JOIN US “It is an important game for us,” the Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper told newsmen on Wednesday night. “We got off to a good start against Kochi but lost comprehensively against Mumbai yesterday. This competition is about momentum as we have only a short period of time between games. When you get that winning feel early on, it makes things a lot easier. I know the Deccan Chargers will come hard at us.
“We are hoping to continue that jinx, obviously,” the New Zealander laughed when told that the Chargers had yet to win a game at their home ground. “I'm sure it is an important game for them as we are. We are going to make sure we are on top of our game, jinx or no jinx.”
RCB will be without Australian left-arm paceman Dirk Nannes, who sustained a back injury on Tuesday, for at least the next couple of games. “He had a scan this afternoon and I think the results are out and have gone to the appropriate places,” Vettori observed.
Reacting cautiously to the news that he might not have Tillakaratne Dilshan beyond the first week of May – Sri Lanka Cricket has asked all players picked for the tour of England to attend a camp from May 5 – Vettori said, “He is obviously an important player for us with his batting. He is also a very important fielder and more often than not, he bowls his four overs. We have Luke Pomersbach and Jonathan Vandiar who can bat at the top of the order, but they don’t bring the same bowling options that Dilshan does. He is obviously very experienced. He will be a loss if he leaves, we are hoping that he is around for as long as he can be.”