"Balaji likely, Chennai Super Kings can take on any team": VB

Chennai, Mar 18 (UNI) The Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to be led by M S Dhoni, is most likely to rope in speedster Lakshmipathi Balaji, who was forced to be on the sidelines for a long time following an injury.

Coordinator for the team, and former national selector and player V B Chandrasekhar told newspersons here on the sidelines of a press conference ''Balaji is fully fit now and has been playing in the senior division league matches here.'' He said the team which has some ''great performers'' like Aussies Mathew Hayden and Mike Hussey, Kiwis Stephen Flemming and Jacob Oram Makhaya Ntini and Albie Morkel of South Africa, besides the ace Lankan off-spinner Muthiah Muralitharan, will, however, be focussing on the youthful players.

Apart from the likes of Tamil Nadu's left hander Abhinav Mukund and Einstein, the young talents like S Badrinath, R Ashwin, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan and Amarnath, we will be recruitting more down the line as the League progresses.

''The youngsters will benefit from interacting with the stars in the same dressing room and have the benefit of being coached by a top player like Keppler Wessels.

''I have already set an agenda for each player'', he said.

''We have a perfect mix of dashers, entertainers and young talent and can take on any team'', Chandrasekhar also said.

UNI VV RKM AS1914