It’s been a week since our win in the rain-curtailed game against the Super Kings, and we have used it well to recover from the strain of playing four games in eight days.
I went home for three nights, and did not switch on to cricket even once and made it a point to unwind with family and friends.
There’s no place like home, and having been on the road for quite some time, that really rung true!
Light practice resumed after a couple of days' break, and when it did, thundershowers sent us running for cover.
The next week will be decisive with seven of the 10 teams in the running for a knockout berth.
Seal the issue
The Knight Riders are a win away from sealing it, and it's important that we hit the ground running after the break.
Our first game is against the Royal Challengers in Bangalore. RCB are on a good streak, but we are confident that if we play to our potential, we can win.
Beyond Gayle
{{/usCountry}}Beyond Gayle
{{/usCountry}}Most of the pre-game hype is around the colossal frame of Chris Gayle, and rightly so. He has not put a foot wrong since landing in India.
However, we need to concentrate on getting our game plan in order instead of focusing on opposition players.
Moreover, we should not be focusing single-mindedly on Gayle -RCB have many good players and it's about the team and not an individual.
The last game was one-sided thanks to the fact that it was Gayle’s day. That’s the nature of this format but who knows, Saturday could be our day.
Lee ready for action
My focus is on my team, and the update is that Brett Lee is recovering from a bout of viral fever. Luckily, it happened over the past week and he should be fit for Saturday.
News is just in that I will lead for the ODIs in the West Indies. It's an honour to captain the national team and I hope I can carry out my duties successfully.
Gameplan