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MS Dhoni's choice of bowler for the Super Over during yesterday's tied tie against Victoria was a surprising one. Usually, a captain gives the ball to a bowler who has had a good day. That would have been Murali, given that both Bollinger and Ashwin had had a mixed day.
However, to my mind, the best option would still have been Bollinger. Here is a bit of trivia before I proceed further:
- Cricinfo archives show that there have been 12 recorded cases of Super Overs in Twenty20 matches, including yesterday's.
- Of these 12, I managed to find out who were the bowlers and the scores involved in 11 of them.
- The 1 match that I did not manage to find anything about was the Northern Districts v. Canterbury match at Seddon Park, Hamilton on 18th February 2009.
- On a completely irrelevant note, that day (i.e. 18th February 2009) saw 2 other cases of Super Overs in South Africa - Dolphins v Cape Cobras at Kingsmead, Durban and Eagles v Warriors at St. George's Park, Port Elizabeth.
- Of the 22 Super Overs (11 X 2) I have on record, only 7 have been bowled by slow bowlers.
- Of these 7, only 2 have been won by slow bowlers. Incidentally, both these wins came when the opposition also used a slow bowler for their Super Over.
- So in the 3 cases where Super Over was a slow bowler v medium / pace bowler affair, the slower bowlers have always failed to deliver.
Now, I do not expect MS Dhoni to know these facts. But I would have expected him to learn from his mistakes. Just this year at the IPL, he had faced a Super Over situation where he chose Muttiah Muralitharan to bowl against Kings XI Punjab to defend his team's score of 9 for 2 (which were scored against Juan Theron - a medium pacer). Muralitharan managed 10 for 1 in less than 1 over as CSK lost that match and crucial points.
In the only other case of pace v spin, Ajantha Mendis had fared badly as Yusuf Pathan demolished him during IPL 2009's Rajasthan Royals v Kolkata Knight Riders match. Kamran Khan, the unheralded young Royals pacer had gone for 16 in his over as Mendis conceded 18 in his first 4 balls itself. And I expect Dhoni knew about this match.
Added to this were factors like constant drizzle and the grip on the ball during the Super Over yesterday. So Dhoni's decision to use Ashwin was pretty much a wrong one to me even before he started bowling and conceded those 20-odd runs. The match was effectively sealed then and the points secured for Victoria.
The player retention rules for the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League are out. So after weeks of speculation, here they are:
A. The maximum number of players that can be retained are 4.
B. The maximum number of Indian players amongst those retained can be 3, and the maximum number of Foreign Players amongst those retained can be 2.
C. Irrespective of what fee is paid to the retained players, the deduction from the total salary budget of US$ 9 million will be in the following format:
1 Player(s) Retained - US$ 1.8 million
2 Player(s) Retained - US$ 1.3 million
3 Player(s) Retained - US$ 0.9 million
4 Player(s) Retained - US$ 0.5 million
So lets say that a franchisee retains just 1 player, then irrespective of what they pay him, they can spend upto US$ 7.2 million at the auction. If they retain 2 players, their spending power will be US$ 5.9 million. It will be US$ 5.0 million if they retain 3 and US$ 4.5 million if they retain 4 players.
So what will be retaining strategy be like? In this post, I will try and look at it purely from the finance point of view (with a little bit of a reference to cricket).
The first major question that will need to be answered is that whether the player who is to be retained is really worth the amount that will be deducted from the team's budget... or whether all the players to be retained collectively are worth the total amount that will be reduced from their spending budget at the auction.
For example, Mumbai Indians should not hesitate in retaining Sachin Tendulkar and Kieron Pollard, for together they are easily worth US$ 3.1 million (if not a lot more). Chennai Super Kings have a similar state as far as the duo of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina is concerned. Well, frankly, I am not a big fan of Dhoni and don't think he is worth much... but there is not doubt that he will be retained for his Brand Value. The entire brand marketing of Chennai's franchisee has been done around Dhoni. He is the poster boy of their team. Therefore, he will definitely be retained.
The problem will occur for the likes of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab... I don't think anyone on their present team is worth US$ 1.8 million. Maybe Yuvraj Singh is, but then he does not want to stay at Mohali (from what has been reported).
The second consideration is that even if the teams do not retain players, they will have to spend upwards of US$ 1 million each in buying at least 2 big names that can benefit their team... maybe, even upwards of US$ 1.5 million. So it might be ideal to retain the old ones as one does not really know how high the valuation for the new ones will be, whether they will be worth it.
For example, Praveen Kumar may not justify a price tag of US$ 1.8 or 1.3 million, but it may be wiser to retain him as his price may well exceed US$ 1 million when 10 owners sit together for the bid - and - buy auction process.
The third major question, as I have already talked of in one of the examples above, is the brand-building. Chennai Super Kings have their entire brand name built around the image of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. There is no way they can let him go. No other cricketer in the league is has his brand so closely associated with that of the franchise as the Indian skipper.
