CLT20 2014: Breaking Down Every Team's Squad for Full Tournament
In the group stage of the Champions League Twenty20, each team plays every team in their group once and the top two from Group A and B progress to the semi-finals.
Group A
Chennai Super Kings (India)
Kolkata Knight Riders (India)
Perth Scorchers (Australia)
Dolphins (South Africa)
Qualifier 1
Group B
Barbados Tridents (Caribbean)
Cape Cobras (South Africa)
Hobart Hurricanes (Australia)
Kings XI Punjab (India)
Qualifier 2
Click Begin Slideshow to read Freddie Wilde's team-by-team previews.
Group A: Chennai Super Kings (India)
1 of 8
Qualified Via: Indian Premier League Play-Off Losers
Background
This will be Chennai Super Kings’ fourth consecutive Champions League appearance and despite not winning a trophy since 2011, with the strongest batting line-up in world cricket they will be strong contenders for the title.
Their qualification for this season’s Champions League was typically serene. They narrowly missed out on second place in the Indian Premier League round-robin stage which guaranteed them a place. They beat the Mumbai Indians in the eliminator, who now have to reach the tournament-proper through the qualifying group, before losing to eventual runners up, Kings XI Punjab in the play-off.
Tactical Preview
Squad: MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ashish Nehra, Mithun Manhas, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishwar Pandey, Pawan Negi, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohit Sharma, Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo, John Hastings, Brendon McCullum, Samuel Badree, Francois "Faf" du Plessis
CSK are probably the most settled team in the world, with a consistent strategy and superb personnel. It’s hard to overstate the brilliance of their top seven that wouldn't be out of place in the international arena. Indeed, it’s a batting order of such prowess that they’d back themselves to chase pretty much anything, which is fortunate considering—if the pitch doesn’t take turn—their flimsier seam bowling can be exposed.
Their batting strategy pretty much scales what can arguably be called the vertex of modern batsmanship. There is not so much accelerations and decelerations throughout the innings rather consistent and persistent attack.
Du Plessis anchors the innings to an extent, but with Dwayne Smith opening, Suresh Raina—perhaps the leading T20 batsman in the world—at three and a traditional opener in Brendon McCullum at four before the trio of finishers, Dwayne Bravo, MS Dhoni and Ravi Jadeja at five, six, seven, there is no let up in the onslaught.
The early season Indian pitches are less likely to take turn than those often seen in the IPL, but if there are indeed pitches that do, CSK could do worse than shoehorning Samuel Badree into the team. Badree would force a change in the batting order because he upsets the overseas balance, but he’s a very underrated leg-spinner who deserves to be playing regularly.
CSK’s perennial problem has been their seam bowling, with Jadeja and Ravi Ashwin holding down the spin-spots. However, there were suggestions in the IPL that they were beginning to crack the issue.
Even without Dwayne Bravo, their seam bowling was led well by Mohit Sharma and Ishwar Pandey—two young Indian bowlers who bowl accurately; while Ashish Nehra lends valuable experience to an attack that, although encouraging, is certainly the weak link of an admittedly very strong team.
Bowlers Pawan Negi and John Hastings make up the squad.
Wilde’s XI
1) Dwayne Smith 2) Faf Du Plessis 3) Suresh Raina 4) Brendon McCullum 5) Dwayne Bravo 6) MS Dhoni 7) Ravi Jadeja 8) Ravichandran Ashwin 9) Mohit Sharma 10) Ishwar Pandey 11) Ashish Nehra. Unused players: Mithun Manhas, Pawan Negi, John Hastings, Samuel Badree.
Group A: Kolkata Knight Riders (India)
2 of 8
Qualified Via: Indian Premier League Champions
Background
Kolkata Knight Riders' Indian Premier League season came together perfectly when, after a slow-start, their spin-strong squad crescendoed wonderfully on tired, worn, Indian pitches, winning ten consecutive matches—an IPL record—on their way to their second IPL title in three years. This will be their fourth consecutive Champions League appearance.
