Shaun Marsh claims Kings XI are not far away from producing their best cricket ahead of today’s match against Kolkata, a repeat of last year’s final.

– Chennai Super Kings inflict further pain on Mumbai Indians
– IPL Player of the Day: Dwayne Smith
– Twitter reacts to Super Kings win over Mumbai Indians

Kings XI have lost two of their opening three games to lie in midtable in the standings. Particularly galling for Punjab was the five-wicket loss to the previously winless Delhi on Wednesday in which a number of their big-hitting batsmen failed to score sufficiently.

Indeed, George Bailey is the only Kings XI batsman to have scored a fifty so far this season and it is their inefficiencies with the bat that are holding them back.

However, Marsh has shrugged off the surprise defeat to the Daredevils and warned Kolkata tonight could be the night when they find their range.

He said: “I think we are not too far away from playing the perfect game of cricket. We had a really good training session. The guys are really chancing it out there and hopefully they play some really good game of cricket tomorrow.”

Marsh himself is yet to start a game in this season’s IPL but that could change tonight with the World Cup winner potentially coming in for South African David Miller or Baggy Green team-mate Glenn Maxwell, who has just 28 runs from three innings.

He added: “I have just got to keep preparing myself, and if given an opportunity, I am ready to go. Obviously they can only play four overseas players; I am training really hard and keeping myself nice and fit. Whenever the opportunity does arise, I am just keeping myself ready for it.”

Kolkata lifted the IPL title last year by beating Kings XI by three wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

The defending champions have started the defence of their title with a win and a defeat but unlike Kings XI’s batting issues, it’s been the bowling that’s blighted their season so far.

Mystery spinner Sunil Narine has gone wicketless in their two matches and in total the Kolkata bowlers have only taken eight wickets between them over the two matches.