One of the two new teams that made its debut in the 4th season of the IPL, team Pune almost pulled out of the cash rich tournament after several disagreements with the BCCI which they termed as victims being denied 'natural justice'. Extensive negotiations with the BCCI resulted in the team back for the fifth edition of the tournament albeit compromises from both parties. Pune, without their star player, Yuvraj Singh, will have to play out of their skins to entertain hopes of making it to the knock-out stages of the competition.
STRENGTHS:
A well knit team having a fair share of national as well as international stars, Pune will be led by a man who was one of the most successful skippers ever to lead India. Sourav Ganguly has had a miserable time as far as leading teams in the IPL is concerned and he will be keen for one last shot at glory. Robin Uthappa provides the flair at the top of the order and can be the show stealer if utilized properly by the team management. Pune made handy additions to bolster their batting with Michael Clarke and Angelo Mathews expected to propel their middle order. The fresh blood in the form of Tamim Iqbal and Marlon Samuels have only provided the team with a host of choices to build a balanced outfit.
The transfer of Ashok Dinda from Delhi Daredevils has lent balance to the bowling unit. Alfonso Thomas is a proven performer especially in the death overs while Ashish Nehra will hope for a good season as he recuperates from injury. Rahul Sharma and Murali Kartik provide the necessary boost in the spinners department.
WEAKNESSES:
The absence of star batsman, Yuvraj Singh who is currently undergoing treatment after being detected with cancer has left a big hole in the middle order. Pune have made amends for his absence with a host of talented foriegn players but the absence of the all-round skills of their 2011 skipper will be felt. The differences and the subsequent drama with the BCCI ensured that Pune did not participate in the IPL auction in February, a move that resulted in them losing out the top cream of both domestic as well as international players. Pune also lack many impact players in its squad unlike its opponents which may be a telling factor as the tournament moves on. The success of any franchise lays in the ability of the Indian contingent and by the looks of it, Pune looks very raw. The onus will be on players like Manish Pandey, Mithun Manhas and Mohnish Mishra to compensate for the brittleness of the middle order.
STAR PLAYER:
In a team that does not boast of too many impact players, Robin Uthappa stands out. A very capable batsman who can also keep wickets, Uthappa has the experience of playing as a floater in the order. His success in the third season of the IPL where he won several matches for the Banglalore outfit with his big hitting was the cornerstone in the Warriors shelling out USD 2.1m in the 2011 auctions. In the absence of Yuvraj, Uthappa will have to lead the brittle Pune batting line-up.
PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR:
Michael Clarke - The Aussie skipper had pulled out of the previous seasons of the IPL stating that his priority was always the national team. He had even quit playing T20 altogether. A change of heart was followed by extensive negotiations with the Pune management has seen the return of one of the prodigal sons of Australia. Will Clarke get along with a format that he last played in 2010? Only time will tell.
KEY PLAYER TIMELINES:
Michael Clarke will be available only in the second part of the season as he leads the Australians in the Test series against West Indies. Angelo Mathews is expected to miss the first two matches of the season as he has been named in the squad for the 2nd Test against England. Marlon Samuels will not don Pune's uniform for a long period of time if he is selected for the Tests against Australia and the tour of England.
NEW ADDITIONS:
Marlon Samuels, Steven Smith, Michael Clarke, Ashok Dinda, Tamim Iqbal, Luke Wright.
ABSENTEES:
Yuvraj Singh, James Hopes, Graeme Smith, Mitchell Marsh.
PUNE IN IPL:
STRENGTHS:
A well knit team having a fair share of national as well as international stars, Pune will be led by a man who was one of the most successful skippers ever to lead India. Sourav Ganguly has had a miserable time as far as leading teams in the IPL is concerned and he will be keen for one last shot at glory. Robin Uthappa provides the flair at the top of the order and can be the show stealer if utilized properly by the team management. Pune made handy additions to bolster their batting with Michael Clarke and Angelo Mathews expected to propel their middle order. The fresh blood in the form of Tamim Iqbal and Marlon Samuels have only provided the team with a host of choices to build a balanced outfit.
The transfer of Ashok Dinda from Delhi Daredevils has lent balance to the bowling unit. Alfonso Thomas is a proven performer especially in the death overs while Ashish Nehra will hope for a good season as he recuperates from injury. Rahul Sharma and Murali Kartik provide the necessary boost in the spinners department.
WEAKNESSES:
The absence of star batsman, Yuvraj Singh who is currently undergoing treatment after being detected with cancer has left a big hole in the middle order. Pune have made amends for his absence with a host of talented foriegn players but the absence of the all-round skills of their 2011 skipper will be felt. The differences and the subsequent drama with the BCCI ensured that Pune did not participate in the IPL auction in February, a move that resulted in them losing out the top cream of both domestic as well as international players. Pune also lack many impact players in its squad unlike its opponents which may be a telling factor as the tournament moves on. The success of any franchise lays in the ability of the Indian contingent and by the looks of it, Pune looks very raw. The onus will be on players like Manish Pandey, Mithun Manhas and Mohnish Mishra to compensate for the brittleness of the middle order.
STAR PLAYER:
In a team that does not boast of too many impact players, Robin Uthappa stands out. A very capable batsman who can also keep wickets, Uthappa has the experience of playing as a floater in the order. His success in the third season of the IPL where he won several matches for the Banglalore outfit with his big hitting was the cornerstone in the Warriors shelling out USD 2.1m in the 2011 auctions. In the absence of Yuvraj, Uthappa will have to lead the brittle Pune batting line-up.
PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR:
Michael Clarke - The Aussie skipper had pulled out of the previous seasons of the IPL stating that his priority was always the national team. He had even quit playing T20 altogether. A change of heart was followed by extensive negotiations with the Pune management has seen the return of one of the prodigal sons of Australia. Will Clarke get along with a format that he last played in 2010? Only time will tell.
KEY PLAYER TIMELINES:
Michael Clarke will be available only in the second part of the season as he leads the Australians in the Test series against West Indies. Angelo Mathews is expected to miss the first two matches of the season as he has been named in the squad for the 2nd Test against England. Marlon Samuels will not don Pune's uniform for a long period of time if he is selected for the Tests against Australia and the tour of England.
NEW ADDITIONS:
Marlon Samuels, Steven Smith, Michael Clarke, Ashok Dinda, Tamim Iqbal, Luke Wright.
ABSENTEES:
Yuvraj Singh, James Hopes, Graeme Smith, Mitchell Marsh.
PUNE IN IPL:
| Played | Won | Lost | Tie | NR | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 31 |
TOURNAMENT HISTORY:
| Year | Position |
|---|---|
| 2008 | - |
| 2009 | - |
| 2010 | - |
| 2011 | 9th position |
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