The Knight Riders’ preparations for this season have been dealt several blows with Chris Lynn ruled out with injury, Shakib Al Hasan unavailable for selection after the Bangladesh Cricket Board refused to grant him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) and Morne Morkel also out with injury just days before the scheduled start. Morkel was replaced in the squad by wicketkeeper Manvinder Bisla.
Bisla was one of four players, Yusuf Pathan, Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav being the other three, sent for 15 days of training in South Africa that included cycling, running and mountaineering.
Tactical Preview
Squad: Gautam Gambhir, Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla, Ranganath Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Sunil Narine, Jacques Kallis, Ryan ten Doeschate, Patrick Cummins, Andre Russell, Manvinder Bisla
KKR candidly promote their faith in a Moneyball-style approach to T20 cricket, and such a intricate method comes across in their style of play.
Arguably more than the sum of their parts, KKR are pragmatic and versatile, picking teams to suit conditions and circumstances.
They will suffer as a result of the unavailability of Shakib and Morkel, but they have similar, albeit lower quality replacements in their deep squad.
KKR’s batting order is consistently selected, but fluctuating and pragmatically organised. Their top-order is relatively stable, with the most likely opening pairing being captain Gautam Gambhir and IPL 7’s leading run-scorer Robin Uthappa, although a return for Jacques Kallis—dropped during the IPL—could reshuffle the top three.
KKR may well be reluctant to pick Kallis however, who flatters to deceive often in T20 cricket and has looked out of form and short of practice since his Test retirement last year. His anchor-style innings in T20 can cast a long shadow over those who bat below him, and although they don’t directly lose KKR matches, the pressure he can place on others often does.
The debate about Kallis in T20 cricket is an eternal one it seems and he may indeed play. If he does, he would at least provide the stability that the batting may lack in the absence of Shakib’s cool head.
A middle and lower order comprising the accelerated classical pairing of Manish Pandey and Manvinder Bisla, entwined with sluggers Yusuf Pathan and Ryan ten Doeschate and the innovative Suryakumar Yadav has just about every base covered and is wonderfully malleable to circumstance.
The form of Yusuf can, it seems, be the difference between a competitive KKR and a winning KKR. His blitzkrieg against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in this season’s IPL elevated KKR from third to second and straight through to the play-off.
Sunil Narine is the fulcrum of the Knight Riders team. He is by some distance the best T20 bowler in the world—perhaps of all time—and four overs from him, in effect, give the opposition just 16 overs to dictate terms with the bat, as opposed to 20.
Aside from Narine, the make-up of the bowling attack is hard to predict, mainly because KKR have so many options: Andre Russell, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar, Patrick Cummins and Piyush Chawla are five bowlers all possessing international experience, yet KKR will likely only be able to pick four of them. Nineteen-year-old Kuldeep Yadav is the spare spinner in the squad but he’ll find it hard to get a game with Chawla set to partner Narine.
Interestingly, if Cummins doesn't play, and KKR opt against a return for Kallis, the Knight Riders may only play three overseas players where they could have four, such is the strength of their Indian contingent. Although it should be noted that none of Russell, Yadav, Kumar or Cummins are attack leaders and Morkel’s absence may be felt in that regard.
Russell is, however, one player who really should play more often for KKR and may well do in Shakib’s absence. Russell is a T20 cricketer of the highest order: a clever bowler, explosive hitter—underused as a pinch hitter—and an athletic fielder. He could shuffle up and down the batting order according to circumstance. Russell gives you the most valuable of T20 assets: options.
Indeed, options is one thing KKR are not in short supply of. They’re a team who know how to win, have won together and will be playing in familiar conditions. Especially if the pitches turn, they’ll be disappointed if they don’t make it through the group.
Wilde’s XI
1) Robin Uthappa 2) Gautam Gambhir 3) Manish Pandey 4) Manvinder Bisla 5) Ryan ten Doeschate/Yusuf Pathan 6) Ryan ten Doeschate/Yusuf Pathan 7) Suryakumar Yadav 8) Andre Russell 9) Vinay Kumar/Umesh Yadav 10) Patrick Cummins/Piyush Chawla 11) Sunil Narine. Unused players: Jacques Kalli, Kuldeep Yadav.