And yes, finally there is the question of whether the entire team can be bought in US$ 4.5 million if a team decides to retain 4 men. We must remember that in the first ever auction, the limit for spending was up to US$ 5 million only. So there is no reason why an entire team cannot be bought for US$ 4.5 million, especially considering that in doing so the teams will be retaining their 4 main old men in their squad.
It would be interesting to see the auction process when it does take place. For the sake of the existing fans, I hope that there is not much of a reshuffle so that fan loyalties towards a particular player can be maintained. And for the sake of the fans of the two new teams, I hope they do get a chance to net in some big names who will perform for them well in the tournament.
Yesterday's match: Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore
My Prediction: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Actual Winner: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Today's Match: Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils
My Prediction: Chennai Super Kings
My Score: 6 / 11
Kevin Pietersen smashed his way to a 29-ball 62 and has placed RCB in a very comfortable position in the fight for the semi-final spots. The talks of Kevin Pietersen being out of form when England was touring Bangladesh were things of the past... or atleast became things of past as KP started finding the middle of his bat.
I was a little disappointed with Shane Warne's tactics to KP yesterday. I feel he should have brought in Adam Voges to bowl as soon as Pietersen came in to bat. Some would say that 3rd over would be too early for someone like Voges, but then a target of 131 cannot be defended by conventional means either.
An introduction of left arm spin early in his innings would have put KP on his guard straight away. If Warne didn't have enough confidence in Voges, he could have come on himself... even he takes the ball away from a right-hander. By the time Voges was introduced in yesterday's match, KP had already moved on to a 13-ball 28 and then proceeded to smash 3 fours from the 5 balls that he faced from the slow left armer.
But in any case, even if KP had failed, a target of 131 would still have been too low for RR to successfully defend against a batting lineup as strong as that of RCB.
Today's match promises to be a good one. I like both teams... so I am confused which one to cheer for. DD have been running themselves out of the tournament and CSK is on a high after their thumping win in the last match. Since this is their last home match, CSK would want to round things off on a positive note. But then, Gautam Gambhir also wants to play more away games than home games. So, all in all, I am waiting for the clock to strike eight!
Yesterday's match 1: Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils
My Prediction: Mumbai Indians
Actual Winner: Mumbai Indians
Yesterday's match 2: Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders
My Prediction: Chennai Super Kings
Actual Winner: Chennai Super Kings
Today's Match: Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore
My Prediction: Royal Challengers Bangalore
My Score: 5 / 10
KKR is out of the tournament... three consecutive unsuccessful attempts to reach the semi-finals... the only team to not reach the semi-finals of IPL even once in three years! A hat-trick that they certainly did not want to achieve!
I feel sad for Sourav Ganguly - I have always liked his character and had a lot of respect for his fighting abilities. But I am happy that KKR is out - because I do not like Shah Rukh Khan! I hope that he buys all the players that I do not like for the next edition of the IPL - then I can dislike KKR without any guilt feelings!
Finally, KP (I mean Kieron Pollard) justified (to a certain extent) his high-profile bidding! His version of the scoop was baffling! I thought he was all about power... but that scoop just shook me up completely!
The Royals' battle today will be virtually the second successive knockout match in this tournament. Where the RR team will be looking forward to a nice home game, the RCB will be buoyed by the fact that the fortress is not looking as strong as it used to be.
Australians have always been famous for their lip service methods... and Shane Watson showed a small example of it yesterday in the Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians match yesterday.
I had written a blog regarding the unruly behaviour of Australians after the Scott Styris - Mitchell Johnson incident last month. I wouldn't go so far to call Shane Watson's behaviour unruly this time, but it was certainly not sporting.
At some point during the telecast of the match yesterday, the points tally of the Fair Play Award came up. It showed that Rajasthan Royals were languishing at the 7th position. At that time, one of the commentators said that it might be because of Shane Warne and Shane Watson. And he wasn't far off the mark!
Shane Warne is a master at mind games - both subtle as well as brutal. His continuous emphasis on RR's 'home' record and 'fortress' comments have been seen by many as comments to intimidate the opponents before the match begins. Shane Watson, who has been booked even in the past, showed off his aggro once again yesterday. He got the wickets of Ambati Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary by setting them up - not with his bowling - but with his eyes and lips.
Rayudu played a firm push down the ground. Watson fielded the ball, stared with fire right into the batsman's eyes, turned back, bowled a well-directed bouncer, got the glove and got his man. I have no issues with that. So lets fast forward a bit.
In his next over, Watson, in his follow-through, serves a few words to Saurabh Tiwary, who had looked good in his short stay at the crease. He again dug one in short, Tiwary went for a pull, could not connect well, and ended up sending a simple catch to wide fine leg. Watson then celebrated by pumping his fists right in front of the batsman, who had no choice but to depart. That is where I have problem.
