KKR - Can they Bounce back?

From Buchanan's Notebook -



The weather forecast seems to say that there won't be any rain tomorrow. So there is no chance of getting 'One' assured point. We have to play for 'Two' points then and my strategy will be geared for that. After trimming down the squad from 54 to 20 I have a better feel of the team. The options are now limited and there is less scope of confusion. I don't have more than 2 players for each postion and I can choose a player by flipping a coin. Like who should go at No.3, Heads - Ganguly and Tails - Hodge. Ohh!! Its so easy. Who should be the spinner Ajantha or Murali, again a flip of the coin. As I say in my lectures to the corporate honchos - "Being Decisive is the key to success". When you can decide by flipping a coin why waste time? And there is 50% probability that your decision will be right. Not bad at all.

- x -

I tried to predict the KKR team before the Chennai match but rain played a spoil sport. There is no prediction for rain tomorrow and it seems we are going to have a full match tomorrow. Mumbai Indians, though losing to Deccan Chargers in their previous match still looks the more balanced side of the two. Their team has a settled look and I don't think there would be much change in their team. They are waiting for Jayasuriya to fire at the top of the order, and KKR Fans will hope he will not choose tomorrow match to find his form back. Sachin is in a good nick and JP Duminy also played well. Their bowlers are in a fabulous form with Malinga looking threatening and Zaheer and Harbhajan very solid. Kolkata on the other hand didn't get a chance to test their strengths and weaknesses against Chennai, so they will have to think the Rajasthan match as their staring point. I was hoping Akash Chopra will be given the opening slot and McCullum coming down the order to give the middle order some boost, but the team management has send him back. Real moral boosting strategy I must say, that too in the middle of the tournament. The owners and the team management are more concerned about the blogger, FakeIPLPlayer and him revealing strategies of the team. Someone should tell Mr. Buchanan that Shane Warne didn't read the blog before deciding that Kamran Khan should bowl the Super Over.

It seems that Wriddhiman Saha will probably get a match tomorrow. He opened the batting on few occassion last year, and it won't be a bad idea giving him the slot back. I still think having a solid start and keeping wickets in hand is a better idea, than hopping Mccullum and Gayle will fire at the top and win the match in the first 8-10 overs. It seems Buchanans entire strategy was based on this happening every time. Moshraffe Murtaza should be included as he can bat a bit, so that will put Ajantha Mendis on the bench. Murali Kartik and Gayle can share the spinners role.