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[candymachine]

Dhoni and Tendulkar lead starcast in opener
17 April 2009, 11:58 am



April 18, 2009

Start time 12.30pm (10.30GMT)

Big Picture



The formidable Andrew Flintoff makes Chennai stronger

© Getty Images

On last year's form, Chennai Super Kings will be favoured to make a winning start to their IPL campaign on Saturday, but Mumbai Indians have a couple of key factors going in their favour which could well make all the difference. Sachin Tendulkar, who missed the first part of the tournament last year, is fit and available from the start this time. Shaun Pollock will be missed with the ball, but his presence as mentor and Jonty Rhodes' as fielding coach could be key, especially since both will be familiar with South African conditions.

The big addition in the Chennai ranks is Andrew Flintoff, who will be available for the first part of the tournament. His bowling, especially, could be hugely vital for a team which struggled occasionally in that area last year. MS Dhoni has gained plenty more leadership experience since last June, and he'll also have the vast tactical knowledge of Stephen Fleming, the coach, to tap into.

Unlike some of the other line-ups, both sides have been pretty low-key so far, keeping he frills out and concentrating on the cricket. Chennai arrived early in South Africa to acclimatise to the conditions, while Mumbai have been in the news mainly for the announcement of their South African coaches. For a tournament which has been in the news for so many non-cricketing reasons, it can't be a bad thing that it kicks off with teams high on talent but low on controversy.

Player form guide

Chennai: Suresh Raina sparkled in New Zealand, scoring an unbeaten 61 in a Twenty20 game and consistently getting the runs in the ODIs too. Dhoni has been consistent too, while Flintoff is coming off a superb matchwinning five-for in the last ODI against West Indies.

Mumbai: Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh were outstanding with the ball in New Zealand, while Tendulkar was prolific in the Tests and the ODIs. JP Duminy has had a quiet series against Australia, though he managed quick cameos in the third and fourth ODIs.

In from the cold

Matthew Hayden last played an international game in early January this year, and it remains to be seen if he can replicate the form he showed for Chennai last year, when he hammered 189 runs at an average of 63 and a strike rate of 144.

Watch out for

Harbhajan v Murali: Harbhajan had an excellent tour of New Zealand, and he loves to bowl in the short formats. Muralitharan didn't do the damage he was expected to in the last IPL, and this is an opportunity to make amends.

Flintoff v Mumbai openers: It remains to be seen if Flintoff gets the new ball, but the fans could be in for a treat if he gets an opportunity to bowl at two of the most prolific ODI batsmen, Tendulkar and Jayasuriya.

Friendly fire

MS Dhoni v Sachin Tendulkar: They are easily the two biggest names in Indian cricket, but come Saturday, and they will walk out for the toss captaining rival teams to kick off a high-profile tournament. Knowing the respect they have for each other, though, there's little chance of anything more unsavoury than the odd friendly banter.

Team news

Chennai need to decide on the opening partner for Hayden. The contenders are Parthiv Patel, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan and M Vijay. The first two played last year, but neither was entirely convincing. The other issue is deciding on their four foreign players. Matthew Hayden, Andrew Flintoff and Albie Morkel are near certainties, but Muralitharan might pip home boy Makhaya Ntini for the fourth spot.

Chennai Super Kings (probable) 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Parthiv Patel, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 5 S Badrinath, 6 Andrew Flintoff, 7 Albie Morkel, 8 L Balaji, 9 Joginder Sharma, 10 Manpreet Gony, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.

Mumbai's batting appears fairly well settled, but at least one bowling spot is up for grabs. With Sanath Jayasuriya, Duminy and Dwayne Bravo almost sure to play, the fourth foreigner's spot will probably be a tussle among Dilhara Fernando, Lasith Malinga and Kyle Mills. Malinga could add firepower to the attack, but his inconsistency might tilt the scales in favour of Mills.

Mumbai Indians (probable) 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Shikhar Dhawan, 4 JP Duminy, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Abhishek Nayar, 7 Yogesh Takawale (wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Dhawal Kulkarni, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Kyle Mills.

Head-to-head record

The two teams split the two games they played in 2008, with each team winning at home: Chennai squeaked through by six runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, but Mumbai took revenge in convincing fashion, winning by nine wickets at the Wankhede Stadium.

