Stephen Fleming believes the Super Kings can enjoy another successful run in the 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Chennai departed for South Africa on Wednesday for the second edition of the lucrative Twenty20 tournament having lost out to the Rajasthan Royals in the final of the inaugural competition under the coaching reins of former South Africa skipper Kepler Wessels.
Wessels parted ways with the team at the end of the 2008 tournament, but new player-coach Fleming is confident his remaining South African contingent can take the team to top this time round.
"Coaching is a new challenge for me and it is something that I am looking forward to with great confidence," the former New Zealand captain said.
"Our core team remains the same and we look to another successful run in this year's tournament too.
"The fact that we have a fair number of South African cricketers in our team will hold us in good stead.
"Their input and feedback to the rest of the players will prove to be invaluable."
Preparations
The Chennai team will have a short six-day training camp in Durban before travelling to Cape Town for their first match against the Mumbai Indians on April 18.
And Super Kings' head of operations Kasi Viswanath says the party will be ready for anything by time skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, England star Andrew Flintoff and New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram join the team in Cape Town on April 15.
"We are ready for the big occasion," he said. "We have set our preparations in place with the aim of making the semi-finals as our first target.
"Dhoni as well as the overseas players have been involved in international matches for their respective countries and have the experience to straight away go into the matches.
"They will also have a little time off with their families before plunging into the IPL."
Abdulla joins King's XI
King's XI Punjab have strengthened their squad for the 2009 Indian Premier League season with the signing of Yusuf Abdulla.
The left-arm seamer made his international Twenty20 debut for South Africa against Australia last month, claiming 1-16.
He has been drafted in by the King's XI to replace the West Indies' Jerome Taylor, who has had to withdraw due to injuries sustained in a car accident.
"I got a call from Tom Moody (Punjab coach) the day after my debut asking if I was interested," Abdulla said.
Opportunity
"I'm quite excited about the upcoming challenge. The IPL is in town and this is a good opportunity for me, hopefully I can do well.
"I'm familiar with the wickets, and that can play to my advantage."
Abdulla, who plays his domestic cricket for the Dolphins, was on the final IPL shortlist earlier this year but was not signed by any team.
"He's a talented bowler, and it was a good opportunity for us to get some local talent into our squad," Punjab assistant coach, Dave Nosworthy, said.
"It's exciting to have the IPL in the country, and hopefully we'll perform to our capabilities and keep the crowds entertained."
Flintoff - IPL will help fitness
Andrew Flintoff insists his stint in the Indian Premier League will help his bid to reach peak condition for the hectic Test summer ahead.
The Lancashire all-rounder has only just returned from England's tour of the Caribbean, but will soon jet off to South Africa for two-week spell with the Chennai Super Kings with whom he will earn US dollars 1.5million on a pro-rata basis depending on the number of matches he plays.
Some observers have voiced concerns over the wisdom of England players participating in the competition - Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara will also take part - ahead of a summer that features test series against West Indies and Australia and also the ICC World Twenty20 tournament.
However, Flintoff, who has only recently returned from injury, believes his time in the IPL will actually prove beneficial to his fitness.
"It's been frustrating with the hip injury, thigh injury and getting hit on the thumb just before the end of the tour of the West Indies and I think the IPL will be good for me," he stated.
"There are a few people putting it down but keeping playing should help me out a lot. When I stop and start is when my body is at its most vulnerable.
"I know I'm only bowling four overs a game, but it will give me a chance to work on my game in between games going into a Test series and I will be working with top facilities out in South Africa.
"It is a long schedule and everyone is looking forward to the Ashes and making sure everyone is fit for that but I've stressed all along that we have to perform in all the games we're playing.
"From my point of view, although it's been frustrating I've had four or five weeks when I've not played because I've been injured so I'm probably fresher than a lot of the lads.
"If I'm asked whether I'm jaded in September I'll probably be on my knees but at this moment in time I'm looking forward to getting on with it."
Spying
Additionally, Flintoff - who boasts MS Dhoni, Matthew Hayden and Jacob Oram amongst his Chennai team-mates - is hopeful that the competition will also allow him to gain vital knowledge on some of the world's top Twenty20 performers and their methods ahead of the World Twenty20 which gets underway in England in June.
"The Twenty20 World Cup is going to be huge and international Twenty20 cricket is going to become bigger and bigger," he added.
"While I'm out there I'll be watching the likes of Dhoni, who has played a lot of it, and Hayden who had a good IPL last year. I will be speaking to a few of the Indian guys and see if I can pick their brains.
"I think you'll find players helping each other out and talking to each other, but the flip side of that is that other sides have England team-mates so you have to be a bit cautious about what you're saying.
"Ultimately, it's all about playing for England and by passing on a bit of information about one of your players could be to the detriment of this team and that's something you can't do."
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