S10M03

The Gambhir-Lynn show – a one sided affair!

Another match with shabby fielding – dropped catches

Praveen Kumar and Shadab Jakati bowled better than Shivil Kaushik, Dhawal Kulkarni, MS Gony and Dwayne Smith, but what was Raina thinking when he didn’t have James Faulkner in the starting XI?

The Gujarat Lions bowlers just waited to be hit around the park as Gautam Gambhir and Chris Lynn toyed with the ball. The Aussie in particular was severe in treating the bowlers with disdain, picking 8 sixes and the Man of the match.

Kolkata Knight Riders have set the pace for the race to higher NRR in style, this match will ensure they stay ahead in the event of equal points in the table.

Rajkot dished out yet another humiliating 10 wicket loss to the hosts, after that Warner-Dhawan hiding last year.

However, a heartening feature of the Gujarat innings was the form of Dinesh Karthik, who has been a revelation this year in the domestic circuit. Leading his team, Tamil Nadu, two national trophies, the wicket keeper batsman surely had his morale high and is bound to knock on the doors of the selectors for the Champions trophy if he continues to perform thus.

Like the earlier matches Suresh Raina benefitted from few dropped catches and pedestrian fielding to post a half century.

Fielding in the shortest version of the game plays a very important part, what with a few runs saved and crucial run-outs effected changing the course of the game and the eventual results. Coaches have their task cut out in ensuring the players keep their nerve in the face of pressure and concentrated on their fielding as much as their bowling and batting.

Brief Scores:
Gujarat Lions 183 for 4 (Raina 68, Karthik 47, Kuldeep 2-25) lost to Kolkata Knight Riders 184 for 0 (Lynn 93*, Gambhir 76*) by 10 wickets

Man of the Match: Chris Lynn

S10M02

Bowler management comes to the fore!

6664611 – Seems a phone number straight out of an Australia telephone directory.

Well, almost but then those were the numbers that had an impact on the game at Pune where the home team skipper learnt a lesson or two in bowler management, same goes for the Rohit Sharma too!

Four sixes and a four were what Hardik Pandya scored off the last over to take Mumbai Indians to a respectable 184 from an almost uncompetitive 154. While the power hitting skill of the batsman is not at all in doubt, it speaks more about the thoughtless bowling of hapless Ashoke Dinda.

It’s really a wonder how captains haven’t read a bit of history of their team mates who have been extremely charitable in the end overs. Dinda has been an average bowler in all the years in IPL and has some very forgettable performances in the death overs.

While the spectators get a treat when batsman go hammer and tongs at bowlers for the adjective-redefining-display giant screens that scream Humungous or Mammoth, it also puts to shade some extraordinary bowling of the likes of Imran Tahir, Adam Zampa and Rajat Bhatia, who quite literally had the visitors on the mat.

To his credit Steve Smith redeemed his composure from the brutal assault on his senses (avoiding the phrase ‘brain fade’ here) by scoring the required runs at the end with much aplomb. 

The Rising Pune Supergiants must also thank Ajinkya Rahane who set the ball rolling with his classy innings that kept the required run rate in check throughout.

As much as Dinda was a bad choice for the last over, Rohit Sharma too must have rued the fact that he used up his frontline bowlers early to be left with an injured Kieron Pollard to bowl the last over, when 13 had to be defended.

Skippers need to do a bit of homework to get their game plan right, more so in the bowler management department, and of course the ground fielding too.

There was couple of outstanding catches in the match, one each from both sides with Mayank Agarwal and Nitish Rana put in great diving efforts. But then just two matches and this edition of IPL is already being remembered for the number of sitters being put down. Catches that have gone begging have had immense impact on the result, with both the Man-of-the match performers being the prime beneficiaries.

Brief Scores

Rising Pune Supergiant 187 for 3 (Smith 84*, Rahane 60) beat Mumbai Indians 184 for 8 (Buttler 38, Hardik 35*, Tahir 3-28, Bhatia 2-14) by seven wickets

Man of the Match: Steve Smith

S10M01

Defending champions begin with a bang!