Group A: Perth Scorchers (Australia)
3 of 8
Qualified Via: Big Bash League Champions
Background
This will be Perth Scorchers’ third consecutive appearance in the Champions League having twice finished runners-up in the Big Bash League and winning it in 2014. Their record at the Champions League is poor however—with them never progressing beyond the group stage, and last year they didn’t win a single match.
The Scorchers, like fellow Australians Hobart Hurricanes, New Zealand’s Northern Knights and South Africa’s Dolphins and Cape Cobras, haven’t played competitively together for some time, such is the spread of their home season, and that may stand against them.
Following Simon Katich’s retirement, Adam Voges has been appointed Perth Scorchers captain. Shaun Marsh was thought to have been set to play for his IPL team, Kings XI Punjab, instead of the Perth Scorchers, which would have seen the Scorchers collect $150,000 from the Indian team. However, Marsh underwent a reconstruction of his left elbow and will be absent due to his injury.
Meanwhile, Alfonso Thomas was not released by his county Somerset and fast bowler Pat Cummins has elected to play for Kolkata Knight Riders instead of the Perth Scorchers.
Pakistani Yasir Arafat is yet to be granted his visa to travel to India. (Correct as of 16th September).
Tactical Preview
Squad: Ashton Agar, Yasir Arafat, Michael Beer, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Brad Hogg, Simon Mackin, Mitchell Marsh, Joel Paris, Craig Simmons, Ashton Turner, Adam Voges, Sam Whiteman
Despite Thomas and Cummins being absent the Perth Scorchers are a bottom-heavy team with plenty of all-rounders and myriad options with the ball. In Ashton Agar, Yasir Arafat, Michael Beer, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Brad Hogg, Simon Mackin and Joel Paris they have eight frontline bowlers, while all three of Mitchell Marsh, Hilton Cartwright and Ashton Turner bowl too. Indeed, there’s a nice mix of pace and spin in that grouping so the Scorchers can be versatile if their pragmatism allows it.
In contrast to their bowling, the Scorchers seem very light—or at least inexperienced—with the bat. Double BBL03 centurion Craig Simmons (who incidentally will begin a new chapter of his career at the Adelaide Strikers when the BBL kicks off in December) will open the innings but there’s enormous pressure on him to succeed, especially in light of Simon Katich’s absence following his retirement.
New captain Adam Voges will probably either open alongside Simmons—which will give a nice right-hand/left-hand combination—or slot in at number three with young Ashton Agar opening as he did in the Ryobi One Day Cup. Voges struggled for form when playing for the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League and Perth will need him to come good in the Champions League.
Mitchell Marsh is the fulcrum of the batting order and he’ll float up and down according to circumstance. His brutal unbeaten 86 off 51 balls against South Africa earlier this month will encourage the Scorchers—who will be heavily reliant on him and wicketkeeper Sam Whiteman propelling them to competitive totals.
Indeed, the rest of the batting is vastly inexperienced and alarmingly unknown. Agar and Ashton Turner are generally thought to be better batsman than they are bowlers, especially in the T20 format, while Arafat is useful down the order.
Cameron Bancroft is the spare wicketkeeper batsman and he could be slotted in to bolster the batting, but he’s never played a professional T20 match. The Scorchers' batting order is not one that strikes fear into the opposition.
Wilde’s XI
1) Craig Simmons 2) Ashton Agar 3) Adam Voges 4) Mitchell Marsh 5) Ashton Turner 6) Sam Whiteman 7) Yasir Arafat 8) JP Behrendorff 9) Nathan Coulter-Nile 10) Michael Beer 11) Brad Hogg. Unused players: Cameron Bancroft, Joel Paris, Simon Mackin, Hilton Cartwright.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Group A: Dolphins (South Africa)
4 of 8
Qualified Via: Ram-Slam Challenge Champions
Background
The Dolphins qualified for their maiden Champions League with a narrow victory over fellow CLT20 qualifiers the Cape Cobras in the Ram-Slam Challenge Final in February.
