CLT20 2014: The Pat Cummins factor and 4-match rounds
Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders
With Dwayne Bravo back, Chennai Super Kings’ four overseas players pick themselves: Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Faf du Plessis and Bravo himself. While as much as MS Dhoni would like to believe that this brings the balance to his team, nothing would make the team complete till the CSK think-tank understands that they need a top-class fast bowler who is adept at the death. Something that Doug Bollinger at his peak did for the Chennai-based franchise; no wonder that it is in that year they won the double: IPL and CLT20 in 2010. Managing to scrap their way to one more title with a half-good Bollinger the next year, they never reached the high, again: The connect is obvious here.
They have managed to finish in the top 4 year in, year out, yes. But since when did finishing in the top 4 in a league of 8-9 teams became an achievement? Also, when a good number of the teams haven’t yet cracked the code of approaching a T20 game. All that for another day.
Coming back to our fixture, this batting line-up of the Super Kings’ with the addition of Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni could make Kolkata Knight Riders bleed heavily on that Hyderabad deck, which was an absolute belter last year and should ideally remain that way again, if they don’t include Pat Cummins.
The Pat Cummins trump card
While Shakib Al Hasan’s loss can’t be compensated, I don’t really see Morne Morkel’s absence as a blow to the Knight Riders’ hopes. Morne has never been a dependable option at the death; his lengths are more suited to bowl up front in LOIs. So, if anything, Cummins’ pace, swing and the ability to fire yorkers in at a decent rate is only going to make the bowling attack better. The question, though, is will Gautam Gambhir pick him in the playing 11?
You wouldn’t be surprised if Andre Russell gets the nod ahead of him, after watching how these teams have gone around with their tactics all this while; would you? Now that Shakib wouldn’t be playing, it also makes way for Jacques Kallis to be back in the team. That would mean KKR could think that they have got two overseas fast bowling options and opt to leave Cummins out. That doesn’t make sense, yes, but making sense is the last thing these teams would think of. We have seen it before, and we could see it again.
If Cummins plays, with the early assistance in that deck, chances of him scalping one of McCullum and Smith or even both of them are very high. Suresh Raina wouldn’t fair any better, either. But you can’t leave the entire top 3 just because they are not capable of handling one bowler, so I would have Raina in: the safest of all and multi-dimensional. For all the talk about Du Plessis’ form, none of his innings came while batting at No. 4 in a T20 game. To make it even worse, he could be demoted in favour of someone like Ravindra Jadeja or Dhoni according to the match situation. There is too much unstability down the order, which rules all of them out.
I don’t usually look at Super Kings’ bowling options, especially when the match is on a flat wicket. It isn’t different time time around, either. Bravo would be a safe pick if Du Plessis isn’t playing, but now that he slots in at No. 4 and Dhoni’s inclination to promote himself on occasions mean that the Caribbean could primarliy be used as a bowler, not worthy enough of a spot, more so at 1,050,000.
As far as the Knight Riders are concerned, Robin Uthappa, despite the massive flop show in Australia just as expected, will make his way into my team. There is a difference between being out of form and being out-classed. I believe Uthappa was out-classed Down Under as an opener. In familiar conditions, he should be back to his best. While Sunil Narine can’t be expected to be amongst the wickets, the way he is being used – 3 at the death – could give him a couple of cheap scalps. Even if it doesn’t, he is always a safe option, returning 50-60 points even on his bad days.
Kallis is past his best and won’t be opening, while Ryan ten Doeschate is under-utilised by the Knights for years now. The others don’t exude confidence
Cummins, if selected, will walk in, as well. If not, that is it: 3 players from both the teams.
Captaincy pick: Robin Uthappa