SunRisers Hyderabad repeat 2016 final to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in the season opener

When Yuvraj Singh hit a boundary to get to his half century, the crowd roared in appreciation, but off the same ball, at the other end was another half century that told a different story. Yuvraj’s 51 came off 23 balls, while Aniket Choudhary took just 21 balls to reach exactly 51 runs taken of his bowling. RCB’s cup of woe was full with its wayward bowling and some ordinary fielding.

The Rajiv Gandhi International stadium at Uppal, Hyderabad wore a carnival atmosphere as the entire stadium bathed in a sea of Orange and Red, yes the visitors too had ample support as seen in the loud cheers for the Chris Gayle sixes.

David Warner lost the toss but didn’t lose the opportunity to hit a six off a free hit, batting first. However his stay at the crease was short-lived, his opening partner Shikar Dhawan who started slowly compensated with four boundaries in a Watson over to up the ante.

The free hitting Moises Henriques was only overshadowed by the arrival of the evening’s crowd favourite Yuvraj Singh. In the absence of the Indian skipper Virat Kohli, Yuvi garnered the maximum cheer for his batting, catching and also for his wave to the crowd from the boundary while fielding.

The cool breezy night also belonged to the SRH bowlers Bhuvaneshwar, Ben Cutting and Ashish Nehra all bowling with discipline and success. But the loudest appreciation came for the IPL debutant Afghanistan bowler Rashid Khan who picked up a wicket in his first over and added one more to cement his place for the future games.

  

A 200 plus score in the season opener is just a taste of things to come in a run-feast of a tournament.

Brief Scores:

Sunrisers Hyderabad 207 for 4 (Yuvraj 62, Henriques 52, Chahal 1-22) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 172 (Gayle 32, Bhuvneshwar 2-27, Rashid 2-36) by 35 runs.

Man of the Match: Yuvraj Singh. 

Lights… Camera… Action…!

S10M01 

The Season 10 of the most popular Indian Soap Opera is here.

The Indian Premier League – Cricket’s biggest entertainment-cum-sports extravaganza provides a platform for not just the Indian actors but quite a few stars from across the World to showcase their talent.

A few hours away from Match 1 between the defending champions Sun Risers Hyderabad (SRH) and the last year runner up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and the excitement is palpable.

There has been lot of talk in the media about is IPL losing its sheen? Are the injuries to Indian national players, including the captain Virat Kohli robbing the tournament of its interest? The answer to both is a firm NO.

The world’s most popular and most followed Twenty20 tournament has always been one that threw up many surprises. It’s not all about the established international names, but some unknown /ones who stand up to be counted and shine bright. Among a few names that immediately come to mind are Paul Valthaty, Sanju Samson and Pravin Tambe. There have many more… Yes, they may have not gone on to don the national colours or consistently make headlines, but they ensured that the surprise element is sustained.

While Test cricket continues to be the prima donna and the connoisseur’s delight, the shortest form of the game is quite a hit across the world and in an era that is governed by smart phones and news in 140 characters – T20 is surely the answer to keep the interest in the game going.

While there are no pre-tournament favourites yet, unlike the Chennai Super Kings of yore who always started as one, the eternal bridesmaid RCB is a strong contender for its maiden title. Don’t write off the twin two-time champions Kolkota Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians to make it three, nor the mercurial Kings XI or the unpredictable Delhi Daredevils to open their account. The outgoing teams of the year Rising Pune giants and last year’s table toppers Gujarat Lions too have it in them to create equal opportunities.

As I key in these words, 2 hours away from the inaugural ceremony before the match, my daughter and nephew are ready and waiting for me to take them to Uppal, where I will cheer for my home team SRH. I firmly believe the David Warner side is well balanced to retain the title.

Yes, I am predicting a SunRisers encore!

Bring the Game On !!!