Chennai Super Kings are favorites to lift the Champions League T20 title for the second time and with the likes of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Ravindra Jadeja they are a team to beat in the T20 competition.
Dhoni is arguably the best finisher in the game and has been an inspirational leader for the yellow brigade. Raina, meanwhile, is in tremendous touch, having scored a century in England tour, while all-rounder Jadeja is also in good form.
Super Kings’ pacer Ishwar Pandey, who was also part of the Test team that toured England, is confident that CSK will deliver as a unit and insisted that having the likes of Dhoni, Raina and Jadeja is good for the former champions.
“I am confident our side will do well,” Pandey insisted. “The team has been gelling as a unit and I am sure we will deliver. There is no one key player as such, all are important.”
“Having said that, skipper Dhoni, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who were part of the Indian team are in good form and this augurs well for the side,” he added.
The lanky pacer, who recently trained under Aussie great Glenn McGrath in the MRF Pace Foundation, pointed out CSK’s batting, which is in good form lately. Apart from Dhoni and Raina, CSK also have Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Smith and Dwayne Bravo to deploy.
Super Kings will open their campaign against reigning Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders on September 17. The Chennai-based franchise is heading into the tournament with one scary squad and Pandey said the team is determined to make winning start in the competition.
“Batting is our strength,” Pandey said. “All our batters are in great form. Raina got a hundred in England, plus all our batters are good shape and this should come handy in the tournament… KKR is a good side.”
“It is important to begin a tournament on a winning note and we will strive to give our best in the opening ga¬me,” he added.
