Chennai: Sourav Ganguly feels no team can be considered favourite for the Indian Premier League. At a news conference on Friday, he said it’s all a matter of getting one’s act right on the given day. The following are excerpts:

On Saturday’s encounter

We’ve had two good games. We bowled pretty well in both matches. In the first game we did well to dismiss Bangalore Royal Challengers for 82. Then at home we restricted Deccan Chargers to 110 on a dodgy wicket. Tomorrow is a new day and anything can happen.

Leading again

Nice to be in the role again… But it’s never the same as leading India.

Tournament favourites

All the teams are well balanced. Anyone who plays well on the given day will prevail. No one ever imagined Deccan Chargers would lose all their first three games. No one has the upper hand in the tournament.

Knight Riders’ chances

We’ve got the bowlers for all conditions… Both for seaming and spinning tracks. It’s pretty balanced but we’ve got to wait and see.

Chris Gayle’s fitness

Gayle is still unfit. He’s recovering and will take a week or more to recover fully.

Chennai Super Kings’ chances

They’ve got a good batting line up — (Matthew) Hayden, (Michael) Hussey, (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) … Suresh Raina is in pretty good form too. In Twenty20 cricket it’s hard to predict. Whoever plays well on a given day would win. This is not like Test or one-day cricket where your skills are tested to the limits and you can come back after a bad session or hour.

The presence of Muralidharan

He’s a great bowler but will be under pressure since he knows that the batsmen will be after him.

Shah Rukh Khan’s absence

Forget Knight Riders, the entire Chennai will miss him.

Knight Riders’ bowling

We always knew bowling would be the key in a Twenty20 match. So we were keen on a good bowling unit during the auctions. But we also need to bat well.

If Twenty20 specialists are needed

A good bowler in Tests will do well anywhere and in any condition. The same applies for a good batsman. He can show his best form in any format of the game. Anyone who succeeds in the longer version can adapt quickly to any form since Test cricket remains the ultimate test.

The controversy surrounding cheerleaders

I’ve got no problems with cheerleaders.

Saturday’s contest being billed as a Sourav versus Dhoni contest

I’ve been hearing this since the start… In Bangalore it was Sourav versus Dravid and in the last match it was Sourav versus Laxman. I’m sure Dhoni too must be hearing the same (smiles).