A celebration of that sort is very unfitting of a sportsman, and this is not the first time Watson has done it (ask Chris Gayle for more information). When you have a batsman out, you have won a battle... you don't need to rub it in to prove it. Watson's tendency to rub it in gives me a feeling that he is insecure and uncertain of his own talents... that is why he needs to show the batsman that he has won the battle even after the result is clear. That's not what Shane Warne does! In fact, Warne's most typical method of celebrating is one of the best I have seen in the game.
He srceams with joy, pumps his fists, congratulates himself, and if the battle with the batsman had been a tough one, he smiles at the departing batsman in an acknowledgement of the same. This shows that he is ready for another battle with the batsman, unlike Watson, who gets over the top.
But despite all of Watson's antics, one has to ask Rayudu and Tiwary about what they were thinking in attempting those strokes. Yes, they had been instigated. But did they not realise it then that Watson wanted those very strokes from them? This is what separates boys from men! They don't have to look too far for examples. They must have noticed by now that no bowler tries to work Sachin Tendulkar up even if he is beaten by a 'jaffer'. That is because Sachin responds very positively to such non-cricketing tactics, unlike what Rayudu and Tiwary managed yesterday.
These young men will have more chances to prove that they have learnt from this incident, and they will need to prove a point. In the Chennai Test against England in December 2008, Yuvraj Singh was softened up by Andrew Flintoff using a few choice words. Yuvraj proceeded to throw his wicket away next over by edging straight to slip (yes, it was Freddie in the slips)!
In the next innings, with India chasing 387 for a win, match nicely set up and hanging in balance, and the pitch a little crumbly, it was time to Yuvraj to show his mettle. Freddie was there again with a few words... but Sachin helped Yuvraj distract himself from that battle and concentrate on the game. Eventually, Yuvraj played a crucial role in helping India reach that target and most were very impressed by that performance.
If Rayudu or Tiwary manage something like that, it will be a great confidence booster for them just as it will be great for the Indian team. I really wish to see that happen!
Yesterday's match 1: Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab
My Prediction: Delhi Daredevils
Actual Winner: Kings XI Punjab
Yesterday's match 2: Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians
My Prediction: Rajasthan Royals
Actual Winner: Mumbai Indians
Today's Match: Deccan Chargers v Royal Challengers Bangalore
My Prediction: Royal Challengers Bangalore
My Score: 3 / 7
Yesterday's matches were very bad for my predictions, but it does not matter one bit. MI is through to the semi-finals and I am delighted! RR have lost for the first time at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur - and its Warne's old pal SRT who inflicted the first crack at the fortress!
Yes, I felt a little bad for DD - a team that I like. But despite this defeat (an embarassing one), they are almost certain to go through. KXIP did them a favour by taking their own sweet time in chasing down a paltry target of 112. It ensured that the Net Run Rate of DD does not take a big dip.
But it was the second match yesterday that stole the show for me! It was a perfect match for a Mumbai Indians supporter! A win at Jaipur against RR, who had not lost a single match there, was special. It was almost like Manchester United beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge!
Another batting masterclass by SRT (he tripled his tally of tournament sixes yesterday) ensured that he wore the Orange Cap in the second half. If orange caps were to be awarded for international runs tally, then that cap would never leave his head! His three boundaries off Warne's over were delightful to watch. The first one over extra cover was the best - his use of the wrists to control the direction showcased the artist at work!
And by the end of his innings, he was reading the bowlers like an open book, especially Shane Watson. Twice in the 19th over by Shane Watson, Sachin was waiting on the backfoot for what he knew was going to be a bouncer - and he was absolutely correct! Aditya Dole, you do not drop Sachin Tendulkar EVER!
The DC v RCB game today would be an interesting one with respect to the race for the semi-final berths. A week ago, I was thinking that 4 teams are fighting over 1 semi-final berth. Then, mid-week, it became a case of 5 teams for 2 berths. And now, with DD's loss yesterday, it has become a case of 6 teams for 3 berths. It couldn't have gotten any better!
Yesterday's match 1: Deccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings
My Prediction: Deccan Chargers
Actual Winner: Deccan Chargers
Yesterday's match 2: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders
My Prediction: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Actual Winner: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Today's Match 1: Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab
My Prediction: Delhi Daredevils
Today's Match 2: Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians
My Prediction: Rajasthan Royals
My Score: 3 / 5.
Yesterday, just before the toss before the 2nd match, Sourav Ganguly was asked what was his side's track record on that ground (M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Bangalore). He said: "Played one, won one."
So I tried to recall what had happenned in 2008 between RCB and KKR at Bangalore. And then I realised - the first ever IPL match - the Brendon McCullum 150 - the 140 run thrashing of a "Test" team.
The tables have turned completely. RCB is no more a "Test" team. KKR has forgotten what it is like to win comprehensively. And RCB is more likely to finish 2nd from top in the points table - rather than 2nd from bottom.