After their leading run-scorer in this year’s Ram-Slam David Miller opted to play for his IPL team, Kings XI Punjab, the Dolphins squad is just as low-key as Sri Lankan qualifiers Southern Express, with not one regular international player in their 15 man squad. Yet unlike Southern Express, the Dolphins are a supremely experienced outfit who have played together for a number of years.
Captain Morne van Wyk has spoken confidently ahead of the season, proclaiming to SuperSport he feels the Dolphins can challenge for the title. “If we perform at our optimum, there are not many teams who can challenge us.”
They’re certainly talking a big game, and with such a low-key squad could be underestimated. They run a very contemporary setup—they’re well trained, fit, hard-working cricketers, and are unlikely to be phased by the big occasion.
Tactical Preview
Squad: Daryn Smit, Daryn Dupavillon, Cody Chetty, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Khayelihle "Khaya" Zondo, Robert Frylinck, Morne van Wyk, Kyle Abbott, Craig Alexander, Jonathan Vandiar, Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen, Cameron Delport, Andile Phehlukwayo, Bongumusa Makhanya
The Dolphins will really miss David Miller, whose 383 runs in 12 innings in the Ram-Slam was instrumental in their victorious season. In his absence the Dolphins will rely on Cameron Delport, Cody Chetty, Vaughn van Jaarsveld and captain Morne van Wyk for runs.
Van Wyk opened the batting with Delport in every game the Dolphins played in the Ram-Slam so it would be a surprise were they to change that now.
The middle-order of Van Jaarsveld—whose career has reignited since his move from the Lions—Chetty, Daryn Smit and Khaya Zondo is vastly experienced and subtly sage.
Jonathan Vandiar is a young and promising batsman in the squad, but he hasn’t played a professional T20 since May 2013.
Kyle Abbott, the closest thing the Dolphins have to an international player, is the attack leader. Abbott took 16 wickets in the Ram-Slam and has a very impressive T20 record—boasting an economy rate of just 7.28.
All rounder Robert Frylinck is also a bowler to keep an eye on; he hits the pitch hard and should find any assistance that may be lurking in the flat Indian pitches. Keshav Maharaj is the Dolphins' spinner and a useful lower order batsman. Elsewhere in the ranks, Craig Alexander is a skilful swing bowler and Prenelan Subrayen a second spinner.
While the core of the Dolphins team is very experienced, in Bongumusa Makhanya, 18 years old, Daryn Dupavillon, 20, and Andile Phehlukwayo, 18, the latter two of whom are seriously quick bowlers, the Dolphins also have a very youthful underbelly. The core 11 or 12 players pick themselves, but carrying such a young trio limits their selection somewhat.
The Dolphins are a very inconspicuous and slightly mysterious side. They’ve snuck under the radar and possess enough experience to shield them against faltering under pressure—they come together to become more than the sum of their parts. Whether they have enough genuine quality to compete with the likes of CSK and KKR remains to be seen.
Wilde’s XI
1) Morne van Wyk 2) Cameron Delport 3) Cody Chetty 4) Daryn Smit 5) Vaughn van Jaarsveld 6) Khaya Zondo 7) Robert Frylinck 8) Keshav Maharaj 9) Prenelan Subrayen 10) Kyle Abbott 11) Craig Alexander. Unused players: Bongumusa Makhanya, Daryn Dupavillon, Andile Phehlukwayo.
Group B: Barbados Tridents (Caribbean)
5 of 8
Qualified Via: Caribbean Premier League Champions
Background
This will be Barbados Tridents’ first Champions League since their formation as a franchise when the Caribbean Premier League was launched in 2013. Even under the previous Caribbean structure they never once qualified for domestic cricket’s premier event.
The Tridents will be without captain and talisman Kieron Pollard, who opted to play for his IPL team, Mumbai Indians. In his place, all-rounder Rayad Emrit will captain the side.
The Barbados team will also be missing Dwayne Smith (playing for Chennai Super Kings) and Shoaib Malik (playing for the Hobart Hurricanes).
Losing Pollard, Smith and Malik sees the Tridents lose 959 runs of their CPL campaign—that, if it wasn’t obvious already, emphasises the importance of the absent trio. The Tridents were quick to organise replacements however, signing James Franklin, Dilshan Munaweera and Elton Chigumbura—all international players, but not nearly in the same class.
