JOIN USDespite winning the six out of nine outings, including the last game, against Mumbai Indians, Kings XI Punjab’s captain-cum-mentor Adam Gilchrist feels that their rivals are a dangerous side.
“Mumbai is a dangerous side. They are an all-round side with quality players and star-studded line-up,” 40-year-old Gilchrist told reporters on the eve of his team’s return-leg clash against Sachin Tendulkar and Co.
The Punjab side which is being led by stand-in captain David Hussey in the absence of Gilchrist, who suffered a hamstring injury, defeated MI by six wickets in Mumbai on Sunday. Gilchrist said he was pleased with the result against Mumbai on Sunday and his team had an “all-round best game”.
He, however, said the star-studded Mumbai line-up cannot be underestimated at any stage. When asked if his team would enjoy any kind of psychological advantage over MI having defeated them on maximum occasions in all editions of the IPL so far, Gilchrist said he was not aware about this fact.
“Is it so?,” he asked the reporter who put the question and then added,”I didn’t realise that. I didn’t take this up in the team meeting, he said in a lighter vein.”
The Aussie also said that defeating them on six out of nine times does not make a huge difference as the conditions kept changing from time to time. “Had it been 9-0, may be (then it would have made some difference).”
When asked about Mumbai Indians opener Sachin Tendulkar being back in the last game after sustaining finger injury earlier, Gilchrist said his team has a plan to tackle him. Tendulkar’s presence lends stability to the top-order, which had been stuttering after his exit in four games.
When reminded about Tendulkar’s birthday today (April 24), Gilchrist said, “I get a bit of a cold shiver”.
He was referring to a match played earlier in Sharjah, in which Gilchrist said the batting maestro had scored a ton on his birthday. “Luckily, his birthday is not tomorrow,” he said and then asked the reporters in jest “how old he is by the way?”.