to play in the tournament. A big bonus for the Super Kings was Amarnath coming back. His wicket of Hopes at a crucial juncture shut out the game. It showed the youngster has it in him to succeed even against batsmen of international quality. I can only see him become better with experience. His catch off Yuvraj Singh was special. Taking skiers under lights can be very difficult, however easy they may seem to be on television. Amaranth maintained composure. If Yuvraj was to stay for another 15 minutes things would have got extremely tight.
With the next two games at home, the Chennai outfit could not have asked for anything better. They have to build on this win and keep marching forward. International players will come and go. Like all teams, Chennai will also lose a few players at some juncture during the event but it is important to keep the momentum going with what they have.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
It would only be stating the obvious if I were to say Mike Hussey played a sensational innings. What stood out was the calmness with which he proceeded. Even after the fall of Dhoni he remained unperturbed and his clarity of thinking sets him apart from the rest. His shot selection was immaculate and he was able to hit through the line, not hitting across wildly. It was a devastating innings yet there was very little risk involved.
The only time I thought when the Super Kings dressing room, or should I call it dug-out, would have been shaken was when Dhoni was dismissed. At 62/3, no one would have envisaged a score in excess of 200. Suresh Raina looked like he was having a net while S. Badrinath made all the difference between a healthy total and one that could not be surpassed. Badri's knock was crucial, he rotated the strike for the first few minutes he was in and then took charge, and all this happened within a few minutes. His ability to adapt was phenomenal.
Dhoni and his men would have certainly thought 241 was a target that was insurmountable but James Hopes and later Sangakkara kept them in the hunt with some very effective hitting. To their credit, the Super Kings maintained a positive body language. Their shoulders never drooped even under the ferocious onslaught. A few catches may have missed their clutches but the effort was always there.
I have always maintained spinners have a role to play in all formats. One has to look at wickets consistently to keep the run flow down and who better than Muralitharan to provide them. His last two overs made the difference in terms of margin. It was a closer game than the scorecard would suggest. Murali will have a pivotal role to play in the tournament. A big bonus for the Super Kings was Amarnath coming back. His wicket of Hopes at a crucial juncture shut out the game. It showed the youngster has it in him to succeed even against batsmen of international quality. I can only see him become better with experience. His catch off Yuvraj Singh was special. Taking skiers under lights can be very difficult, however easy they may seem to be on television. Amaranth maintained composure. If Yuvraj was to stay for another 15 minutes things would have got extremely tight.
With the next two games at home, the Chennai outfit could not have asked for anything better. They have to build on this win and keep marching forward. International players will come and go. Like all teams, Chennai will also lose a few players at some juncture during the event but it is important to keep the momentum going with what they have.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
