The Chennai Super Kings have been well served by M Vijay and R Ashwin. For the Kolkata Knight Riders, it is Debabrata Das and Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who have put their hands up this season when the chips were down, writes The Times Of India, adding that though the focus has always been on the big name foreign signings in the IPL, often it is the performances of the seven Indian players that has proved vital for the teams.
A first final can be a cause for nerves and pressure for Kolkata Knight Niders, but Das does not want to get carried away by the occasion, “I don’t see it as extra pressure. Every match is important so I will try to play my own game and do my job for the team.”
Both Das and Shukla praised the efforts of teammates as well, “Both Indian and foreign players have done well this season (for KKR). We have clicked as a unit”.
Das also appreciated the inputs of skipper Gautam Gambhir, “Gauti has always asked me to play my own game. He has always told me to relax and focus on my game. He has assured me that there is no pressure and that has helped me do well.”
Meanwhile after guiding Chennai Super Kings to a crushing 86-run win over Delhi Daredevils with his majestic century, Murali Vijay said they are "geared up" to defend their IPL title against Kolkata Knight Riders, says an Indian Express report.
Vijay became the only Indian batsman to score two IPL centuries when he hammered 113 runs against Delhi yesterday. He had scored a hundred in the 2010 edition also.
"Every team can beat the other on a given day. So we need to be wary and cannot take things lightly. The only thing I can tell you is that we are geared up for the match," Vijay said.