T&T look to arrest the slide (Preview)

There is something about the IPL and Champions League holders Chennai Super Kings that makes them a class apart. Under MS Dhoni’s stewardship, the Kings know a thing or two about how to pull off miraculous victories. On Wednesday, the reigning champions were well on their way for the second consecutive defeat at their fortress, Chepauk, but, found a way to win the game.

Chasing a target of 146, the IPL champions were all dead losing five wickets for 77 in twelve overs before Dwayne Bravo intervened to tilt the table to Chennai’s favour. The West Indian all-rounder made sure his side’s chances aren’t buried cracking a 25-ball 46 to script a thrilling victory. Courtesy their win against Cobras, Chennai are stationed at the third spot in the group A points table with two games under their belt. Out of those two games, Chennai play Trinidad and Tobago on their home turf Monday.

The West Indian domestic twenty-20 champions T&T have had two heart-breakers thus far. Both the games in the main draw have ended in confidence denting defeats for a side laced with high entertaining quotient. Mumbai Indians’ tail-enders did them in the first game and it was Moises Henriques who won it for the New South Wales Blues in the Super Over to push T&T to the bottom of the points table.

T&T batsmen have failed to put up substantial scores handicapping their side’s chances of going deep into the tournament. Their love for big or glory shots have cost them far too many wickets upfront. Consequently big scores have eluded them, and, despite, bowlers giving everything to defend below par scores, the side has lacked that extra punch to cross the final hurdle.

A poor piece of captaincy last ball of the match against Mumbai, when Darren Ganga decided to leave the field wide open to give Mumbai’s number eleven luxury to collect two runs, cost them the first game. Two forgettable overs from ace pacer Ravi Rampaul-final and super over-denied them two points against the NSW Blues.

For T&T to get off the mark and keep their semi-final hopes alive, their batsmen-top order in particular- need put price tag on their wickets and play long innings. The big total would give their bowlers something to bowl at. Their spinners can be more than handful on a turning Chepauk pitch to make life difficult for opposition.

Chennai, at their home turf, isn’t going to be an easy challenge though. The team is an absolute champion side at their home station having lost only one game in last ten games at Chepauk. In-form Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Albie Morkel and Bravo are all capable of winning any cricket match on their own.

What makes things easier for Dhoni on the field is that he has plenty of bowling-both in fast and spin department- options to turn to when his top guns fail. R Ashwin and Shadab Jakati are hard to get away on the turning pitches.

All said and done, Dhoni’s men are hot favourites to win the contest. The Caribbean side, though, will back themselves to stage an upset.

Chennai: S Badrinath, Doug Bollinger, R Ashwin, MS Dhoni (c)(Wk), Shadab Jakati, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Albie Morkel, Wriddhiman Saha, Suraj Randiv, S Anirudha, Dwayne Bravo, Scott Styris, M Vijay, Nuwan Kulasekera.

Trinidad and Tobago: Samuel Badree, Adrian Barath, Darren Bravo, Kevon Cooper, Rayad Emrit, Daren Ganga (C), Sherwin Ganga, Shannon Gabriel, Jason Mohammed, Dave Mohammed, Sunil Narine, William Perkins, Denesh Ramdin, Ravindranath Rampaul, Lendl Simmons.