Absence of Kallis will hurt Bangalore

After wriggling out of a tight spot in the league phase of the Champions League,Bangalore Royal Challengers face another do-or-die game on Saturday....

After wriggling out of a tight spot in the league phase of the Champions League,Bangalore Royal Challengers face another do-or-die game on Saturday. But the degree of difficulty is higher this time on two counts this happens to be a Super 8 game and their opponents,Delhi Daredevils,are a star-studded team.

With stakes high,the stage is set for a high-pressure game on Diwali day with the locals expecting fireworks from their unpredictable team. Just like in the two seasons of the Indian Premier League,Royal Challengerss fickle form has been evident in the Champions Trophy too. The team that reached the IPL final of Season 2 after their last-place finish in the inaugural year has stuck to their inconsistency. In the Champions League,within days of recording a convincing 80-run win,they suffered the humiliation of a seven-wicket loss in their last game.

The contrast is evident as one takes a look at their rival camp. Delhi Daredevils,who will also be desperate for a win,have been the most consistent IPL team with successive semi-final appearances in the last two years. Interestingly,the Delhi side too has lost to Victoria in the league phase. With a strong team full of big names and a healthy bench-strength,Daredevils are the favourites. But the unpredictable Royal Challengers can never be written off.

The biggest worry for the home team is the question mark over their most reliable player,Jacques Kallis. The South African all-rounder missed a match due to a side strain and later missed a training session on the eve of the crucial game.

Serious injury

Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher said that Kalliss injury is serious and thats the reason he sat out the last game. He will have a medical check-up tomorrow and that will decide his availability. He has to play a big role in the series against England after Champions League and this will also be on his mind, said Boucher.

Kallis absence hurt the Bangalore side against Victoria. They did get a brisk start with his replacement Manish Pandey doing well,but the regular fall of wickets saw them manage a modest score. Obviously we missed him. My view is that he is best all-rounder in the world at the moment. Without Jacques in the side,you lose a batsman and a bowler. If he was there for the last game,things would have been different. Losing him will be a big blow, Boucher added.

The defeat in their last game also meant that Bangalore will have to beat Delhi by a huge margin in case they fancy their chances of being in the last four. Delhi coach David Saker said defeating Bangalore wont be easy. The coach said that since Bangalore played their last three games at home,things are easier for them. The conditions will favour them but its a do or die game for both teams,so no one will take it easy, he said.