The second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) will start in a couple of days (Sept 17) and experts have started predicting and previewing the tournament.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen said that MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) surprised him with the performance in the first-half of the tournament.
"Everybody wrote off the old boys’ army of CSK before the IPL started in April, so seeing them go so well was a bit of a surprise. Their overseas players Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran, in particular, delivered the goods. But I’m not sure how well this four-month absence will have suited them.
It could take them a little while to crank back into gear, particularly the older players. If they are ready, it could be a historic few weeks for the franchise. They have a fantastic shot at winning a title that everybody thought was beyond them," Pietersen told Betway.
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CSK are second on the points table with five wins in seven matches.
The English batsman added that defending champions Mumbai Indians will have no time to settle and have to start winning right away.
"Everybody will expect the holders of the competition to go well, but they don’t have a good history of hitting the ground running. They tend to lose their first few games and then come good towards the end of the tournament. Well, we’re already towards the end of the tournament now,” he said.
He felt that the team had the team and the talent to qualify for the playoffs.
"Mumbai can’t afford to lose three or four games before they start playing because there’s so little time to play catch-up. If they are to retain their crown, they must be on it from ball one. Clearly, with the talent they have in their side, they are capable of doing it," Pietersen signed off.
Three-time winners Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians will kick-start the second half of IPL 2021 at the Dubai International Stadium on September 19.
