Runner-up of the 2014 season, Kings XI Punjab have been training in Pune with an aim to get off to a positive start in the Pepsi Indian Premier League, 2015 and hope to go the distance this time round. The George Bailey-led side begin their season with a face-off against the Rajasthan Royals at the MCA International Cricket Stadium in Pune on April 10.While speaking about his team and their preparations ahead of their first home game, skipper Bailey said the team has been training hard and are settling in.

“It’s been a quick preparation for a lot of our guys. But the whole squad has been playing a lot of cricket and I think we are ready to go. We had a very good season last year but it’s time for us to regroup and move forward and focus on this year.

There is no doubt that we have expectations to go to the final of the tournament and from there anything can happen. But if we play our best cricket, and that’s all we can hope for, then we should be reasonably strong.” Like any team, Kings XI Punjab too are hoping to get off to a winning start.

Several of their players have been actively involved in playing matches in recent times, and therefore the team seems ready to hit the ground running. “It does actually (help that players are coming in from playing matches). Not only the international players but also the domestic players have come off a very good domestic T20 tournament; be it Viru (Virender Sehwag) or Sandeep Sharma or Gurkeerat (Singh Mann) or the rest of the boys.

And we actually allowed them a few extra days to go and represent their state. That’s always good (to have match-fitness). And some of our international players have just come off a World Cup.

So it was very important for them to have some time off, just relax mentally and I think they have come with a lot of clarity and that only augurs well for the season,” coach Sanjay Bangar explained.Their first opposition of the season, RR, too have a strong line-up led by Shane Watson. Asked about their strategy to tackle the Australians who come into the game riding on good form, Bailey replied, “The beauty of that is we have got a lot of Australians too and have lot of faith in each other.

So we can target specific areas that we can try and exploit any weakness, if they have.”One key factor in their first match would be RR’s man-in-form, Steven Smith. Speaking about the fellow Australian who has been the undoing of bowlers over the last year or so, Bailey said, “He has been very extraordinary to watch.

I think he has worked out his game, worked out the tempo of matches and has worked out how to build himself into an innings. He is flying on that confidence and freedom that comes with being in a really good form. He has worked really hard on his game and that has been pleasing to see someone put in the hours and get the rewards.

Having said that he is probably due to miss out, and if he wants to miss out tomorrow, that would be fantastic (for us).” The Kings from Punjab have their own demolition man in Glenn Maxwell. Speaking about the big-hitting batsman who plays a crucial role for the side, Bailey said, “His role hasn’t really changed from last season.

He had a fabulous season for us and that’s why he is an important player for us as he comes into every facet of the game. He is obviously hard for other teams to pin down, probably has a wider range of shots than anyone else in the world. One of the things is that his bowling has improved and that really does give us some extra option in the team.

And his fielding energy is very important in the team. At no stage of the game is he out of the game and he is obviously that sort of the personality as well. When he is going well I think it is every easy for the rest of the team to get swept up and tag along with him.

”Murali Vijay is the latest addition to the line-up which has a quiet a few power-hitters in the side. The India opener has shown the ability to anchor the innings for the national side, but it must not be forgotten that he also has a century to his name in the shortest format. Asked about his role and probability of opening for KXIP with Virender Sehwag, Bangar said, “Last season also we started off with Cheteshwar Pujara and we always felt that there is room for some sort of an anchor.

It’s not a typical Test anchor role that you want somebody to play but obviously with a strike rate of 110 or 120. That is something that we will look for from Vijay. But having said that, there is a lot of competition for each and every slot.

As of now we haven’t really decided who are the likely 11 to play tomorrow. There is a healthy competition for each and every slot in our team.”Discussing the side’s bowling attack, which besides having ace pacer Mitchell Johnson, also has a few Indian bowlers like Shardul Thakur, who have been impressive in the domestic circuit, the coach said, “I think the young bowlers that we have are probably going to best young talent (in the competition) and have actually proved themselves.

Sandeep (Sharma), Rishi (Dhawan) Anureet Singh and Shardul Thakur have all been among wickets. All of them have bowled a lot and are very high on confidence, and they are eager to do the role that is assigned to them.” .

Source: http://www.iplt20.com/news/2015/more-news/5803/its-about-grabbing-momentum-early-binny