Knight Riders face the Symmo-Gilly test

Hyderabad skipper Laxman, of course, tried putting up a brave face when asked about the dented team composition. “Both Herschelle and Afridi are very important players. They are crucial for us any day. But having said that, we are a good, balanced side. I am sure we can manage. We have a good blend of experience and youth,” the stylish Hyderabadi batsman pointed.

Despite the absence of Gibbs and Afridi — both explosive batsmen ideal for this format of the game—¿ Deccan Chargers still boast of enough firepower to make John Buchanan & Co shudder. Both Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds are matchwinners and ideal for Twenty20 cricket. And then, as Laxman points out, there’s the experienced all-round duo of Scott Styris and Sanjay Bangar. “These two are very good all-rounders for this format of the game, as we all will soon find out,” Laxman warned, before leading his team into a two-hour practice session under Eden’s floodlights even as foot-tapping music blared in the background.

Of course, much of the spotlight will be on Shah Rukh’s team and his new-found sensation McCullum. The Kiwi stumper and explosive batsman has literally sent alarm bells ringing in the seven other camps with his mind-numbing 158-run blitz yesterday. Laxman may wear a relaxed look when it comes to their bowling department, but the combination of Chaminda Vaas, RP Singh, Styris, Symonds and Bangar will be really tested on Sunday when they take on McCullum & Co.

For the Knight Riders though, there’s some good news, with the Eden wicket expected to be on the livelier side. After posterboy Ishant Sharma and rookie Bengal quick Ashoke Dinda made the ball talk in the course of the 140-run win in Bangalore, SRK will surely bank on his pace battery, also comprising LR Shukla and Ganguly himself, to dominate the proceedings.