MOHALI: Team Punjab are known “slow starters”. Thus, losing their first two away games did not come as much of a surprise. However, they are on their home turf for the first time in IPL 5 and are hoping to get their first points. But they are up against Sourav Ganguly and his merry men, who have made a rollicking start by winning both their matches and are keen to consolidate on these early gains.

The two teams played each other just a couple of days ago at Pune and will be face-to-face on Thursday, in their return fixture, with the home team hoping to exact revenge. It will as much be a battle of wits between two captains with contrasting fortunes as it will be between teams with contrasting success.

Adam Gilchrist has problems galore, the foremost being finding the right combination. Lack of form of key players, including himself, is another major issue. The openers, Paul Valthaty and Gilly himself, are yet to fire. So is the struggling Shaun Marsh. The form of the top three holds the key to Team Punjab’s success. Besides, ace seam bowler Praveen Kumar, who was so apt at providing early breakthroughs, has failed to do so thus far. The bowling combination in general looks unsettled, with only Piyush Chawla being impressive.

Thus, it’s a big challenge for Gilchrist to get the flock together and get the best out of them. Playing at home may help him in this endeavour.

“These are early days and we have a long haul ahead. Things can change in a matter of couple of matches. A good win here will get us going for the rest of the season. It is just a matter of finding the right form. Luck also plays its part. The two run-outs in previous match set us back. However, it’s nice to be back home and playing a match here. We know the conditions well and it is the right time for us to get going,” Gilchrist said.

Ganguly, on the other hand, has what seems like a settled line-up, with strong bench strength. The spin twins on Murali Kartik and Rahul Sharma are a boon in this format of the game with their accuracy and variety. Then there are Ashok Dinda, Ashish Nehra and Marlon Samuels who can be match-winners on their day.

But Ganguly is wary of complacency creeping into the team. “We have made a positive start and now it is for us to carry on in the same vein. In IPL, things can go awry in a matter of minutes. So we have to be on our toes and not let the initial advantage slip,” he said.

With Pune eager to consolidate on the winning start and Punjab desperate for a win, the Thursday night clash is set to be an on-the-edge affair.