IPLs top two teams CSK and MI, Inaugural edition winner Rajasthan Royals and last year’s best team in the league Delhi Daredevils are set to play on the first Super Saturday of IPL 6. DD and MI play their second games of the tournament against RR and CSK, respectively who start their campaign today. All the teams would eye to open the account. On first look Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings have better chances.
RR vs DD
This is the clash of titans on the top. Mahela leads Delhi Daredevils while Rahul Dravid leads Rajasthan Royals. Both have been successful even in IPL too, although more with bat and less as captain. Rahul is playing Brad Hodge, Samuel Badree, Kusal Perera and Kevon Cooper as his overseas players, while Mahela is playing alongwith Warner, Russell and Botha.
DD leads RR with 6 wins and 4 losses in 10 clashes till 2012. In 2008 RR won 2, lost 1, and in 2011 won their only match. In 2009 both one a piece. But in 2010 and 2012 Delhi has won both the matches of the editions.
Rajasthan Royals have won the first edition but never again reached the semifinals. They have 38 wins and 34 losses, besides 2 No results in 5 editions. They are seeking the Warne’s magic of 2008. Interestingly Dravid also has a weak side at his disposal as Warne had in 2008.
DD on the other hand have better IPL record with 39 wins, 27 losses, 1 no result. But they have never reached the final despite reaching the knockout stage thrice. With the loss in first match, DD has lost 28th IPL match. Mahela does not have a very strong team at his disposal in the initial stage of the tournament.
CSK vs MI
Ponting vs Dhoni is the clash of two most successful captains of the World. While Ponting has records of winning continuosly and also the World Cup twice, Dhoni has also not only win two World Cups but also won several other tournaments besides being the most successful captain of India. And in IPl he is the best captain. Ponting would look forward to challenging his authority at home.
MI lost the first match to RCB, a match they should have won easily. They would hope that the new captain and management would have realized that it was their batting, not bowling as Ponting said before, responsible for the loss. Besides sorting the batting slow rate, if they can permanently solve the Pollard puzzle, they may start getting results from today itself when they play Chennai Super Kings, the most successful team of IPL.
MI is the second most successful in terms of wins. They have 43 wins, 33 losses and 1 No result as compared to 47 wins and 33 losses of CSK in the last 5 editions of IPL. With the loss against RCB, MI has just lost their 34th match, now one more than CSKs total losses.
In 11 matches they had a good contest. Nobody dominated a season. Both won at least one match every season, except 2011 when the only match they played against each other was won by MI. Overall Mumbai has won 6 and Chennai has won 5.
Both the titans have a good batting attack as well as good bowling too. Interesting would be to see which side could gain the advantage. Based on home advantage, CSK appears to be the favorite.
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