The Tridents may have been crippled by absentees, but they have the advantage of momentum having only just concluded their CPL season; something no other CLT20 side can lay claim to.
Tactical Preview
Squad: Jonathan Carter, Elton Chigumbura, Shane Dowrich, Rayad Emrit, James Franklin, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Kyle Mayers, Neil McKenzie, Jeevan Mendis, Dilshan Munaweera, Ashley Nurse, William Perkins, Ravi Rampaul, Raymon Reifer
The Barbados Tridents have actually managed to pull together a decent squad considering they’ve been ravaged of star quality. Dilshan Munaweera, Elton Chigumbura and James Franklin are smart signings that should slot nicely into the team.
Keeper William Perkins opened in three matches during the CPL with minimal success but in Dwayne Smith’s absence a more extended stay there is to be expected. He’ll most likely open alongside Dilshan Munaweera—an underrated Sri Lankan who played his last of four T20 internationals in March 2013.
The Tridents were very flexible with their batting order during the CPL, promoting Jason Holder on occasion as a pinch-hitter (incidentally a tactic that should be used far more often in T20 cricket), and don’t be surprised to see them try something similar here. But aside from predicting the exact order of those below Perkins and Munaweera, the actual composition is more obvious. Raymon Reifer, like Perkins, only played three matches in the CPL, but without Smith, Pollard and Malik should be given a more extended run.
If the Tridents do pick Munaweera—and they have few alternative opening options—they will have to decide between three of Neil McKenzie, Elton Chigumbura, Jeevan Mendis and James Franklin to complete the lower-middle order.
Despite an awful CPL, McKenzie should be an automatic pick—he’s a vastly experienced, wily T20 cricketer, and genuinely outstanding in run chases. The options provided by Franklin with bat and ball should also see him get the nod, but he’s been in poor form for Nottinghamshire.
Mendis has played for the Tridents before and bowled brilliantly in the CPL; but Chigumbura is not a bad option with both bat and ball either. The Tridents have covered themselves well.
Their bowling attack hasn’t taken too much of hit as a result of Pollard, Malik and Smith’s absence—the trio only bowled 25.3 overs during the CPL. Ravi Rampaul (19 wickets) and Rayad Emrit (12) did most of the damage during their victorious campaign and both will be present in the Champions League.
Holder also had an excellent CPL—boasting an economy rate of just 6.08, superb for a bowler prone to erratic spells. Ashley Nurse played every game but one in the CPL while Kyle Mayers or spinner Akeal Hosein complete the attack. Batsman Jonathan Carter and spare wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich make up the rest of the squad.
The Tridents have made best of a very difficult situation losing three such key players, and they should be able to compete better than some may have feared.
Wilde’s XI
1) William Perkins 2) Dilshan Munaweera 3) Raymon Reifer 4) Neil McKenzie 5) Elton Chigumbura/Jeevan Mendis 6) James Franklin 7) Rayad Emrit 8) Jason Holder 9) Kyle Mayers/Akeal Hosein 10) Ashley Nurse 11) Ravi Rampaul. Unused players: Jonathan Carter, Shane Dowrich.
Group B: Cape Cobras (South Africa)
6 of 8
Qualified Via: Ram-Slam Challenge Runners-Up
Background
The Cape Cobras qualified for the Champions League as virtue of being runners-up in the Ram-Slam Challenge earlier this year.
This will be Cobras’ third appearance in the Champions League having been losing semi-finalists in the inaugural 2009 edition before being knocked out at the group stage in 2012.
The Cape Cobras squad is packed with international experience—11 of the 15 members have played for South Africa—and this is despite the fact that Dale Steyn (rested by Cricket South Africa) and Beuran Hendricks (injury) are unavailable for the tournament.
Indeed, Cobras’ fitness woes are such, with Rory Kleinveldt and Vernon Philander both carrying niggles, that the recently retired Charl Langeveldt has been talked out of retirement for a brief return in the Champions League.
