Capital gains as Viru returns

The return of Virender Sehwag after two seasons will surely boost the confidence of the home team’s bid to win its seventh title. The intervening two years has seen a sea-change in the cricketing fortunes of the dashing batsman from Najafgarh. In fact, the last time the two teams met in Chennai, Viru cracked a 100-ball century. As was to be expected, he was the star attraction at the practice session at the ground this morning.

Sehwag will provide the much-needed depth to Delhi’s batting along with Gautam Gambhir, Aakash Chopra and Mithun Manhas. Medium pacer Amit Bhandari, with a tally of 40 wickets from seven matches, is once again expected to lead Delhi’s attack with support from Sanjay Gill. With the presence of several southpaws in Tamil Nadu’s top-order, offie Sarandeep will have his task cut out, as also left-arm spinner Rahul Sanghvi.

It must be said to the credit of the home team that the boys have risen to the occasion brushing aside the controveries surrounding the appointment of the coach (Bedi or Yashpal) to the latest on the inclusion or otherwise of Rajat Bhatia, who till last year was part of the Tamil Nadu squad. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, did not have any such problem.

With a fair blend of youth and experience, they have had a fairly smooth run. LA green top at Kotla would, no doubt, surprise those who are familiar with docile nature of wickets at the venue. ‘‘But the need of the hour is to have pace-oriented wickets for domestic games,’’ was how national selector Kirti Azad said. And, as was to be expected, Tamil Nadu are prepared for it.