With his dismissal yesterday, McCullum now has an IPL average at Bangalore - an average of 203. But he could do nothing this time to help KKR win, which puts them in a precarious position in respect of the semi-final qualification spot.
The second match today will be of great importance for the semi-final race. A win for MI will seal their place and virtually oust RR. On the other hand, a win for RR will not only help them take a huge step ahead, but also cause a lot of anxiety in the MI camp.
Even though I am a supporter of MI, I have predicted a RR win today because of the fact that they have never lost a single match in Jaipur. They have a brilliant record on that ground - and seem to be peaking at this moment.
Still, I will keep hoping that by the end of this day, one semi-final spot will be taken up.
Yesterday's match: Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians
My Prediction: Mumbai Indians
Actual Winner: Kings XI Punjab
Today's Match 1: Deccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings
My Prediction: Deccan Chargers
Today's Match 2: Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders
My Prediction: Royal Challengers Bangalore
MI has gotten into a losing streak (I know it's only two in a row now, but their next match is against RR at Jaipur - and RR has NEVER lost a match at Jaipur). Yesterday's result is not going to affect the table in any way, but KXIP has issued a warning to all their remaining opponents that they are going to try and upset a few parties.
The afternoon match today between DC and CSK will be played at Nagpur. Who the hell plays in the afternoon at Nagpur? Its 41 degree celcius and DRY out there. It is the most dry part of India and the 'hot winds' that blow in the afternoon over there (called 'Loo Winds') can really knock you out. All I can say is best luck to DC and CSK boys!
I hope Lalit Modi sees this match and realises that the attendance is 'very poor' at the neutral-Nagpur. It might be one of the best grounds in the country with great facilities, but it is very poorly located. It is far away from the city of Nagpur and takes a long time to reach there. Add to that the fact that it is hosting home matches for DC, who do not have a single big Indian star in their ranks. I mean, for God's sake, the Nagpur crowd is not going to come out in this kind of heat to watch a neutral game and support the likes of Rohit Sharma and RP Singh.
RCB and KKR will have much better and 'playable' conditions later in the evening at Bangalore. Both teams need wins for varying reasons - RCB to arrest their loss of momentum and KKR to take another step towards the semis. If KKR manage a win, RCB will truly need to worry about their semi-final spot. Kevin Pietersen must be wondering why his presence affects the RCB squad's performance so adversely!
I know that the table above looks gibberish... but then I like doing gibberish stuff! The top row lists the home teams and the results of their matches against the corresponding away teams are given below their names. A home win is indicated by green colour and an away win by red colour.
And just to make it more colourful, yellow indicates the matches that are due to be played on the given dates, and blue indicates the matches that are not possible (I mean, Mumbai Indians cannot play against Mumbai Indians, come on!).
A few things came to my notice due to the abundance of colour usage. Firstly, I had not realised that KXIP is yet to win a home game (though it's certainly not surprising). Secondly, I was under the impression that only MI has lost just 1 match at home. Now I have realised that even RCB and RR have lost only 1 at home thus far (though they still have 3 and 2 home matches remaining, as compared to MI's 1 home match).
And another piece of information that is not visible from the above table, but just for fun: both of DC's home wins have been at Cuttack. Nagpur and Navi Mumbai, their other two 'homes', have not yielded positive results. The wins at Cuttack were the first wins that DC have registered in their 'catchment' area. They lost all the 7 matches in IPL 2008 at Hyderabad, and then went on to lost 2 matches in Champions League 2009 at the same venue again. Maybe, they should look to shift their franchise's base.
Have a look at this - the IPL Points Table. The RR - KXIP clash has just gotten over, with the home side continuing their golden 'home' run at Jaipur - streamrolling KXIP by 9 wickets with 5 overs to spare.
Now, I just thought of stepping into the shoes of Nostradamus and find out who will win this IPL. So, there you go:
Apr 07 - KKR v DD
Apr 08 - RCB v DC
Apr 09 - KXIP v MI
Apr 10 - DC v CSK
Apr 10 - RCB v KKR
Apr 11 - DD v KXIP
Apr 11 - RR v MI
Apr 12 - DC v RCB
Apr 13 - MI v DD
Apr 13 - CSK v KKR
Apr 14 - RR v RCB
Apr 15 - CSK v DD
Apr 16 - KXIP v DC
Apr 17 - RCB v MI
Apr 17 - KKR v RR
Apr 18 - KXIP v CSK
Apr 18 - DD v DC
Apr 19 - KKR v MI
The top-4 will then look like this: 1. MI - 22 points; 2. DD - 18 points; 3. RCB - 16 points; 4. CSK - 16 points. So the semi-final fixtures will be:
Apr 21 - 1st Semi Final - MI v CSK
Apr 22 - 2nd Semi Final - DD v RCB
Apr 24 - 3rd Place Playoff - RCB v CSK
Apr 25 - Finals - Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils
So there you go... Mumbai Indians will win the IPL this year (something I have been saying every year). But c'mon, what a final this would be! The biggest domestic rivalry in India reignited at a bigger stage! Awesome!