The Cobras will be missing Jacques Kallis who opted to play for his IPL team the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Tactical Preview
Squad: Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Justin Kemp, Rory Kleinveldt, Charl Langeveldt, Richard Levi, Aviwe Mgijima, Justin Ontong (captain), Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Zakhele Qwabe, Omphile Ramela, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas
With such a large core of international players, the Cape Cobras team can be expected to pick itself. Those that will probably miss out are those who haven’t played for South Africa—batsmen Omphile Ramela and Stiaan van Zyl and bowlers Zakhele Qwabe and bowler Aviwe Mgijima.
Despite the absence of Kallis, Steyn and Hendricks, Cobras' starting XI, if not their squad depth, is very impressive. Richard Levi and Hashim Amla is a wonderfully contrasting but imposing opening partnership. Levi is a matured player of late, while Amla anchoring maintains a proactive strike-rate.
The middle order will be very fluid, one of the world’s leading T20 batsman and fulcrum of the side JP Duminy may come in anywhere between three and six—although the Cobras should be wary of holding him back as long as the Delhi Daredevils did in the IPL. Your best players should face the most balls!
Around Duminy there is plenty of class. Keeper Dane Vilas, Justin Ontong and Justin Kemp have all been in and out of South Africa’s limited-overs sides during their careers and possess both experience and skill. Robin Peterson is a more than capable batsman at number seven.
Peterson and Piedt are the frontline spinners, although JP Duminy will also surely bowl. That spin trio will dovetail nicely with international threesome of Vernon Philander, Rory Kleinveldt and Charl Langeveldt. However, that trio, although experienced, is one potentially vulnerable in T20—they’re three similar bowlers and on flat pitches will need to draw on their variations to make up for a lack of pace.
The Cobras haven’t played a competitive T20 since February, although a number of players have played internationally since, and with a genuinely impressive starting XI the Cobras have a chance to make good progress in this year’s Champions League.
The fitness of Philander and Kleinveldt is certainly a concern, especially considering the inexperienced back-ups, but there should be enough raw talent among the squad to sustain Cobras' challenge.
Wilde’s XI
1) Richard Levi 2) Hashim Amla 3) JP Duminy 4) Dane Vilas 5) Justin Ontong 6) Justin Kemp 7) Robin Peterson 8) Dane Piedt 9) Vernon Philander 10) Rory Kleinveldt 11) Charl Langeveldt. Unused players: Aviwe Mgijima, Zakhele Qwabe, Omphile Ramela, Stiaan van Zyl.
Group B: Hobart Hurricanes
7 of 8
Qualified Via: Big Bash League Runners Up
Background
Big Bash League runners-up Hobart Hurricanes, with a low-key squad, are perennially underestimated, but they have made the BBL semi-finals two years out of three and are a clever, well-built side.
The Hurricanes will be without star batsman George Bailey, who will be playing for Kings XI Punjab, although Pakistani batting all-rounder, Shoaib Malik has opted to play for the Hurricanes over his Caribbean Premier League side the Barbados Tridents.
This is the Hurricanes’ first appearance in the CLT20 and they’ll be well prepared with the squad having spent a week in Sri Lanka playing three warm-up matches against Hong Kong and a Sri Lankan XI. Both Tim Paine and Evan Gulbis were struck down with illness while in Sri Lanka, but are expected to make a recovery in time for the start of their CLT20 season.
The Hurricanes have just been embroiled in a mini-scandal of sorts, picking up a fine for breaching the BBL Contract Embargo Period, but such frivolities are unlikely to distract the team.
Tactical Preview
Squad: Tim Paine, Jonathan Wells, Evan Gulbis, Xavier Doherty, Ben Hilfenhaus, Dom Michael, Sam Rainbird, Travis Birt, Doug Bollinger, Aiden Blizzard, Cameron Boyce, Joe Mennie, Ben Laughlin, Ben Dunk, Shoaib Malik
Leading run-scorer in last season’s Big Bash League with 395 runs, Ben Dunk, will definitely open the batting for the Hurricanes. In Sri Lanka, with Tim Paine struck down by a virus, new recruit Dom Michael opened alongside Dunk, and smashed a 41-ball 59 in the last match. In Bailey’s absence, Michael could slot in at three if Paine returns as expected at the top of the order.
