Brother against brother, friend against friend…that’s one of the flavours that IPL brings along with it. Today’s match between Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knight Riders will see two such contests – one involving the two captains – Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir -- who are best of buddies otherwise and the other, a more intense one, between the Pathan brothers – Irfan and Yusuf.

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are best of friends; they play together for Delhi in Ranji Trophy, have been one of the best opening partners at the international level and played together for the Daredevils in the first three season.

Sehwag opted out from the Daredevils captaincy to give Gautam a chance in the third season. Both these players have held each other’s back from the very beginning and have been continuing that way. Even in Australia when there were talks of a rift in the team, it was believed that these two Delhi dashers were together and were supporting each other. They have excelled whenever they have played together and has won India many matches.

But, when it will come down to today’s match, these two friends will not show any bonding that we are accustomed of seeing between the fighters. They are captaining two different sides and will be striving to get the first win for their respective team.

Infact Sehwag on Wednesday said that playing against Gambhir will be a different feeling. “Our first game versus Team Kolkata is an interesting match-up given that they will be led by a very close friend, Gautam Gambhir. It is a different feeling to have him as my opponent,” said Sehwag.

Similarly Irfan will be playing for Daredevils, while Yusuf is a key player in KKR’s scheme of things. It will again be interesting to see the contest between the two brothers. “This is the only game of cricket that I don’t enjoy. It’s something I think I can’t handle,” Irfan said on Tuesday as the prospect of taking on brother Yusuf in DD’s opening match against KKR. But then they are professionals and they know they have to be honest to their teams. “Just yesterday we were talking and I told him that hope a situation doesn’t arise where I’m bowling the last over to him with 10 or 15 runs required. This is the only time I’d be thinking negative; otherwise I love a challenge. The best would be if he scores a 50 or a 100 and we go on to win the match,” Irfan had said.

Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir holds the edge in this match as his team has most of the players available to play in tonight’s match. His friend Sehwag however has some problems ahead of him. Most of the star players from his batsmen are missing and it will be up to him to provide a substantial contribution for the team.  
It will be a treat to watch these players play against each other and everybody hopes for a good and healthy competition ahead.

By Indian Sports News