Chargers keen to end losing streak at home

The IPL-2 champions, who have lost both the matches they played so far in IPL-4, face an uphill task when they meet RCB.

Deccan Chargers' captain Kumar Sangakkara walks back to the pavilion after his dismissal during the IPLt match against KKR in Kolkata, Monday. (AP) 

HYDERABAD: IPL-2 champions Deccan Char­g­ers, who have lost both the matches they played so far in IPL-4, face an uphill task when they meet Royal Challengers Bangalore in their second ho­me match at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Thursday.

Kumar Sangakkara’s team lost the first one against Rajasthan Royals at home and were then defeated by Kolkata Kni­ght Riders in away match at Ko­lkata. On the other hand, Ro­yal Challengers have won an aw­ay match against Kochi Tu­skers Kerala while losing to Mumbai Indians by nine wicke­ts at Bangalore on Tuesday.

The Chargers have to rethi­nk their strategy to chalk out a winning formula. But the home jinx still haunts them ever sin­ce they played their first match here in 2008.

They have a dubious record of losing all their nine matches they have played so far in the IPL tournament here and also lost two of their Champions Le­ague matches.

Coach Darren Lehmann has put up a brave face and dismis­s­ed of any sort of home jinx. But he has to instill confidence into the team which seems to lack depth in their batting. Th­ey may have the bowling fire-p­ower of Dale Steyn, Ishant Sh­a­rma, Amit Mishra and Pr­a­gyan Ojha but with the batti­ng looking brittle they are unable to get their act together.

Lehmann has to rejig the batting order or bring out some magic formula. The team is to­tally dependent on Sangakkara’s batting prowess and the fo­rmer Sri Lankan captain has yet to find his World Cup form. JP Duminy, too, has done little with the bat. Batsmen like Bh­a­rat Chipli, Daniel Christian and DB Ravi Teja have chipped in with useful scores but that is not good enough to give a winning total.

Although outplayed by Mu­mbai Indians, Royal Challengers have better batting and bo­wling depth. South Africa’s AB de Villiers is in awesome form. De Villiers and Tillakaratne Di­lshan were the influential ba­­tsmen in RCB’s reasonable total against the Mumbai India­ns. They have other big strikers like Virat Kohli and left-hander Saurabh Tiwary.

The injury to left-arm seamer Dirk Nannes could be a setback of sorts to the RCB team. But the likes of Zaheer Khan and skipper Daniel Vettori, it co­uld give the much needed aggression to the bowling.