Yesterday's match between the teams led by the retired-Aussie captains was perhaps, by far, the best match of tournament thus far. It's ironic that it came in a 6th place v 7th place clash rather than a top-3 clash.
Both the teams yesterday, RR first and then DC, were dismissed in 19.5 overs. The fact that 20 wickets fell seems to suggest that the pitch must have been a good one for bowling as well. It is obvious that in a Twenty20 match, most wickets fall due to batsmen's errors rather than the bowlers' ability.
But yesterday, the bowlers enjoyed too. There was turn for Warne, the bouncers were used well by the quickies, and yet the average run rate for the match was almost 8 per over. The fact that the game went down to the wire - a victory margin of 2 runs - made it a perfect Twenty20 game for me.
A word on Rohit Sharma now. A lot has been written about the performance of the 40-year old SK Warne. Now, lets spare a thought for the 22-year old RG Sharma.
He played a fantastic innings yesterday - the lone fighting hand with wickets falling continuously at the other end. This boy was under pressure because voices everywhere felt that he did not deserve the chance to represent India in the World Twenty20 Championship coming up. He needed to make his bat prove a point.
He started a little rusty and there was a top-edge that was misjudged by mid-off running backwards. He was again lucky at the end when I was convinced that he was run out, and not Harmeet Singh, in the last over. Despite all this, he got a chance right at the end to see his team through to a win - 3 runs in 2 balls with 1 wicket to spare.
At this stage, a little more maturity or experience would have certainly helped. Rohit played one in the air and was promptly caught. When he had 2 balls, why did he want to finish it in 1? With the situation at 3 runs from 2 balls, I was convinced that he would go for a couple first. Nagpur has a big ground, and scoring 2s there is just as easy as scoring a single. There were plenty of gaps in the field. Infact, there were huge gaps on either side of the fielder who caught him at sweeper cover. If he could have gotten the equation down to 1 from 1, he could have gone for a aerial shot as the field would have been up.
I hope Rohit learns from this... because he has the ability and the talent to become a good finisher for Team India. And finishers finish with a win! He has two more 'home' matches with Deccan Chargers at Nagpur, his birth place. He will not find a better place to prove his worth and to prove that he deserves his ticket to the Caribbean islands.
The pitch at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai intrigues me. A total of 1413 runs have been scored so far in 158.5 overs at 8.90 runs per over. An average innings score at Chepauk, so far in the 4 matches played there, has been 177, but the interesting bit is the fact that it has a standard deviation of 37, giving a coefficient of variaton of 21.20.
The corresponding numbers for other venues are:
Venue - Matches - Average Score - Std. Deviation - Coefficient of Variation
Navi Mumbai - 2 - 153.50 - 15.14 - 9.86
Mumbai - 6 - 168.17 - 25.12 - 14.94
Mohali - 4 - 164.38 - 18.58 - 11.30
Kolkata - 4 - 160.75 - 31.22 - 19.42
Chennai - 4 - 176.63 - 37.44 - 21.20
Ahmedabad - 4 - 152.63 - 13.71 - 8.98
Bangalore - 4 - 155.88 - 41.94 - 26.91
New Delhi - 5 - 166.70 - 31.48 - 18.88
Cuttack - 2 - 166.50 - 4.15 - 2.49
From the above figures, Chennai and Bangalore seem to have the most unpredictable pitches. However, Bangalore's figures are distorted due to the match in which the RCB blew away RR for 92 and chased the target without the fall of any wicket. If I were to remove that match, the numbers for Bangalore become 177.00 - 23.67 - 13.37.
As a result, Chennai becomes the only ground to have a Coefficient of Variation of above 20. It's clear why Chennai shows such numbers. On one hand, a chase of 136 results in a tie; and on the other hand, 469 runs are scored in another match.
So for the next 3 matches that Chennai will play host to, the captains (particularly of teams batting first) will have to be careful in their assessment of a decent first innings total. It might turn out to be a tricky puzzle to crack!
A huge Galye hit the Kings XI Punjab side at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata before Mahela Jayawardene applied a soothing balm to heal the wounds and bruises.
That innings by Jayawardene was not only soothing for the Kings XI side, but also to the eyes of many who, like me, are a little tired of all the slogs and mishits that have been carrying all the way for *** Maximums and being called **** Moments of Success instead of becoming ******* Kamaal Catches.
And thus, IPL III saw another game (two in as many days) where more than 400 runs were scored. This match has given another jolt to KKR in their quest for a semi-final spot. If they do not reach the semi-final this year, they will be the only one amongst the 8 original teams not to have reached the semi-finals ever when they start their campaign next year (I have obviously made a very safe assumption that Mumbai Indians will make it to the final-4 this year).
