Kings XI Punjab hoping 'X-factor' will work for them

"We may not be having super stars in the team, but here lies the opportunity...sometimes X-factor wins you the games. And it's the consistency we will be looking at in our performances," KXIP coach Michael Bevan said here today during a media interaction.

He said the current Kings XI squad looks good and it was a part of their strategy this time to have a bunch of "good solid players", who are consistent and not necessarily be super stars.

Bevan said that he would give the Mohali team an equal chance of winning this year's title as anyone else as it has got a decent combination.

KXIP lost out on several key players including Indian middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh and former Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene, who were a part of the team in the first three seasons of the cash-rich event, during the IPL auction earlier this month.

They also lost bidding wars for Australian all-rounder Cameron White, Indian batsman Rohit Sharma and all-rounder Irfan Pathan.

Bevan is hopeful that with the likes of four Indians in the form of wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Karthik, all-rounder Abhishek Nayar, leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and seamer Praveen Kumar, the team to be led by his compatriot Adam Gilchrist, will deliver in the tournament, starting April 8.

On Gilchrist leading the side, Bevan though admitted that the 39-year-old have past his prime but said that he would bring with him a wealth of experience.

"Gilchrist has got great leadership skills. He is a world class wicketkeeper and has wealth of experience. He may not have a very great season last year but his batting statistics show that his strike rate is phenomenal.

"He has got the ability to unite players and he will definitely play multiple roles that should benefit the team," Bevan added.