S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo



Source: India news from Cricinfo

[ramshorns]

Assuming this to be the match thread I think Chennai has a better line up and should beat out the Mumbai Indians easily.  As the tournment chugs along Tendulkar-Jayasuriya line up at the top will be a liablity for the MI'ans given that this is the 20-20 game.  Keep a close eye on that. 

[keep-it-cool]

Assuming this to be the match thread I think Chennai has a better line up and should beat out the Mumbai Indians easily.  As the tournment chugs along Tendulkar-Jayasuriya line up at the top will be a liablity for the MI'ans given that this is the 20-20 game.  Keep a close eye on that. 

Tendulkar will be a liability at the top but VVS has a role to play for DC?

[ramshorns]

Assuming this to be the match thread I think Chennai has a better line up and should beat out the Mumbai Indians easily.  As the tournment chugs along Tendulkar-Jayasuriya line up at the top will be a liablity for the MI'ans given that this is the 20-20 game.  Keep a close eye on that. 

Tendulkar will be a liability at the top but VVS has a role to play for DC?

Again the problem with how you intepret.  I said Jaya-Tend combination will be a liablity if one seess the rest of the line up following them especially from 6 to 9.

[dextrous]

Assuming this to be the match thread I think Chennai has a better line up and should beat out the Mumbai Indians easily.  As the tournment chugs along Tendulkar-Jayasuriya line up at the top will be a liablity for the MI'ans given that this is the 20-20 game.  Keep a close eye on that. 

Tendulkar will be a liability at the top but VVS has a role to play for DC?

Tendulkar has never won a match for India. Enough said.

[keep-it-cool]

Assuming this to be the match thread I think Chennai has a better line up and should beat out the Mumbai Indians easily.  As the tournment chugs along Tendulkar-Jayasuriya line up at the top will be a liablity for the MI'ans given that this is the 20-20 game.  Keep a close eye on that. 

Tendulkar will be a liability at the top but VVS has a role to play for DC?

Again the problem with how you intepret.  I said Jaya-Tend combination will be a liablity if one seess the rest of the line up following them especially from 6 to 9.

How so?

[ramshorns]

Assuming this to be the match thread I think Chennai has a better line up and should beat out the Mumbai Indians easily.  As the tournment chugs along Tendulkar-Jayasuriya line up at the top will be a liablity for the MI'ans given that this is the 20-20 game.  Keep a close eye on that. 

h


Tendulkar will be a liability at the top but VVS has a role to play for DC?

Tendulkar has never won a match for India. Enough said.

Always remember there is some truth to sarcasm.

[justforkix]

Assuming this to be the match thread I think Chennai has a better line up and should beat out the Mumbai Indians easily.  As the tournment chugs along Tendulkar-Jayasuriya line up at the top will be a liablity for the MI'ans given that this is the 20-20 game.  Keep a close eye on that.

I don't think so. Both teams are closely matched.

CSK bowling: Flintoff, Murali, Balaji, Gony, Jogi/Ashwin, Albe
MI bowling: ZK, HS, Bravo, Kulkarni, Malinga/Mills, Nayar

MI bowling is overall better than CSK

CSK batting: Hayden, MSD, Raina, Badri, Albe, Flintoff
MI batting: SJ, SRT, Dhawan, Duminy, Bravo, Nayar

even batting lineup.

[gouravk]

CSK has the edge thanks to the dhoni factor 

[ramshorns]

Assuming this to be the match thread I think Chennai has a better line up and should beat out the Mumbai Indians easily.  As the tournment chugs along Tendulkar-Jayasuriya line up at the top will be a liablity for the MI'ans given that this is the 20-20 game.  Keep a close eye on that.

I don't think so. Both teams are closely matched.

CSK bowling: Flintoff, Murali, Balaji, Gony, Jogi/Ashwin, Albe
MI bowling: ZK, HS, Bravo, Kulkarni, Malinga/Mills, Nayar

MI bowling is overall better than CSK

CSK batting: Hayden, MSD, Raina, Badri, Albe, Flintoff
MI batting: SJ, SRT, Dhawan, Duminy, Bravo, Nayar

even batting lineup.

As much as I love Jaya and rate him a better ODI player than Tendulkar the duo have seen better days IMO to make an impact so much so that the latter order which is not that imposing can exploit.  And if I see CSK bowling line up my doubts seem to be even more justified that this Mumbai line up will not be able to pull it off.

[justforkix]

Hmmm, Duminy, Albe, Ntini will be playing this game 15 hrs after the 5th ODI ends and they also have to travel from JoBurg to CapeTown !!!