In the second match, Delhi Daredevils blew away the Royal Challengers Bangalore side. I think that Anil Kumble made a huge mistake by making 3 changes to a winning squad in order to accomodate Ross Taylor. There is no doubt that Ross Taylor is a very good cricketer, but was including him in the squad so important that 3 other players had to be dropped?
By dropping Manish Pandey, Kumble broke a solid opening partnership that has been one of the reasons behind RCB's good performances this summer. By removing Dale Steyn, he not only excluded from his squad the best fast bowler in the world, but also one who has been bowling in the Indian conditions for two months now and has his lengths well-adjusted. If he really wanted to go for Ross Taylor, he should have just dropped Cameron White.
But yes, if you have read my previous blog, you will know that RCB has continued its tradition of losing matches held on Formula One Sundays. Dr. Mallya did all the travelling from Sepang to Kotla in vain.
Today, Nagpur will host its first ever IPL match between Deccan Chargers and Rajasthan Royals, where a loss for the former ('home' team) will almost be curtains for them in the tournament.
The 'revenge' matches have begun. All teams have played each other once in the season... and its now time for the visitors to play hosts and for the losers to seek revenge.
MI are topping the table comforrtably... if they continue this way, the question to be asked is - will they be like the RR of 2008 or DD of 2009? In 2008, RR were the comfortable table-toppers and went on to win the inaugural IPL. In 2009, DD topped the tables, but could not even manage a place in the finals.
Maybe MI will set a new precedent by topping the table, reaching the finals, and then losing it. No way! It would only be fitting that the first Indian to lift the IPL aloft as a winning captain be Sachin Tendulkar.
I am not talking in terms of captaincy record (Ganguly will deserve it more, if that's the case). I am talking about the man that SRT is in Indian cricket... or the God! His captaincy has been so very refreshing to watch this season. It's almost as if he wants to ensure that he ties all the loose ends up before he retires from cricket.
Gautam Gambhir is not only learning from his mate, Virender Sehwag... he is going beyond it! In January, Sehwag described Bangladesh as an 'ordinary' Test side... and it created a controversy!
Today, after Delhi Daredevils crushed Rajasthan Royals at the Ferozeshah Kotla in New Delhi, Gautam Gambhir, in the post-match presentation cermony, told Ravi Shastri: "Rajasthan was never a threat! We never considered Rajasthan a big threat, except for Yusuf Pathan. We were only worried about Yusuf Pathan. Everyone else, we were not that bothered about!"
That is revolting... to say the least! One can still understand Sehwag's statement about Bangladesh, but Gambhir was talking about a team that had won four consecutive matches before arriving at Kotla. He was talking about a team that has won the IPL, something that DD has not managed yet.
If this was Gambhir's honest opinion, I am surprised. I'd be interested to see Shane Warne's reaction to this statement. Warne is a proud man... and proud of the team that he has created and moulded at the Rajasthan Royals camp. The fact that Gambhir so outrageously derided his boys will certainly not go down well with him.
Frankly, even I never consider RR a big team. But I never say it aloud because I know that Warne has the ability to inspire them to do the unthinkable. So Gambhir's statement seemed even bigger, coming from the captain!
When Irfan Pathan came to bowl the last over of KKR's innings against KXIP at Mohali, his figures read 1 for 21 in 3 overs. And in that one over, he managed to replicate those figures, 1 for 21, and thereby finish with 2 for 42.
I think that KXIP need a good leader. With due respect to Kumar Sangakkara (who is a wonderful batsman and keeper), I believe that he is not inspirational enough to solve the current problems of KXIP.
We saw last year, when Royal Challengers Bangalore team was suffering from problems similar to that of the Kings XI Punjab this time, a new leader in the form of Anil Kumble spelled a reversal in their fortunes. Shane Warne has always had the ability to inspire his Rajasthan Royals side to comeback when the odds have been stacked against them. In IPL 2008, Sachin Tendulkar missed the first 7 matches of Mumbai Indians. But he returned to inspire a turnaround in the performance, which saw them miss out on the semi-final spot marginally by 1 point.
KXIP's troubles this year are similar to those of KKR's cricket-related problems last year (KKR had too many non-cricket problems as well). Despite having a good enough team, there is a lack of confidence that is hindering them in their efforts to land the killer blow. Even in today's match, when KKR was struggling to find momentum in the slog overs, KXIP should have chipped away at a couple of wickets and finished KKR. Instead, they conceded 53 runs in the last 4 overs. In the end, 183 always seemed daunting.
I do not know who is the vice-captain of KXIP. Sanga has already been fined twice due to slow over rates, and there might be a ban looming round the corner.
Kings XI Punjab will be hosting the Kolkata Knight Riders this evening at Mohali, in a clash that might see an overdose of Bollywood with Preity Zinta, Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla associated with the two franchisees and many others in the film industry pledging their support for one team or the other.
