Kolkata host desperate Mumbai

Match facts

Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Start time 20.00 (local), 14.30 (GMT)

The Big Picture

The bottom-placed Mumbai Indians are running out of time to salvage their season as they prepare to take on the Kolkata Knight Riders. After going four matches without a win, and with their top stars failing to deliver, their strategies at the auction are on the verge of being exposed. Besides their desperate search for their first points, they have added concerns - Harbhajan Singh has been banned for 11 matches, and the wait for Sachin Tendulkar to overcome his groin injury continues. Kolkata, on the other hand, will be trying to get back on track after the loss to the Chennai Super Kings, their first in the tournament. Meanwhile, the match will be played on a new surface after the pitch for the first game at the Eden Gardens came in for considerable flak.

Watch out for ...

... the probable return of Tendulkar, and if he does, his face-off with Ishant Sharma, as well as a dream opening partnership with Sanath Jayasuriya. This will be the last IPL game this season for Brendon McCullum and Ricky Ponting, and both of them will be keen to sign off with a bang. Sourav Ganguly is under the scanner after scoring just 36 runs in three games, while David Hussey has an opportunity to make up for his second-ball duck against Chennai. Kolkata's bowlers took just one wicket among them in their previous game, and they will look to put in an improved showing.

Team news

Tendulkar was seen doing the rounds ahead of Mumbai's match against the Deccan Chargers, indications that he might be close to being 100% fit. He is slated to lead the side, but if he fails to make it Shaun Pollock will continue as captain, a role he has taken over in Harbhajan's absence. Luke Ronchi's place is uncertain as he has managed only 34 runs from four matches at 8.50, and Mumbai may consider bringing in Loots Bosman, the South African opening batsman in his place with Pinal Shah keeping wicket.

Mumbai: (probable)1 Sachin Tendulkar (capt), 2 Sanath Jayasuriya, 3 Luke Ronchi (wk), 4 Robin Uthappa, 5 Shaun Pollock, 6 Abhishek Nayar, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Musavir Khote, 9 Ashish Nehra, 10 Dhaval Kulkarni, 11 Siddharth Chitnis.

Kolkata are likely to retain the same combination that they have fielded in their first three matches.

Kolkata: (probable) 1 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 2 Brendon McCullum (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 5 David Hussey, 6 Mohammad Hafeez, 7 Laxmi Rattan Shukla, 8 Ajit Agarkar, 9 Murali Kartik, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Ashok Dinda.

Kolkata have conceded 28 extras, the most in the tournament so far.

Tendulkar has played five Twenty20 matches in his career, scoring 198 runs at an average of 39.60.

Quotes

"Quite a few issues were discussed [in the team meeting], including our performance so far in the IPL. Because of the Harbhajan Singh-Sreesanth incident, I also made the point that our conduct had to be exemplary, both on the field and off it." John Buchanan, Kolkata's coach, talks to the Telegraph about his team's preparations ahead of the match

"We are trying hard and we hope to bounce back like Mumbai's Ranji Trophy side in the 2006-07 season."
Abhishek Nayar, one of Mumbai's key performers, tries to derive some inspiration