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Super Kings face the formidable Delhi Daredevils

By IANS,

New Delhi : After three consecutive losses Chennai Super Kings will be looking to turn the tide quickly and consolidate their position in the Indian Premier League. They could not have run into more troublesome opponents than Delhi Daredevils at a time when they are struggling to cling on to the fourth position after being at the top of the table for the first two weeks.

Though the Daredevils beat the Chennai Kings by eight wickets in their away game, they met with an unexpected reverse against Mumbai Indians in their last match.

The Super Kings are trying to come to terms with their depleted squad after the departure of big-hitting Australians Matthew Hayden and Michael Husse as their replacements have done precious little.

Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has failed to give a good start at the top while the middle order is heavily dependant on Dhoni. Unless they get a good start their troubles will continue. Openers Parthiv Patel and Fleming have to come out blazing at the Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium Thursday.

The Daredevils invariably got a cracker of a start except against the Mumbai Indians, but their middle order was found wanting when they should have rallied the side.

The Delhi team will have to regroup their forces and skipper Virender Sehwag said there would be changes in the team.

“There will be some changes in the middle order. But we would prefer to stick to the winning combination,” Sehwag told reporters after the practice session.

The Daredevils’ captain is pinning hopes on his own and his opening partner Gautam Gambhir and young Shikhar Dhawan to shoulder the batting and they have to reckon with South Africa’s fiery paceman Makhaya Ntini.

Sehwag, however, is satisfied with his bowlers and will be again looking forward to Australian Glenn McGrath to shepherd the attack.

SQUAD:

Delhi Daredevils: Virender Sehwag (captain), Rajat Bhatia, Abraham de Villiers, Shikhar Dhawan, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Gautam Gambhir, Brett Geeves, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Glenn McGrath, Farveez Maharoof, Yo Mahesh, Mithun Manhas, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Asif, Yogesh Nagar, Pradeep Sangwan, Shoaib Malik, Mayank Tehlan and Manoj Tiwary

Chennai Super Kings: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/wicketkeeper), Viraj Vilas Kadbe, Palani Amarnath, Srikkanth Anirudha, R. Ashwin, Subramaniam Badrinath, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Napoleon Einstein, Stephen Fleming, Manpreet Gony, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Shadab Jakati, Joginder Sharma, Arun Karthik, Suresh Kumar, Albie Morkel, Abhinav Mukund, Muttiah Muralitharan, Makhaya Ntini, Parthiv Patel, Suresh Raina and Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan.