The jury is still out on the conflict of interest issue, but the Sourav Ganguly factor will be at play at the Eden on Friday evening.
The (Andre) Russell mania has driven Kolkata Knight Riders in this IPL, but against Delhi Capitals, it will be a different proposition. Whether the Eden will be a divided house is unclear, but Shah Rukh Khan and his knights will be hoping that the fans stay loyal to them.
The mind games may have started long before the two teams met at the Kotla, but Friday will also be about the tactics and application. With more than a tinge of green on the wicket, the Knight Riders could believe that it will work in favour of the visitors.
Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting couldn’t hide his glee at the pre-match media conference and hinted they might go in with a four-pronged pace attack. “Kagiso Rabada, Trent Boult, Ishant Sharma and Chris Morris as well… They might all play tomorrow (Friday). If we still see a little bit of grass on it tomorrow, then we have got some good fast bowling options,” said the former Australia captain.
“We feel like we’ve got a really balanced attack and the bowling so far has been pretty good right through. It’s been our batsmen who have let us down a couple of times and they know what to expect… They are very aware of what the team needs them to do,” said Ponting.
Sourav, though, hardly put a foot wrong on Thursday. Having had a close look at the wicket on arrival, he meant business at practice. He closely worked with the left-handers and also spoke during the team meeting at the ground.
Not for a moment did the Delhi Capitals adviser don the hat of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president. It was only after the players had left the Eden that he made his way to his cabin at the CAB Club House. Ponting didn’t say much on the looming Sourav factor, but the wicket got his thumbs up. “Look, Sourav has said all along that he expects it to be a very good pitch. The last couple of years, the wicket has been exceptionally good here.
“The reason being the curators’ decision to leave just a little bit more grass and the wicket hasn’t sort of spun as much. It has pretty good pace and bounce, and the ball tends to swing a bit here as well because of the humid conditions.
“I just love the venue. It’s a great place to play cricket.” Ponting said.
The Knight Riders may also have to tweak their combination a bit given the condition of the wicket. Lockie Ferguson looks set to make a comeback, but it’s the Knight Riders’ batting which will be under focus after the collapse in Chennai.
Pacer Matt Kelly, the Knight Riders’ replacement for the injured Anrich Nortje, is expected to arrive only before their April 19 match.
The pace and bounce of the Eden wicket, however, could suit the likes of Russell and Chris Lynn. Ditto for Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan and Rishabh Pant.
But watch out: There’s forecast of a thunderstorm in the evening.
Abhishek Nayar, Knight Riders’ mentor, isn’t too bothered about the collapse in their last match. “There’s no plan as such. You’ve got to bat well and stick to the basics,” he said.
Nayar ruled out any kind of over-dependence on Russell. “It’s not about one individual but a team effort… Every batsman has played their role in the side. Everyone is motivated… Even though we defended a small total in Chennai, the guys showed character,” said Nayar.
There’s no doubt that the hosts will need to show lots of character to undermine the Sourav threat that is sure to act as Delhi Capitals’ USP.
