Chennai face ‘invincible at home’ Rajasthan in first semifinal today
There are many reasons for you to get to the Sawai Man Singh stadium here in Jaipur or turn on your television sets on Friday night when Rajasthan Royals take on Chennai Super Kings in the first semi-final of ClT20.
For starters, it might be the last that you see of Rahul Dravid with the bat if his captain counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni has his way. On the contrary, a Royals win would mean that India’s most consistent franchise, CSK, would be without a title for over two years now, their last win being the IPl trophy in 2011. Are CSK losing the plotIJ
Then, the bright blue kit of the home side is perhaps the only colour in which Shane Watson is consistent and league cricket’s WMD. In his national colours, he has disappointed more than stood out, a Test match average of 36.12 over 46 matches justifies that.
There is Dhoni who is Indian cricket’s poster boy with ‘anything is possible when he’s at the crease’ cliché used aptly.
Friday would also feature two Australians who remind us of the yesteryear invincibles though both of them — Chennai’s Michael Hussey and Rajasthan’s Brad Hodge — many believe should have played much more than they did for their national sides.
With the India-Australia series coming up, you can see the core of the Indian team, Dhoni, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina in action. They can brush up their skills for the challenge that lies ahead. Aussies Watson and James Faulkner can make good use of their time at Jaipur as a one day international is scheduled for the Pink City.
Then, there are Rajasthan’s youngsters Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson, who none other than Brian Charles lara praised the other day.
For the number crunchers, you have a 12-match home winning streak of the Royals at stake, four from ClT20 to go with eight from IPl 2013. “We have played so many matches here and we have got used to the surface. We know the conditions well and can use them to good effect. I think Chennai should be worried as they are playing against us here,” Rajasthan’s own Ashok Menaria, who turned up for the pre-match press conference here on Thursday told media persons.
But if there is one team which can breach the Royals citadel, it is Chennai, who have been a part of every ClT20 while this is Royals’ first. Incidentally, it was these two teams that were to be a part of the inaugural ClT20 in 2008 by virtue of being IPl finalists. The tournament was called off due to 26/11 Mumbai attack.
But what is intriguing is that throughout this year’s IPl and the four matches of this tournament, Royals have looked like the side that won the 2008 champions, even if some of their players have been charged with allegations of spot-fixing. So if they ever were good enough to be champion of champions, it’s perhaps this year, their first ClT20 and we know what they can do in the first attempt.
In Chennai they face regulars, apart from missing the 2009 edition, and 2010 champions.
So Friday is a fight between well-balanced and stable teams, Rajasthan keep fighting till the end while Chennai thrive on not even taking it to the end.
So even if in its fifth year, Champions league may not have caught our imagination — one can barely remember the defending champions — being reminiscent of that but the 2013 semi-final has a something to offer.
Perhaps Menaria’s words on a question on strategy for the semis tie sum up the idea of Champions league. “We are not doing anything special for them on the preparation front. We’ll continue to play in the manner as we have been doing,” the local boy explained.
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