Same for Kallis, Steyn, Van Der Merwe, Boucher, Smith, Morne - although they have 3 extra hours.

[ramshorns]

Hmmm, Duminy, Albe, Ntini will be playing this game 15 hrs after the 5th ODI ends and they also have to travel from JoBurg to CapeTown !!!

Same for Kallis, Steyn, Van Der Merwe, Boucher, Smith, Morne - although they have 3 extra hours.

That way DC is lucky to have Gibbs on an extra days rest who seem to be on a tear.  He just hit M.Johnson for a six.

[justforkix]

As much as I love Jaya and rate him a better ODI player than Tendulkar the duo have seen better days IMO to make an impact so much so that the latter order which is not that imposing can exploit.  And if I see CSK bowling line up my doubts seem to be even more justified that this Mumbai line up will not be able to pull it off.

The latter order is pretty solid - Dhawan who did well last year, Duminy who is in great form, Nayar who played well last year and Bravo is back after injury and was in good batting and bowling form against Eng.

[justforkix]

That way DC is lucky to have Gibbs on an extra days rest who seem to be on a tear.  He just hit M.Johnson for a six.

 HH Gibbs (rhb) 28 45 3 1 62.22 

[ganavk]

My money on MI to win this match. Players are rested and SRT has something to prove to everyone including may be MSD
Recent controversy on award would not be helping MSD when he steps on field and somehow the team does not look that formidable now.

[gouravk]

could well be that MI might win ... but your reasons are ridiculous !

[ramshorns]

My money on MI to win this match. Players are rested and SRT has something to prove to everyone including may be MSD
Recent controversy on award would not be helping MSD when he steps on field and somehow the team does not look that formidable now.

And when time comes to stand up and be counted excuses like Tendulkar had a butt pain or other players let him down will easily be given by someone like you.   I have seen all that after the WC defeats in the hands of BD and SL.  Everyone excepting Tendulkar and Dravid are at fault for that debacle easily the single worst moment in Indian cricket history when all the hype sorrounding the event and the importance of the World Cup is taken into account.  Yeah Tendulkar has a whole lot prove to MSD here.

[ganavk]

My money on MI to win this match. Players are rested and SRT has something to prove to everyone including may be MSD
Recent controversy on award would not be helping MSD when he steps on field and somehow the team does not look that formidable now.

And when time comes to stand up and be counted excuses like Tendulkar had a butt pain or other players let him down will easily be given by someone like you.   I have seen all that after the WC defeats in the hands of BD and SL.  Everyone excepting Tendulkar and Dravid are at fault for that debacle easily the single worst moment in Indian cricket history when all the hype sorrounding the event and the importance of the World Cup is taken into account.  Yeah Tendulkar has a whole lot prove to MSD here.

stop calling that as the single worst moment! Remember even Aus had lost to BD few months earlier in Eng. You can obviously keep on clutching on that last straw and talk about single worst moment. last time I saw even MSD was part of that team. SL obviously was very hot in that tournament and one bad match against BD cost us a trip to second round!

[gouravk]

duh ! it was just a world cup ! will we let it go now ?

[ramshorns]

My money on MI to win this match. Players are rested and SRT has something to prove to everyone including may be MSD
Recent controversy on award would not be helping MSD when he steps on field and somehow the team does not look that formidable now.

And when time comes to stand up and be counted excuses like Tendulkar had a butt pain or other players let him down will easily be given by someone like you.   I have seen all that after the WC defeats in the hands of BD and SL.  Everyone excepting Tendulkar and Dravid are at fault for that debacle easily the single worst moment in Indian cricket history when all the hype sorrounding the event and the importance of the World Cup is taken into account.  Yeah Tendulkar has a whole lot prove to MSD here.

stop calling that as the single worst moment! Remember even Aus had lost to BD few months earlier in Eng. You can obviously keep on clutching on that last straw and talk about single worst moment. last time I saw even MSD was part of that team. SL obviously was very hot in that tournament and one bad match against BD cost us a trip to second round!

I know it hurts to accept the fact and defend the undefendable.  Aus did not lose to BD in an all important game at the WC.  India did under a poker faced Dravid in the WC to BD.  So know I am right in calling it the worst single moment considering the magnitude of the defeat in the overall context.  You are wrong as usual.  And do not use my patented "Clutching on to the last straw" I use to address you on occasions and befittingly.

