CHENNAI: A confident Chepauk Super Gillies led by N Jagadeesan will take on Shahrukh Khan's Vida Kovai Kings in a Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.
This tie marks the second phase of the tournament, where matches will continue to happen at Chepauk. Teams played their first five matches in Dindigul. Super Gillies are currently second in the points table with three wins from five matches. They will look to strengthen their position as they aim to secure a place in the playoffs stage.
Meanwhile, Vida Kovai Kings are sixth in the standings with two wins. They hope to find consistency, win both their games in Chennai and hope other results favour them in terms of their play off hopes.
Jagadeesan was optimistic the his will carry forward the momentum and try to make it to the playoffs.
His confidence stems from the fact that he and opening partner Mokit Hariharan are in roaring form. Hariharan scored a century against Madurai Panthers.
All-rounder Swapnil Singh too has been contributing with both bat and ball.
"Preparations for the second leg has been good. We are not doing anything different. I mean, we have been playing well, we are pretty happy with the way it's been going and we would like to stick to what we have been doing and continue to do so at the Chennai games," Jagadeesan said.
The wicketkeeper-batter's form is not only crucial for Chepauk but also for the Tamil Nadu state team ahead of the domestic season.
"I have been playing well, the mindset is good. It's just about having more clarity every time a step happens or get accustomed to formats, it's going to be really good," he added.
He said that him and the team are keen on sealing second spot and enter the playoffs.
"It's very important (to finish top two) because you always have that advantage of playing that extra game and if you are going to win the game, you will get into the finals directly. So it's very important. But, as you know, the table is wide open and all we can do is focus on our process and try to make sure that we play good cricket," he said while expressing excitement over playing the remaining games at Chepauk.
Four teams are tied with six points each in the points table. That way, it could come down to NRR for spots in the playoffs. Kovai have their task cut out.
"Honestly, we are not looking at other teams right now. We are in a tough spot. We have put ourselves in a tough spot after three losses. We had games right in our hands and we lost a couple of games. But at present, our focus is just to win two games, not looking at the run rate. Anyway, our NRR is way ahead. But, if we lose, we are out of the tournament," Kovai captain Shahrukh Khan said.
