Super Sunday: Sehwag versus his idol, Sachin (Preview)

PREVIEW

IPL 2011

4th Match

Delhi versus Mumbai

Venue: Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

The beauty of club cricket remains in the fact that it can pitch you against dearest of your teammates, friends and even the one you have admired throughout your life. Sunday’s first IPL fixture at Ferozshah Kotla will offer fans a chance to see two champion cricketers of India-Sachin Tendulkar and Virendar Sehwag-pitted against each other as both captain their respective franchises.

Sehwag has all along maintained that he loves watching his idol Sachin bat whether at other end or on TV and, in a way, has cloned his batting style as that of Sachin. There will be no place such feelings on Sunday as both will have only one thing in mind-to win the encounter.

Sehwag is back at the helm of affairs after relinquishing the same last season only to get it back this season and will have Sachin’s Mumbai team as their first hurdle.  This Delhi team opted for some bits and pieces cricketers instead of players having a star value. After not performing to their potential in first three seasons ,this new look Delhi side will be keen to make amends and Sehwag, for sure, will have a big say in that pursuit both with the bat and leadership.

Delhi will a huge task on their hands on Sunday as they meet red hot favorites Mumbai which posses a half a dozen big match players who can win a game from any situation. What makes Mumbai, runner-ups in the last season, a strong title contenders can be derived from the fact there seems to all the bases required in twenty-twenty cricket covered. There is world’s best batsman in Sachin himself, one of the best limited overs bowlers going around, Lasith Malinga, two of the big hitters in Andrew Symonds and Kieran Pollard, ace Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and what not.

For any situation they have the arsenal to bail them out and are boosted by the fact the some of the local big talent, none better than Rohit Sharma has been bagged by the Mumbai. What would work in Mumbai’s favour is that they were able to retain fulcrum of the side that played last season.

The duel between Sachin and Sehwag may be the major attraction on Ferozshah Kotla but it will be Mumbai that start the clear favorites.

DELHI

It is the team packed with all-rounders and some explosive batsmen including skipper Sehwag and Australian David Warner. There are so many youngsters that should make it a good fielding side.

If anything, Delhi lacks bowlers who can bowl when the slog is on. Barring Morne Morkel, team doesn’t boast of a bowler who can generate some pace and opposite teams in trouble.

Players who can make impact….

Irfan Pathan…Once a poster boy of Indian cricket, this bowling all-rounder faded to oblivion and lost his place in national team. His pace and swing has dwindled and things were made worse with fitness problems. IPL, 2011 provides refreshed Irfan a chance to make a comeback by putting some solid performance with both bat and ball. He has the ingredients to make an impact at this stage as he has done in the past.

David Warner… Pocket size dynamite, this left hander has ability to tear apart any bowling side in the world. He has the shots and innovations up his sleeve to get runs and get them in an aggressive fashion. His partnership with another dashing batsman Sehwag can well turn out to be one of the dominating ones in the tournament.

SQUAD

Aaron Finch, Aavishkar Salvi, Ajit Agarkar, Ajit Chandila, Andrew McDonald, Ashok Dinda, Colin Ingram, David Warner, Irfan Pathan, James Hopes, Matthew Wade (wk), Morne Morkel, Naman Ojha (wk), Prashant Naik, Rajesh Pawar, Robert Frylinck, Robin Bist, Roelof van der Merwe, Shahbaz Nadeem , Sridharan Sriram, Tejashwi Yadav, Travis Birt, Umesh Yadav, Unmukt Chand, Varun Aaron, Venugopal Rao, Vikas Mishra, Virender Sehwag (c), Vivek Yadav,Yogesh Nagar

MUMBAI

Sachin led Mumbai is clearly is the strongest team in the tournament, surely on the paper. It posses what it takes to win the tournament. The likes of Symonds, Harbhajan, Malinga, Pollard and Sachin himself can win the games on their own.

If one dissects the squad, only problem one can see is the lack of bowler who partner Malinga at the death. It could well be off-spin of Bhajji that can fill that role as done by him in the past.

Players who can make impact…

Andrew Symonds…Former Australian batting all-rounder, Symonds needs no introduction to this format as he is a globe trotter when it comes playing t-2o cricket. No boundary is big enough for the giant of the man who can be a useful bowler and dynamic fielder as well. He gives to you that extra edge to the side as he can turn any match on his head.

Ambati Rayudu…once touted as a next big thing in Indian cricket, Rayudu, a stylish right handed batsman, lost his way, joined unofficial league and had to miss out three years seasons of domestic cricket. But Rayudu came back strongly to slot at the number three position in Mumbai team. Under Sachin’s guidance he can hone his skills to the desired levels and make most of the opportunity he gets this season.

SQUAD

Abu Nechim, Aditya Tare (wk), Aiden Blizzard, Ali Murtaza,  Ambati Rayudu, Andrew Symonds, Davy Jacobs, Dhawal Kulkarni, Harbhajan Singh, James Franklin, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Moises Henriques, Munaf Patel, Pawan Suyal, Rajagopal Sathish, Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar (c), Santosh Yadav, Sarul Kanwar, Tirumalsetti Suman, Yuzvendra Chahal