Match facts
Monday, April 15, 2013Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)
Big Picture
Pune Warriors' campaign is in need of a tonic - they lost three of their first four matches - but they are now in Chennai, which means the tonic is placed on the highest shelf. Chennai Super Kings, the big boys of the IPL, are perhaps the hardest team to beat in their home conditions and they reconfirmed it last night by snaffling a last-ball win against a strong Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The inclusion of Aaron Finch briefly kindled hope as Warriors recorded their first win of the season, against Rajasthan Royals, but a pedestrian outing in Mumbai pulled them back to the familiar zone of mediocrity. Finch was bowled first ball by a Mitchell Johnson bolt and the rest of the batting crumbled without much resistance. Angelo Mathews, the Warriors' new captain who won't play this match, had also appeared listless with his use of bowlers against Mumbai Indians. He removed Bhuvneshwar Kumar from the attack after an impressive first over, allowing Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting to get away, then let Ashok Dinda, who bowled the most expensive spell in the IPL, finish his full quota though there were options still available. The camera often panned to a lost Mathews, and sometimes to Steven Smith, who had been the spark of Warriors' 2012 campaign, in the dugout.
On the other hand, Super Kings, after giving Mumbai Indians a scare in the first match, continue to live up to their reputation. They demolished Kings XI Punjab and left Royal Challengers in a confused state. In Chennai, where the crowd gets behind them, there isn't anything they are incapable of doing.
Form guide
Chennai Super Kings: WWL
Pune Warriors: LWLL
Watch out for
Suresh Raina, the IPL's leading run-scorer, has played two innings and is yet to hit a six. That is at odds with the ease at which he has racked up almost a century of sixes in the tournament, making him the second-most prolific six-hitting machine behind Chris Gayle. Warriors have an attack made up of medium pacers and spinners who bring the ball into the left-hander - an ideal recipe for Raina's favourite hoick over midwicket.
Raina's partner in many ODI innings for India, Yuvraj Singh, has not fulfilled his potential on a stage set for players like him. He continues to blow hot and cold with the bat, but as a bowler, he has started this season on a good note, picking up at least a wicket in every match. Along with Rahul Sharma, Yuvraj will have the task of reining in a big-hitting batting line-up.
Stats and trivia
- Warriors' head-to-head record against Super Kings reads similar to their current campaign - one win and three losses. They are yet to win in Chennai.
- Since Warriors' inception, Robin Uthappa has been their leading batsman with 751 runs. But in the same period, 16 other batsmen have scored more runs than him.
- Raina has the most number of catches as a fielder - 43, the same as Rohit Sharma
Quotes
"I do not think there is any reason for us to panic, we have got a very good side with us and we just need to get a few wins under our belt and then take on the momentum from there"
Pune Warriors' allrounder Mitchell Marsh
"I had a cricketing chat with him and he told me that the most important thing while batting is your mental strength and the ability to read the bowler' mind. He said it's all about how you feel on that particular day the moment you put your jersey on."
Suresh Raina reveals the advice he received from Brian Lara recently
Pune Warriors in need of tonic
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Pune Warriors in need of tonic
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Pune Warriors in need of tonic