[inoc]

I know it hurts to accept the fact and defend the undefendable.  Aus did not lose to BD in an all important game at the WC.  India did under a poker faced Dravid in the WC to BD.  So know I am right in calling it the worst single moment considering the magnitude of the defeat in the overall context.  You are wrong as usual.  And do not use my patented "Clutching on to the last straw" I use to address you on occasions and befittingly.

rams

I know it hurts to remember an obviously embarrassing defeat in the world cup. it was however not an all important match, unless you are considering all world cup matches as 'all important'.

it was India's first match in the tournament. no excuses - don't get me wrong they played badly, and deserve criticism, it however does not wash away any/all of their other achievements up until that match and thereafter. I am not trying to defend SRT/RD or anybody else here.

to be fair to them however, SRT in particular, took full responsibility publicly for the below par performance, said they were ashamed of it and will do anything and everything in their power to change the situation and perform better for India. this they have subsequently done. you learn from mistakes and it seems they have, similar to the Australian team following 1983 WC.

if world cup losses are all important then Australia have lost to Zimbabwe, failing to qualify for the next stage, England have lost to Zim, Pak have lost to Ireland. all inexplicable losses and embarrassing ones. these things happen and should be taken in their stride.

if we consider test matches we have also had some embarrassing losses. we lost to Zimbabwe in 2001, when we were on the verge of winning a series outside the subcontinent in 15 years. we lost chasing 200 odd in the last innings and played woefully in the whole test. should we harp on that loss and forget the other accomplishments of the participants. I think not - even though it was an important match - considering the circumstances.

lets close that chapter (the world cup one) as a one off and stop bringing it up every time we discuss any of the players who played a part in it. This is my view, you may of course have another which condemns the team to eternal censure based on one poor performance.

[k-slice]

on a removed note:
GO MUMBAI INDIANS!!
(for people who know what a diehard fan I am of the maharashtra Ranji team, spare me!! untill pune gets a team i am mos def supporting the mumbai indians.)

[ganavk]

My money on MI to win this match. Players are rested and SRT has something to prove to everyone including may be MSD
Recent controversy on award would not be helping MSD when he steps on field and somehow the team does not look that formidable now.

And when time comes to stand up and be counted excuses like Tendulkar had a butt pain or other players let him down will easily be given by someone like you.   I have seen all that after the WC defeats in the hands of BD and SL.  Everyone excepting Tendulkar and Dravid are at fault for that debacle easily the single worst moment in Indian cricket history when all the hype sorrounding the event and the importance of the World Cup is taken into account.  Yeah Tendulkar has a whole lot prove to MSD here.

stop calling that as the single worst moment! Remember even Aus had lost to BD few months earlier in Eng. You can obviously keep on clutching on that last straw and talk about single worst moment. last time I saw even MSD was part of that team. SL obviously was very hot in that tournament and one bad match against BD cost us a trip to second round!

I know it hurts to accept the fact and defend the undefendable.  Aus did not lose to BD in an all important game at the WC.  India did under a poker faced Dravid in the WC to BD.  So know I am right in calling it the worst single moment considering the magnitude of the defeat in the overall context.  You are wrong as usual.  And do not use my patented "Clutching on to the last straw" I use to address you on occasions and befittingly.

hurts whom ? Based on how you keep on ranting about that WC being all important match and how you seem to point to that for every time someone talks about SRT and how you keep on bringing VVS to every other discussion it definitely seems to hurt you more than anyone else.
Just so that you are aware, at least two people other than me are asking you to let go of that WC and you obviously are not listening to anyone but keep on harping about your own views.

[ramshorns]

I know it hurts to accept the fact and defend the undefendable.  Aus did not lose to BD in an all important game at the WC.  India did under a poker faced Dravid in the WC to BD.  So know I am right in calling it the worst single moment considering the magnitude of the defeat in the overall context.  You are wrong as usual.  And do not use my patented "Clutching on to the last straw" I use to address you on occasions and befittingly.

rams

I know it hurts to remember an obviously embarrassing defeat in the world cup. it was however not an all important match, unless you are considering all world cup matches as 'all important'.

it was India's first match in the tournament. no excuses - don't get me wrong they played badly, and deserve criticism, it however does not wash away any/all of their other achievements up until that match and thereafter. I am not trying to defend SRT/RD or anybody else here.

