Legends of Sports

Match 23: Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals



Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne are legends of Australian cricket, now retired and leading their respective teams efficiently in the cash-rich IPL. It will be as much a clash of two strong personalities as it will be of the two teams when Kings XI Punjab takes on Rajasthan Royals at the PCA stadium on Thursday evening. After the none-too-impressive opening game, nobody had given KXIP much of a chance, branding them as 'Paupers' rather than the 'Kings'. But the appearance of Paul Valthaty has brought about the resurgence of KXIP.

It would be apt to say that their fortunes have risen along with his. Such an feeling he has made with a century and a half in the last two games that he may well play for India before he does for his state in first-class cricket. Of course, much will depend on how well he performs in the remaining IPL matches before the national selectors sit down to pick the team for the ODI series in the Caribbean. For their two wins, the KXIP owe it to Valthaty.

But now is the time for the other players to come to the party as it would be unjust to expect the Mumbai lad to do it match after match. The likes of Shaun Marsh, Dinesh Karthik and Abhishek Nayar need to put their hands up and create contributions, particularly against Rajasthan Royals, who are in the top half of the points table following their washout against Royal Challengers in Bangalore on Tuesday night.

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