However, the Hurricanes have multiple options in the middle order, with Aiden Bilzzard (playing for the Hurricanes for the last time having signed for Sydney Thunder), Shoaib Malik, Travis Birt and Jonathan Wells all capable batsmen.
All-rounder, Evan Gulbis lends the side good balance at number six—although he hasn’t played a competitive match since March—above an experienced and versatile bowling attack with plenty of international experience.
Twenty-five-year-old spinner Cameron Boyce, fresh off an international call-up for Australia’s one-off T20 against Pakistan, will dovetail nicely with Xavier Doherty.
In the pace department, Doug Bollinger has experience of Indian conditions thanks to his time with the Chennai Super Kings, while Ben Laughlin has been playing with the Antigua Hawksbills in the Caribbean Premier League. The wily Ben Hilfenhaus completes an attack backed up in reserve by young Sam Rainbird who has spent time at the National Training Centre in Brisbane and Joe Mennie.
None of Laughlin, Boyce, Hilfenhaus, Bollinger or Doherty are particularly good batsmen though, and the length of the Hurricanes’ tail is a concern.
They look a strong team on paper however, with plenty of batting firepower and experience. They’ll need to be quick out of the blocks however, with an opening match against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali.
Wilde’s XI
1) Ben Dunk 2) Tim Paine 3) Jonathan Wells/Travis Birt 4) Aiden Blizzard 5) Shoaib Malik 6) Evan Gulbis 7) Ben Laughlin 8) Cameron Boyce 9) Ben Hilfenhaus 10) Doug Bollinger 11) Xavier Doherty. Unused players: Joe Mennie, Sam Rainbird, Dom Michael.
Group B: Kings XI Punjab
8 of 8
Qualified Via: Indian Premier League Runners-Up
This will be Kings XI Punjab’s first appearance at the Champions League after being perennial strugglers at the Indian Premier League before they took this year’s season by storm. There were concerns prior to the season that the Kings XI were a top-heavy team, with too much batting and not enough bowling, and while there was an element of truth in that, the rise to prominence of Rishi Dhawan and Akshar Patel ensured their bowling managed to match their outrageous batting prowess.
While the Chennai Super Kings may have done it for longer, they cannot boast to being as exceptional as the Kings XI, with a batting order that wouldn’t look out of place in the international arena, Kings XI threaten to realign expectations as to what can be achieved with the bat.
With the added bonus of all four of their group matches played at home, the Kings XI will be strong contenders for the Champions League title.
Tactical Preview
Squad: George Bailey, Thisara Perera, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Akshar Patel, Karanveer Singh, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Manan Vohra, Mandeep Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Virender Sehwag, Wriddhiman Saha, Anureet Singh, Parvinder Awana
Such was the success of the Kings XI in the IPL, that their team just about picks itself, and like the Super Kings there is not so much a strategy as a consistent attack.
Virender Sehwag and Manan Vohra will certainly open but anything below that is malleable to fortune. They used Glenn Maxwell excellently, floating him up and around the order according to circumstance and will doubtless do the same here.
Poached off the Hurricanes and Dolphins respectively, George Bailey and David Miller complete the middle order, along with the hero of the IPL final, wicketkeeper, Wriddhiman Saha. That the Kings XI can leave Sri Lankan all rounder Thisara Perera out of the side demonstrates just how strong this team is.
With the ball there’s a wonderful mix of speeds, styles and variations, with the pace of Mitchell Johnson complemented by Akshar Patel’s spin, and the accuracy of Rishi Dhawan and Parvinder Awana.
This is a supremely strong team, as strong as CSK’s on paper, and with four home matches lined up the Kings XI are arguably the favourites for the tournament.
Wilde’s XI
1) Virender Sehwag 2) Manan Vohra 3) Glenn Maxwell 4) George Bailey 5) David Miller 6) Wriddhiman Saha 7) Akshar Patel 8) Mitchell Johnson 9) Rishi Dhawan 10) Lakshmipathy Balaji 11) Parvinder Awana. Unused players: Thisara Perera, Karanveer Singh, Anureet Singh.
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