CLT20 2014 Final – Chennai Super Kings Vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Who will win? Fans battle it out

The stakes are high as the IPL heavyweights go head to head in the CLT20 final at Bangalore on Saturday. Gautam Gambhir has two IPL titles as captain; the same number MS Dhoni has won. He will therefore be looking to get on level with his national skipper by winning the CLT20. CSK on other hand will be itching to restore their reputation as the most consistent T20 side in the world.

ROUTE TO THE FINAL:

KKR finished as toppers of group A with 16 points before beating Hobart Hurricanes in the semi-finals. CSK finished 2^nd in group A with 6 points behind KKR and they dispatched Kings XI Punjab in the semi-finals.

Head to Head:

CSK have the better numbers as they lead KKR with 9:5 ratios in the group stages of IPL. But recent results favor KKR as they defeated Chennai in two occasions in all competitions in 2014 compared to the one of CSK.

Stats are stats and records won’t win you games. We present you two fans favoring each side and they discuss the merits and demerits of their teams. Let’s roll on:

CSK fan: Yusuf Pathan might turn out to be a wrong ploy against CSK openers at Bangalore. This is being the one irritating issue with the Knights in this campaign: just because opposition struggle against spin and the surface assists them, one can not assign bench warming duties to both Pat Cummins and Umesh Yadav.

Coming to the context, the current new ball bowlers in Yusuf and Andre Russell cannot be expected to tie down or dismiss either Dwayne Smith or Brendon McCullum even though they both are vulnerable to spin at start, courtesy, the strip and short boundaries at Chinnaswamy Stadium. One do not need to explain the aftermath further once the two get going.

And speaking pf the possibility that the management recalling the two pace bowlers for the final. Not everyone can be a Manvinder Bisla to come in and perform straight away without match practice.

KKR fan: Well, Yusuf may get thrashed by the hands of Brendon and Smith. But the risky playing style of McCullum and his temptation to go for hits, will surely be an advantage for Pathan as he can tempt the beast out of the Kiwi who can easily throw his wicket away before settling in.

Andre Russell is one of the smartest players from the Caribbean soil and his variations can do damage to both the CSK openers. Particularly, the misreading of slower balls by Smith can be used as a strategy. The loose canyon Smith can easily be targeted and forced to go for a kill which may turn out to be a suicide.

CSK fan: Beware Ashish Nehra! The Veteran seamer is undoubtedly at his prime and is making everyone struggle with some disturbing line and length at a decent pace. In case the 35-year-old removes one or both the openers early and given the fact that the Knights rely heavily on their back 3, particularly the in-form Robin Uthappa, life may not be great for the rest of the batting order.

The likes of Ryan ten Doeachate and Suryakumar Yadav will be left with too much to do on their own, just like the poor David Miller if Mohit Sharma and Nehra make early inroads as predicted.

KKR fan: Nehra! I can only remember the 2003 WC finals against Australia, the seamer was at his prime throughout the tournament and he was nowhere near when his team needed him the most. He has a tendency to lose his good spell with a single loose ball and he has done it in many occasions. If the Knights’ openers decide to go hard with him, it is going to be a tough night for Nehra considering the form of Uthappa who has a good experience with his fellow country man.

Although the presence of skipper Gambhir and the legendary Kalli cannot be neglected as they both can pull the strings at anytime and they have done that before especially in hard times.

CSK fan: As we have witnessed the intensity in dedication and hunger from CSK to reclaim the title of ‘Champion of champions’ with a complete over hall against Kings XI, there is a high possibility for that kind of effort to be replicated again.

Also with an array of match winners at their disposal, MS Dhoni’s men might run away with the title if one or two put their hands up at the right time, just like Faf du Plessis mentioned during their semi-finals.

KKR fan: Being the most consistent team throughout the seven seasons of IPL, CSK are also a team who are often losing their rhythm at high stages as they did against KKR in the finals of IPL 2011 where they allowed a single man thrashing their hopes. 

Their over confidence and under estimation of opponents is well seen in many occasions before. And obviously, KKR do not have more proven stars like CSK which energies them to hunt for more.

CSK fan: A humble reminder: No SUNIL NARINE to run for a hide as he is suspected from bowling with suspect action.   

KKR fan: Kuldeep Yadav is the answer for Narine’s absence. The Chinnaman is proving his worth and is capable of leading the line when things go wrong. As you have witnessed, the spinner was feared by many in this CLT20 season and the players struggled to read his bowling.

With Brendon and Smith who can easily misjudge the spin, Kuldeep is going to be the shelter for Knights’ bowlers if things were not settled in their way. His four overs can be the match decider too.

CSK fan: Agree to some extent that it is a threat, but I don’t think he is matured enough to handle the pressure of bowling in the powerplay against two of the best T20 openers and the consistent Suresh Raina, precisely on an occasion as big as this.

Even if Kuldeep can actually overcome that barrier and get to bowl at the middle order, there is a big figure called Faf du Plessis. The South African can tackle the spinners very well and he might not face big issues in facing the Chinnaman variety. Adding to that, he is in breathtaking form with record breaking numbers in the recently concluded triangular ODI series in Zimbabwe and a timely knock couple of nights ago.

KKR fan: The hitting trio of Pathan, Doeschate and S.Yadav can be the match turners as they can thrash any bowler. But by facts, the trio doesn’t have a big hand to play in all KKR wins as most of the matches were taken care by the top order batsmen. 

If a solid player like Kallis (let’s take Uthappa, Gambhir and Pandey fails) is present in the crease irrespective of his form, his presence alone will boost up the young men’s confidence and they will easily get on gases.

CSK fan: Pathan, Doeschate and Yadav blasting KKR to win can happen only once in a half-a-dozen nights. Yadav is in dependable form alright, but is coming too late in the innings to make any significant mark after that, there should be a modest base already set. Much should not be read into Jacques Kallis’ half century the other night.

KKR fan: The solo performance category always tipped KKR to the top as an unknown or an unexpected player performing his best in the big stages like Manvider Bisla against CSK and Manish Pandey against the Kings XI. So this time too we can expect any of KKR’s players to do a one man show to snatch the trophy from Chennai.

CSK fan: This is the Knights’ only hope to be honest. With a potentially less impactful bowling line up, one of two individuals performing out of their skin is a mandatory requirement at the moment to make a match out of it.

Well, well, well, this debate is not ending, is it? Do you have something to add to this?

Express yourself in comments.

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