Revamped Punjab search for success

Big picture

The official website features the team in an old Bollywood film poster: The Naya Deewar. It's filmy, it's colourful, and it features the cricketers like actors. It's IPL. The franchise will also hope for a filmy turnaround this season. Punjab haven't sparkled in the last two editions; they tried changing the captains and now have overhauled the personnel. There isn't much explosive star power apart from their new captain Adam Gilchrist. Instead, the side features a line-up of players who can play the bit parts really well almost like character artistes. So it's no surprise that that the site home page only features Gilchrist in a gigantic close-up and just has the names of the other players.

Shaun Marsh, David Hussey, Dinesh Karthik, the powerful David Miller, and Abhishek Nayar are the batsmen that Gilchrist will depend on. In the bowling department, Praveen Kumar provides swing, Piyush Chawla the spin, Nathan Remmington the nagging medium-pace and Hussey and Ryan McLaren give them the all-round options.

It's not a spectacular team but having struggled despite the presence of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Yuvraj Singh, and Irfan Pathan in the past, it's not a surprise that they have gone for low-key performers.

Key players

Shaun Marsh made his name in the first IPL where he stood still on the leg-stump line and kept blasting the deliveries through the off side. He has been struggling with a few injuries which has kept him out of the Australian squad and he will be charged up to use this IPL to prove his fitness and form to the national selectors.

During his stint with Delhi Daredevils, Dinesh Karthik proved to be a very valuable middle-order batsman. He has the shots and if he can show maturity in his shot selection he will be a difficult batsman to contain. He didn't have a great domestic season and will be itching to shrug off the blues in this tournament.

Big name in

Adam Gilchrist is of course the biggest name. Gilchrist was the soul of Deccan Chargers and it will be no different with Punjab. He works well with the local Indian players and has the knack to inspire them to perform above themselves. It will be interesting to see how he makes use of the likes of Paras Dogra and Bipul Sharma. His batting doesn't need any introduction though it will be interesting to see whether he has shrugged off the rustiness and is ready to roll.

Big name out

Take your pick from Yuvraj Singh, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. Yuvraj was the captain initially before Sangakkara replaced him but the team's fortunes continued to nose dive. Yuvraj struggled during the last edition but in current form, he will be a huge loss.

Below the radar

Abhishek Nayar is exactly the kind of player that this team needs. He can turn a potentially 125 total to a 160 and can bowl a few overs of medium-pace. He has a technique of his own; that crouched stance, those feet placed wide apart, and the big heaves to the leg side.

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