Kolkata Knight Riders captain Gautam Gambhir during the team's practice session ahead of their final match against Chennai Super Kings at MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. (HT Photo/Santosh Harhare)
A lot of people work very hard behind the scenes at KKR to make sure the players have everything they need to play their best
cricket, and I would like to say 'thank you.'
We kept an eye on the progress of CSK through their two eliminators and, to be honest, nobody was surprised to see them make it to the final. They know exactly what it takes to reach the last match of this tournament - and to win it. They have been there before.
Were CSK lucky to finish in fourth place? The Royal Challengers needed a little over 120 to win their final league match and qualify for the last qualification place and eliminate CSK.
I don't see it like that, however. The four teams which reached the knockout stages played the most consistent cricket and deserved to finish where they did.
Names don't matter
Royal Challengers had some of the brightest stars in Gayle and De Villiers, but it is the depth of the squad and not the big names which decide your fate.
Gambhir and Narine have been the standout performers for KKR, but when I look around the squad I see a dozen players who can put their hands up and say "I helped win at least one game."
CSK have half-a-dozen match-winners, but we have played in a style for the last two months so there's no need to change anything for the final. The game-plan may be tweaked on the day, but we all know what is expected of us.
Finally, a word on the Daredevils, who played so well for so long only to fall back in the last week. I cannot imagine why they didn't play the tournament's leading bowler, Morne Morkel, against CSK, but I hope they had a good reason!
Enjoy the final. We certainly intend to.
Hawkeye
The writer is contracted to KKR