This is the second consecutive Kings XI Punjab match that can be termed as a-bottom-of-the-table clash. In their last game, KXIP (then 7th) lost to Rajasthan Royals (then 8th) at Ahmedabad. Now, RR has climbed to the 3rd position and the 8th-placed KXIP will be hoping that a similar journey begins for them today against the KKR, who themselves are desperately seeking winning ways.
But this post is about something else. I have just discovered the secret behind the success of Mumbai Indians this season. It's lying in my wardrobe - my Black 'Sachin' t-shirt! That is what has been making MI win all this time!
I have discovered that whenever I wear my Black Sachin t-shirt during MI's match, they go on to win. It's Black Magic at work! If I wear the other White MI jersey, they end up losing, like it happenned on 20th March against the Royal Challengers Bangalore team. But despite MI's loss, that match was a wonderful experience due to two reasons. First, RCB is my second favourite team after MI. Second, it was my first experience of watching a cricket match in a movie theatre.
At about 7.30 that evening, a friend of mine and I decided that we will watch the MI v RCB match at the BIG Cinema multiplex (which is located at the other end of Pune from where I live). So by the time we got hurriedly ready, drove in high traffic to the other end, got our tickets and took our seats, MI had already lost Sanath Jaisuriya.
The best part about watching the match in there was - NO ADVERTISEMENTS! Actually, there were commercials during the strategic time-outs, but the fact that there were no commercials in between overs was refreshing to watch. All the fans in the hall were also distributed with whistles and banners indicating '4' and '6'. So it was fun!
I wouldn't go as far as calling it a 'stadium' experience, but it's the closest I have come to a stadium experience in a long long time. I could shout my support for Sachin at the top of my voice without worrying about the neighbours getting disturbed! By the end of it, my throat was tired and aching! All this when MI lost! I am wondering what would have happenned had MI won...
I wish that BIG Cinema's association with sports continues. I would like to see the upcoming FIFA World Cup in there as well. I know that it is not financially feasible to show each match live, but if it's possible, they could broadcast live the finals atleast. That would be enormous fun!
Rajasthan Royals have just beaten the defending champions Deccan Chargers comfortably to throw open the league table completely. Yusuf Pathan blasted 8 sixes in his Man-of-the-Match performance, but for me, it still does not erase a question mark over him because of his inconsistency, especially when he plays for India. If anything, this innings highlights it even more.
But that's enough of IPL. Amidst all the frenzy, most Indian cricket lovers seem to have forgotten that New Zealand and Australia are currently battling in a Test series in New Zealand (who are trailing 0-1, expectedly!).
Later today, when Daniel Vettori tosses the coin at his home ground (Seddon Park, Hamilton), he will be playing his 100th Test (99th for NZ and 1 six-day Test for World XI in the ill-fated Super Series in 2005). In the process, he will become just the second Kiwi to achieve this landmark after his captaincy predecessor, Stephen Fleming.
When Sachin Tendulkar reached 200 against South Africa at Gwalior in 24th February 2010, Ravi Shastri called him 'Superman from India' on air during commentary. If I am asked who is the first cricketer who comes to my mind when I hear someone say 'Superman', my answer will be Daniel Vettori.
Daniel Luca Vettori made his Test debut as a slow left arm spinner in February 1997. Today, 13 years later, 31 years of age, on the eve of his 100th Test, he has been the captain, coach, selector, strike bowler, most consistent batsman and one of the most inspirational Kiwi cricketer ever. It wouldn't be surprising if he runs for the Prime Ministership next!
On a more serious note, Daniel Vettori has done almost everything he could have for cricket in New Zealand... and he's just 31. He can easily play for 5 more years. And 5 years means that I have a wish for him...
Just like I want to see Sachin Tendulkar win the 2011 World Cup for India at home, I would also like to see Daniel Vettori lead his team to their maiden World Cup win in 2015 when Australia and New Zealand are going to jointly host the spectacle. New Zealand have for long been a competitive limited-over outfit without getting enough silverware to show for it. Not only are they due for a big win, Daniel Vettori also deserves such an honour.
I know that I am thinking too far ahead right now. That World Cup is half a decade away. Some might even be wondering if One Day cricket will survive till then. But that will not stop me! I will continue hoping for worthy reward for a champion cricketer... a true Superman!
I am back. I could not blog over the last few days due to a problem with my internet connection, but that's over now. The bottom-of-the-table clash between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals has begun. Since I am not interested in any of these teams, I am not interested in this match either.
So when I was thinking of what I should blog about, I realised that it's 24th March 2010 today. Its exactly one month since Sachin Tendulkar scored his Double Century at Gwalior against South Africa. So I am back to my favourite topic... anything and absolutely anything related to SRT.