to be fair to them however, SRT in particular, took full responsibility publicly for the below par performance, said they were ashamed of it and will do anything and everything in their power to change the situation and perform better for India. this they have subsequently done. you learn from mistakes and it seems they have, similar to the Australian team following 1983 WC.

if world cup losses are all important then Australia have lost to Zimbabwe, failing to qualify for the next stage, England have lost to Zim, Pak have lost to Ireland. all inexplicable losses and embarrassing ones. these things happen and should be taken in their stride.

if we consider test matches we have also had some embarrassing losses. we lost to Zimbabwe in 2001, when we were on the verge of winning a series outside the subcontinent in 15 years. we lost chasing 200 odd in the last innings and played woefully in the whole test. should we harp on that loss and forget the other accomplishments of the participants. I think not - even though it was an important match - considering the circumstances.

lets close that chapter (the world cup one) as a one off and stop bringing it up every time we discuss any of the players who played a part in it. This is my view, you may of course have another which condemns the team to eternal censure based on one poor performance.

Inoc: While I am willing to put that to rest and I did for most part but will bring it up to put things in perspective for some of the Tendulkar and Dravid fanatics that have for years discounted players like Laxman's contributions while glorifying the other two while selectively forgetting the embarrassing defeats they were part and how they let the team down.    In other words only the good is hyped while the bad is overlooked and swept under the rug.

Having said that here are some more reasons why that defeat can be considered worst ever in our cricketing history.

1) GC was hired 20 months prior to the WC and despite very important Test series in the midst the board, captain and coach declared winning the WC for the country was the single most important thing.

2) They let players go and said they would give chances to only the players that are going to be a part of the WC meaning they are willing to lose out as many games in the process in the name of building a winning nucleus.  There is nothing wrong with that persay excepting the end result in the WC is what it has to be judged by.

3) Like no other time in Indian cricket history incentive laden contracts and training facilities were given to players in the name of winning the WC.  Again nothing wrong but when time comes to deliver and evaluated one needs to be accoutable.

4) No other cricket series be it Tests or ODI's be it on Internet or fan following or in the print media an event was given as much a time and space as the WC 2007.  And we all know the zillion number of threads we have had on this DG as an example.

Now these are just some I can think right away but if I put more thought I can come up with more reasons as to why one should consider the WC 2007 debacle like no other.   I think after these brief explanations I am well within my rights to call it is the single most embarassing moment in the aftermath of the WC elimination by BD and them qualifying at our cost.

[LosingNow]

India's WC 2007 exit has to be the lowest point in India's ODI history...given the focus of the country and the stakes involved. That is a fact.

Now whether it should be repeated on each thread, is a different discussion altogether

[ramshorns]

My money on MI to win this match. Players are rested and SRT has something to prove to everyone including may be MSD
Recent controversy on award would not be helping MSD when he steps on field and somehow the team does not look that formidable now.

And when time comes to stand up and be counted excuses like Tendulkar had a butt pain or other players let him down will easily be given by someone like you.   I have seen all that after the WC defeats in the hands of BD and SL.  Everyone excepting Tendulkar and Dravid are at fault for that debacle easily the single worst moment in Indian cricket history when all the hype sorrounding the event and the importance of the World Cup is taken into account.  Yeah Tendulkar has a whole lot prove to MSD here.

stop calling that as the single worst moment! Remember even Aus had lost to BD few months earlier in Eng. You can obviously keep on clutching on that last straw and talk about single worst moment. last time I saw even MSD was part of that team. SL obviously was very hot in that tournament and one bad match against BD cost us a trip to second round!

I know it hurts to accept the fact and defend the undefendable.  Aus did not lose to BD in an all important game at the WC.  India did under a poker faced Dravid in the WC to BD.  So know I am right in calling it the worst single moment considering the magnitude of the defeat in the overall context.  You are wrong as usual.  And do not use my patented "Clutching on to the last straw" I use to address you on occasions and befittingly.

hurts whom ? Based on how you keep on ranting about that WC being all important match and how you seem to point to that for every time someone talks about SRT and how you keep on bringing VVS to every other discussion it definitely seems to hurt you more than anyone else.

Yes I will bring VVS when Tendulkar is brought in by likes of you to hype him up and slight the other because his deeds on the cricket field are as important as Tendulkar's in scripting some of the memorable wins or drawing others when the team needed them.   Players like Vishy and VVS are the ones that need to be cherished along with be it a Gavaskar or a Tendulkar and who better to bring them in than me who seem to know a thing ot two about these unassuming and unsung greats.

