News :  Balaji confident of CSK's chances

 

Chennai Super Kings pace bowler Laxmipathy Balaji is confident of his team’s chances ahead of CLT20 in South Africa. Balaji has fond memories of South Africa having taken the second highest number of wickets for his team there in IPL 2009. Balaji was tied with Albie Morkel and Shadab Jakati with a tally of 13 wickets and all three were only one wicket behind CSK’s leading wicket-taker for the tournament, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Speaking to the official website of Chennai Super Kings, Balaji expressed his confidence of coming good a second time in South Africa. “In South Africa, the batsmen are always set to play on the back foot and try to get the boundary through the ‘cut’ [shot] which is the easiest thing on the pitches there. So if I bowl to length and make the batsmen go for [straight] drives, it is going to be a difficult proposition for them,” said Balaji.

IPL 2010 was not a memorable experience for Balaji as he was down with a groin injury and could play only seven games. Yet, given his past record with CSK in South Africa, it would be prudent that batsmen play him with utmost caution. Balaji already appears to have chalked out plans for opposition batsmen coming from various nations. “Getting to know their weaknesses and strengths is not an issue. For example, to get details of an Australian side in the fray, we have Matthew Hayden and [Doug] Bollinger to provide information and likewise Albie Morkel would be sought to give the necessary details on African teams,” he said.