There is a bit of a buzz about Deccan Chargers in IPL-2. The bottom rungers of the opening season came roaring to form in the opening weekend. "It’s a good start," said Herschelle Gibbs after Game 1. "We’ve got a new captain, a new manager and some new ideas. The team spirit is really good."

In fact, one of the points of worry in Season 1 had been the opener’s form. When is Gibbs going to score, a worried member of the team asked recently. Having left his personal worries behind and having found his batting feet against Australia in the ODIs, the Cape coloured carried on with his good form to anchor the win that was psychologically important for his IPL team.

With Gilchrist at the helm, a whole load of fresh energy has come into the team. So good a motivator is the former Australian vice-captain who made history for his team when he led them to victory in a Test in Nagpur when Ponting was injured.

Australian cricket had conquered a frontier that day five years ago. Among the men who made that possible was Shane Warne with whom Gilly never saw eye to eye. The leggie envied the Test captaincy that was never to be his. But the champs always gelled in the team cause, which was another reason why Australia was such a great side when they were around.

If not for the sentimentality surrounding that stylish batsman and gentleman cricketer V.V.S. Laxman from the team’s hometown, Gilchrist would have been the choice to head the Chargers from the very start.

Having just retired from international cricket at the end of the Ashes, Gilly may then have found some motivation in leadership in IPL-1. Typical of the optimist that he should believe it’s never too late to begin the job.

The man who really got the Chargers charged up early was the bubbly Fidel Edwards. He gave the captain of his West Indies team, Chris Gayle, a stare that may have melted anyone else. Gayle did not quite appreciate the gesture and seemed to say so to his colleague from the Caribbean but opponent in IPL.

The event seemed to gee Edwards up so much he bowled a phenomenal spell that set the ball rolling for the Chargers. That kind of early statement of intentions lifted the whole team too. And R.P. Singh revelled in the competitive atmosphere since he too had many things to prove after an injury-filled international season had not been quite what he would have wished.

The cherry on the cake that day was the very professional manner in which Gibbs anchored the chase. The act was clearly that of a man on the mend. And we know he has been through a lot in recent times.

Reality checks are always helpful in life, was well as in sport. Those who experienced it lifted their team at a crucial juncture and the Chargers now have good reason to look forward to the other games with a keener sense of anticipation.