All teams have played at least two match each in the season. Lets look what they have done and what they have to offer…The points given for batting, fielding and bowling are calculated considering what has been done in the concluded matches plus what they are likely to do in the future course of the league.
Royal Challengers
This team looks in better shape after their first win in the second match.Opening looks solid with Chanderpaul replacing Jaffer. Dravid might not be the bludgeoner but his presence at crease is calming to the nerves of the squad. Kallis and Boucher seem to be coming into form and it spells ominous for the opponents.
Fielding looks sharp. Virat Kohli has showed flashes of brilliance in the field and with the bat in hand.
Bowling is good and arrival of Steyn and a fit Kumble will make matters difficult to manage for opposing sides.
Batting – 7 out of 10
Fielding – 8 out of 10
Bowling – 8 out of 10 (but it could easily go to 9 or even 9.5 with Kumble and Steyn joining)
Chennai Super Kings
Hayden and Hussey have pulled of the two wins for the team. Raina, Parthiv, Dhoni and Badrinath are also middling the ball. But with Hayden, Hussey and Oram set to leave after two matches, the batting will be considerably weakened.
Fielding is very good and is likely to be the same even after the departure of the stars. Raina, Badrinath and Parthiv will look to pull of half chances in the field.
Murali is bowling very well and so are Joginder Sharma, Gony and Amarnath. Bowling will be further strengthened by the arrival of Makhaya Ntini.
Batting – 7.5 out of 10
Fielding – 9 out of 10
Bowling – 7 out of 10
Deccan Chargers
With three losses in three games, the team looks to be out of sorts but it is only half truth. The team was caught on the wrong foot batting first on a disaster of a cricketing pitch at Kolkata. They went down fighting against Rajasthan Royals. They are likely to pick up in next few matches.
Arrival of Gibbs will add fire power to the line up. But they will badly miss Symonds when he leaves for West Indies. At the moment, captain Laxman looks to be the weak link owing to his inability in scoring quick runs.
Apart from Rohit Sharma, Symonds and Afridi, fielding is average.
Bowling looks reasonably fine and will be strengthened when Styris replaces Symonds.
Batting – 8 out of 10
Fielding – 7.5 out of 10
Bowling – 7 out of 10
Delhi Daredevils
This is the team that looks to be on fire, steam rolling. Batting looks solid but hasn’t yet been really tested. And this could be there only undoing. Sehwag is bound to hit some and miss some. But when he hits he will more often than not win the match for his team.
This is the best fielding side in the league. De Villiers or Dilshan joining the eleven will only make it sharper.
The bowling looks superb with Mc Grath, Asif, Maharoof and Vettori not ready to offer any loose balls. But the truth is that, nobody has tried to take the attack to them as yet.
Batting – 7.5 out of 10
Fielding – 10 out of 10
Bowling – 9 out of 10
Kings XI Punjab
They have lost both their matches and one was to Rajasthan Royals. They undoubtedly have world class batsmen but seem to lack fire power. Apart from Hopes and Yuvraj nobody has shown the ability to hit big sixes.
Fielding is quite good but it can only supplement the bowling which is not in tune at the moment.
On paper, they have a very good bowling attack but have been unable to perform. Sreesanth has not had control. Lee’s pace is aiding shot making. Piyush Chawla has been totally ineffective. But encouragingly, Pathan seems to be in a very good rhythm. The good with them is that, things can only get better.
Batting – 7.5 out of 10
Fielding – 9 out of 10
Bowling – 8 out of 10
Kolkata Knight Riders
Knights seem to be riding on the laurels of Mc Cullum and a poorly tailored pitch. Batting has got a boost with the arrival of Gayle. But when Ponting and Mc Cullum leave after next two matches, it will be a big jolt. Ganguly is in no form at all and doesn’t look fit for this version of the game. David Hussey and Hafeez could be the men to look out for.
Hussey, Ponting and Hafeez are good fielders but not much to speak about else.
Ishant Sharma and Murali Kartik have been the stand out bowlers. They have shown tremendous accuracy and control. Inclusion of Gul would give an extra edge.
Batting – 6.5 out of 10
Fielding – 7 out of 10
Bowling – 9 out of 10
Mumbai Indians
Although the team has lost both its matches but they have been very closely fought. Youngsters have encouraged one and all and a fit Tendulkar would spell ominous for oppositions.
Batting has looked good but they are missing the presence of Tendulkar at the top. Uthappa looks in good knick and Nayar has impressed with some lusty hitting. Also Jayasuriya and Ronchi must stand and be counted now.
Fielding is reasonable with Uthappa and Harbhajan leading the way.
All the bowlers have been good in patches, but they need to get their act together now. Pollock and Nehra should take the responsibility up front.
Batting – 8 out of 10
Fielding – 8 out of 10
Bowling – 8 out of 10
Rajasthan Royals
Everybody had written them off before the tournament and nobody believe the CEO, Fraser Castellino when he said that they had a strategy and had formed a good team for T20 cricket. They nailed Kings XI first and then shot down pre tournament favorites, Chargers on their home turf.
Batting may not be that star studded but is certainly effective. Yusuf Pathan, Watson and Jadeja can hit big and Kaif can grind and hold and Smith can play both the roles. Kamran Akmal could massacre the bowlers on his day. When Mascarenhas joins in, it would be party time.
Fielding is very good. Pathan, Kaif, Smith and Watson are live wires on the field. Munaf lets them down in fielding at times.
Bowling has not been that good but Warne seems to be getting in the groove and Siddharth Trivedi, the youngsters has shown that he is special. The advantage they have is that, they have many options.
Batting – 7.5 out of 10
Fielding – 9 out of 10
Bowling – 7 out of 10