Sachin has carried his brilliant form into the IPL and is currently standing 3rd on the 'Orange Cap' List. He has 2 fifties already and is looking ready for more. Some of you might have noticed that his 176 runs have all been scored without a single 6. On the list of highest run scorers thus far in this IPL, he is the only one amongst the top-23 to have not hit a single stroke for half-a-dozen runs. The 24th batsman on the list, Mithun Manhas (with 83 runs), is the next one without a 6 in this IPL. It seems that SRT wants to pioneer a way of playing risk-free-yet-effective-cricket in Twenty20 format, something he has successfully managed in the ODIs.
Even without a single 6, SRT's strike rate reads 155.75, that's 9.35 runs per over from his bat. So if he faces 120 balls (entire 20 overs), he will score 187 runs. With that score, his team is bound to win 9 out of 10 games. So considering that SRT nowadays plays the role of a sheet anchor, around whom the others in the team blast their shots, his team should consistently score 200+ scores (which Mumbai Indians have done, to their credit).
Due to these numbers and the obvious influence that SRT has on any team that he is a part of, there have been calls by many cricket experts that Sachin should be a part of the team that tours West Indies for the World Twenty20 Championship starting from April 30. On various news channels, I have listened to the views of Navjot Singh Sidhu, Boria Majumdar, Vinod Kambli, Charu Sharma and more already.
One of the news channels claimed that they had received a text message from SRT saying that he is not going to be a part of the said squad and that he sees no reason to review the decision he made in 2007 (of quitting international Twenty20 cricket). There have been mixed reactions to such a claim. While some experts have agreed to his decision believing that a mature person like him must have had a solid reason to take such a decision, the others have not been so lenient and gone to the extent of saying that Sachin is putting money and club cricket above country.
I really do not have an opinion on this matter. I would obviously love to see SRT play T20 for India and hopefully, win us the World Cup in West Indies. However, if there is even the slightest chance that doing so might hinder his preparation for the ODI World Cup 2011, I would not mind him skipping such matches.
On one hand, Charu Sharma said that it's okay is SRT skips the T20 WC because his presence in the squad does not guarantee you a World Cup. On the other hand, Navjot Singh Sidhu said that if T20 WC is going to hinder his preparations for 2011 ODI World Cup and risk him an injury, even the IPL is no different.
None of these views are incorrect. So I think that this debate can be settled only if SRT himself states his exact reasons for skipping the World Twenty20 Championship. One thing's for sure: if I were to be Krishnamachari Shrikanth, and learn that Sachin Tendulkar is willing to make himself available for the T20 World Cup, he would be the first name on my squad - even before the captain.
Delhi Daredevils were beaten by 5 wickets with 5 balls to spare, resulting in their 2nd consecutive home loss. And Deccan Chargers finally got their first 'home' win in IPL at their 'adopted home' (Cuttack) against the only team they had not beaten yet in IPL - Kings XI Punjab.
TEAM PERFORMANCE REVIEWS:
DD: Virendra Sehwag went beserk, and DD looked untouchable. He got out, DD looked controllable. Hayden attacked DD's bowling, they looked beatable. Raina played the role of a finisher, the DD team was beaten. This team seems to be going the way Deccan Chargers went in the first IPL in 2008. Both teams are extremely strong on paper, but just as DC did not click at all in the inaugural edition, DD do not seem to be clicking now. They will soon need to get their act back together.
CSK: Despite the win, CSK will know that all questions have not been answered in their camp yet. Their bowling looks extremely susceptible to a good onslaught. But what was visible yesterday was the fact that if Matthew Hayden gives them a good start, their batting looks far more secure and capable (even if Dhoni is absent).
DC: They had a wobble in the middle overs while batting, but overcame it to win in the end. As I have mentioned last time as well, the Indians in the DC squad need to click soon. They have been depending too much on their foreign players, and I doubt such dependence wil be healthy for them in the long run.
KXIP: Three consecutive losses! The change of captaincy does not seem to be working. Infact, little seems to be working for them. Their star batsman, Yuvraj Singh, has flopped in all outings so far. Irfan Pathan led a late fightback against DC yesterday, but late fightbacks usually don't win you the game (ask Irfan's brother - Yusuf). Adrian Barath would do better at the top of the order rather than in the middle order.
MATCHES TODAY:
RR v KKR: In the first edition, Shane Warne was unimpressed when Sourav Ganguly questioned a catch claimed by Greame Smith to dismiss him. It created a controversy. In the last season, Ganguly hit 13 runs of 1 ball from Munaf Patel (a six of a no-ball followed by a six of the free hit) to ensure a tie and then Yusuf smashed Mendis to finish the game. With Chris Gayle available, another cracking performance by the KKR can be expected. I am not sure that RR has the ability or the composure to match them.
MI v RCB: RCB's first ever win in IPL was against MI in Mumbai. This time, both teams are coming off two consecutive wins. Mumbai have a very strong bowling attack. For RCB, Kallis is yet to be dismissed. This one is going one cracking contest. I am really looking forward to this one. Sachin Tendulkar v Anil Kumble. Awesome!
