The grand finale of the DLF Indian Premier League is here and the unexpected has occurred. Two of the underdogs at the start of the tournament, a title brought about their previous endeavours, have managed to get to the finals.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Deccan Chargers will face off against each other at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, after convincing wins over their respective and more fancied opponents.

Bangalore’s (1/1 at Sky Bet to win IPL) road to the final has been a long, winding and a convoluted one. Their campaign had begun under the captaincy of Kevin Pietersen, but it really grew when Anil Kumble took over as the leader. The team began to gel as a single unit and they had a leader to rap their knuckles when it showed glimpses of losing way.

Jacques Kallis (4/1 at Ladbrokes to top score for Bangalore) showing glimpses of form, but it has been the surprise package of the tournament, Manish Pandey (9/2 at Ladbrokes to be Bangalore’s best) who has stolen all the thunder, as Mumbai Indians would be looking on in disbelief. It was Mumbai who had let go of Pandey after the first season, and may just be regretting the decision to do so. A century in their last league game was followed by another top-score in the semi-final, however, it remains to be seen whether he can continue in the same vein given his inexperience at the top.

Rahul Dravid (5/1 at Bet365 to be Bangalore’s top batsman) scored a timely forty in yesterday’s game, and after bearing the ignominy of leading them to seventh place last year, he will want to end on a high. Reolf van der Merwe (10/1 at Ladbrokes to be top scorer) is a dangerous who can tilt the balance of the game in a matter of one or three overs, but his unique style of batting – looking to the on-side and hitting to the off – seems to have been found out.

The Chargers (marginally favourites, 9/10 at Totesports to beat Bangalore), on the other hand, will be on a high after Adam Gilchrist’s (3/1 at Ladbrokes to be Deccan’s best batsman) superlative inning of 85, but the bigger question is whether that knock has made the others a little over-reliant on him. The early dismissal of Gilchrist could have a huge psychological impact on the rest of the team, especially if Herschelle Gibbs (7/2 at Stan James to be best batsman for Chargers) also has one of his off days; something that has been equal in number to his in-form ones!

Rohit Sharma (11/2 at 888Sport), to me is batting too low down the order and could be brought up to the number three position if an early wicket falls. T.Suman (6/1 at William Hill to be Deccan’s highest scorer) is a decent bat, but he has not been consistent, and it has given the look of the opposing bowlers having found him out in the previous few games. Sharma’s consistency could help. Andrew Symonds (9/2 at Paddy Power to be best Deccan batsman), on the other hand, is a dangerous floater in the middle order, and could explode if the bowlers do not know where to bowl to him. Luckily for Bangalore, his batting position is around the same time when Kumble comes on to bowl, making it a good battle for survival between the two pros.

One mustn’t forget that Bangalore will be playing their second consecutive game in as many days, and both mentally exhausting ones as the semi-finals and the finals, which could mean that under crunch situations, there is a greater probability of floundering. They remain my favourites, given that they give me a better sense of playing together as a team, than the Chargers, but only just!

Tips:
IPL Champions: Royal Challengers Bangalore (1/1 at Sky Bet)
Best Deccan batsman: Rohit Sharma (11/2 at 888Sport)
Best Bangalore batsman: Rahul Dravid (5/1 at Bet365)
Most economic bowler: Anil Kumble (10/3 at Stan James)