Just so that you are aware, at least two people other than me are asking you to let go of that WC and you obviously are not listening to anyone but keep on harping about your own views.

Nice try my dear.  That will not works with me.  Who are these two other people who you are talking about here and why would they ask me to stop?  In the name of sweeping the shortsomings under the rug.

May I say again a little differently this time...
Yes under your hero's captiancy India witnessed one of the worst defeats and to me the most embarassing after shamefully campaiging for 2 years that is is their mission to Win WC.  And what they end up doing.  Laying an egg and losing to BD.   

[LosingNow]

Woo hoo.. I am looking forward to the games.

when is the opening ceremony folks!!

I love Eye-Pee-El 

[LosingNow]

cloudy and drizzling on and off...

not looking good for the weekend in cape town

[dhruvdeepak]

happy ipl day everyone!!!!

[12th_Man]

 
Modi somehow seems a genius !! The speed with which he can pool resources and make things happen.

[12th_Man]

Dhoni and Flintoff jogging together  what a sight, MSD wanted to stay ahead of Freddie

[Blwe_torch]

on a removed note:
GO MUMBAI INDIANS!!
(for people who know what a diehard fan I am of the maharashtra Ranji team, spare me!! untill pune gets a team i am mos def supporting the mumbai indians.)

I am waiting for the Pune team too. Till then, I shall support KKR and King's XI in no particular order. I am a little weaker on KKR....but this time King's XI is not that strong( hope they prove me wrong). A guy always ends up supporting his father's base rather than his mother's, thanks to our Indian culture. Most of my childhood has been spent in Kolkata, where I got to see some fabulous cricket in the famous Eden Gardens. My high school and college life has been spent in Punjab( my mother's place...not Mohali though), and hence the support for King's XI Punjab.
Much of my working life is being spent in Pune( last 6 years already).........hope next year we get to see a team like Shivaji Maharaj XI- Pune.

[LosingNow]

CSK wins toss .. bowling

[sudzz]

For those watching in the ME-transmission is quite poor... SRT cut up in two by Gony...

[cricket_news]

Dhoni elects to field in damp Cape Town
18 April 2009, 10:52 am



Toss Chennai Super Kings opted to field v Mumbai Indians

Live scorecard and ball-by-ball details

And so, after months of build-up, controversy and intense speculation, the second edition of the Indian Premier League got underway in gloomy Cape Town. The weather threatened to play spoilsport but the toss happened as scheduled - flipped by none other than IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi - with MS Dhoni winning the toss and opting to field on what appeared a damp pitch.

Chennai suffered bad news before the game - the South African duo of Albie Morkel and Makhaya Ntin arrived from the fifth ODI against Australia in Johannesburg without their kits.

Chennai's four foreign players were Matthew Hayden, the expensive acquisition Andrew Flintoff, Jacob Oram and Sri Lankan allrounder Thilan Thushara.  Muttiah Muralitharan was left out and the Chennai offspinner R Ashwin came in. Chennai decided that Hayden's opening partner would be Parthiv Patel, meaning Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan and M Vijay were left to warm the bench. Patel was also delegated wicketkeeping duties.

Sachin Tendulkar said he didn't mind losing the toss. With a powerful and settled batting line-up, it's not surprising. Mumbai went in with Sanath Jayasuriya, JP Duminy (playing his first game), Dwayne Bravo and Lasith Malinga, whose x-factor saw him picked ahead of Kyle Mills.

Teams

Mumbai Indians: 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Shikhar Dhawan, 4 JP Duminy, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6 Abhishek Nayar, 7 Pinal Shah (wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Rohan Raje.

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Parthiv Patel (wk), 3 Suresh Raina, 4 MS Dhoni (capt), 5 S Badrinath, 6 Andrew Flintoff, 7 Jacob Oram, 8 Thilan Thushara, 9 R Ashwin, 10, Joginder Sharma, 11 Manpreet Gony.

Jamie Alter is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo



Source: India news from Cricinfo

[LosingNow]

friggin dog has stopped play.. that is a first

[LosingNow]

the game lacks atmosphere

[12th_Man]

Tooo soft on the dog. hopefully does not come back.

[12th_Man]

the game lacks atmosphere

In india it is electric .. The public sparks are missing.

[sudzz]

the game lacks atmosphere

In india it is electric .. The public sparks are missing.

The game itself is boring- MI does not know to play T20- Tendly is not proving to be a very good T20 batter