Thaindian News

Chennai, May 26 (IANS) While the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) plan to field an unchanged team, their opponents in Friday’s qualifier-2 game in the Indian Premier League, Mumbai Indians, are yet undecided on their combination.

The winner of the qualifier-2 will take on the defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the final Saturday.

Royal Challengers skipper Daniel Vettori opined that there was little cause for him to tinker with the line-up that has fetched seven wins in a row.

“The team is in pretty good shape. We realised the small things that went wrong in the last five overs (against the Super Kings on Tuesday). Prior to that, everything went as per plans. We are looking at this game tomorrow and probably go with the same team with slight improvement in bowling,” said Vettori.

On the other hand, Mumbai coach Robin Singh did not rule out another shuffle in his team composition.

“The surface looks totally different to the one that I presume the final will be played on. We really have to see what the best combination is to play against RCB. Then you have to look at the surface. Then you have to look at who have been our best bowelrs,” he said.

“Based on the opposition, we have decided to make changes in most of the games. There has been a fair amount of criticism, but that is our strategy. We will decide tomorrow who we would like to play,” said Singh.

Vettori admitted that his side’s key batsman Chris Gayle would again be central to his plans, both as an opening batsman and a second choice spinner.

“Chris and myself could target well in the eight overs that we will be bowling and it is hard to put too many runs. We have to look at the wicket tomorrow,” Vettori said.

“In the last game, Chris did not score runs, but we were able to put up a competing total. I think there are no worries in our camp on these aspects.”

“We know Chris has played well and he has been the main scorer for us this season, winning so many games for us. We are still confident that we can win games,” said Vettori.

On his part, Robin Singh hoped that Kieron Pollard, the West Indian all-rounder, would come good on the morrow given that he had not been in the best of form with both bat and ball this IPL season.

“He has not done much, but we hope he will do something special tomorrow. A lot of other players are taking the lead, which is a big plus for us. Obviously, he has not been at his best. I am pretty sure he is a danger to any team,” said Robin Singh referring to the big-hitting Pollard.

Vettori also pinned hopes on his lead bowler Zaheer Khan to come good, although the left-arm seamer leaked big runs at the death leading to the defeat to the Super Kings on Tuesday.

“In the last two games, Zaheer has been at his best and wickets up front to the nature of the games. I have been really pleased with the way he has bowled,” the skipper said.