IPL Indian Premier League 2016- General Discussion

[SaiSrini]

First of all, I'd like to start off by saying that I have the utmost respect for GG and his achievements. Without him, we would not be T20 or WC champions. Yes, the record books will say Irfan Pathan and MS Dhoni were MOM in those finals, but without GG they were both like cars in an F1 race without the engine.

Secondly, you and Gautam Gambhir are doing a mighty fine job of making this forum the world vs GG. Let's get one thing straight- No one here believes that GG isn't worthy of accolades for what he's achieved and in fact, he gets far lesser than what he deserves! But perhaps, it's reserved for the time he hangs up his boots. Everyone wants Indian cricket to do well, and if you spend half your time around here in sensible argument you might just see that none of us are against GG and that if he's still got it, we'd all love to see him dawn the India shirt again!

Fact is, what he's doing a lot of younger Indian talent is doing as well (in weaker sides) for instance a M Vijay and I don't want to name more. You might feel MS is not worth his salt and unfortunately for you, you fall in a serious minority!!

I'd just like to sight something out- When this RCB KKR game was done, GG refused to shake hands with VK. He CLEARLY has an attitude problem in my opinion. He DID cost KKR the game by dropping VK!

Kohli is in the form of his life and I think as Indians we should appreciate it. GG needs to come out of his world where he thinks the world is against him or his talent. There is a spot for him in the ODI's and I genuinely believe this, but the T20 ship has sailed! MS himself is on borrowed time. It's the reality and all great players must accept it! How great are MS and GG? Well, just like you have stats saying GG is the real deal as opener, I have stats that say MS is the real deal as finisher! Comparisons are endless, and if you credit KKR for their rise to GG, CSK never ever missed the top 4 in 9 years!! That says a lot.

Also, GG's attitude of late has been in very very poor taste!

It's best you accept some realities, but I fear this post is an attempt in vain!

Post of the decade, my friend!

Back on the game, a game where all clicked and RCB looked utterly decimating of the opposition. Its ridiculous how Kohli's batting this tournament. And opening has worked superbly for him. I think India T20 side would be really awesome with this potential batting top 4: Vijay, Uthappa, Kohli, Rohit. I know Rohit has done well as opener, but Vijay and Uthappa both need to be in the T20 side and given a longer rope. And Rohit should fit seamlessly at No.4 where he can handle the gear. Vijay needs opportunity in the limited overs format. He has been tremendous this IPL and with his technique, he won't make us miss Rahane at all. Same with Uthappa. I dont see Dhawan or Rahane anywhere in the vicnity even though Dhawan has been batting well in the few games this IPL. Maybe Dhawan can be the backup guy although if Rishabh Pant had one more good IPL under his belt, I would have said Rishabh should be the backup guy.

 

[grkrama]

i hope the split webbing isnt a big thing, if it is i hope kolhi actually takes rest instead of aggravating it for the sake of IPL, he is in the form of his life ... i dont want to witness another tennis elbow like episode

 

[zwarrior]

Wow. I came to tell few things, but the above three posts address that issue.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Post of the decade, my friend!

Back on the game, a game where all clicked and RCB looked utterly decimating of the opposition. Its ridiculous how Kohli's batting this tournament. And opening has worked superbly for him. I think India T20 side would be really awesome with this potential batting top 4: Vijay, Uthappa, Kohli, Rohit. I know Rohit has done well as opener, but Vijay and Uthappa both need to be in the T20 side and given a longer rope. And Rohit should fit seamlessly at No.4 where he can handle the gear. Vijay needs opportunity in the limited overs format. He has been tremendous this IPL and with his technique, he won't make us miss Rahane at all. Same with Uthappa. I dont see Dhawan or Rahane anywhere in the vicnity even though Dhawan has been batting well in the few games this IPL. Maybe Dhawan can be the backup guy although if Rishabh Pant had one more good IPL under his belt, I would have said Rishabh should be the backup guy.

Quite a compliment coming from someone whose posts I enjoy reading.

I'm in total agreement with you on Vijay/Pant/Uthappa. The only thing massively in favor of Pant is age. He has another 3 IPL seasons before the next WC. Plenty of time! Personally, the difference between Vijay and Rahane for me is the fact that Vijay can really turn it on, even more so than Uthappa. I'd expected a batsman of Ajinkya's calibre to add another gear by now considering the exposure he gets, but it's not happening. He's not bad, it's just that we have better/more logical options. I still believe Rahane can work on his hitting, but time is slowly passing and he needs to catch up soon.

What this IPL is surely doing is amassing heaps of pressure on Raina to deliver. I'm a massive Raina fan and he's for me a knockout game, world stage player but guys like, SK Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan are knocking at his heels for the middle order/finisher job.

 

[Yash.]

I think India T20 side would be really awesome with this potential batting top 4: Vijay, Uthappa, Kohli, Rohit. .

Personally, I don't think that Uthappa should be given a chance as opener. He played well at the start of this IPL but isn't carrying forward now. Moreover, KL Rahul is a possible change that can happen. He has been batting so well for RCB. ANd he's got stats to back it.


Cricket Records | Indian Premier League, 2016 | Records | Most runs | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Personally, I don't think that Uthappa should be given a chance as opener. He played well at the start of this IPL but isn't carrying forward now. Moreover, KL Rahul is a possible change that can happen. He has been batting so well for RCB. ANd he's got stats to back it.


Cricket Records | Indian Premier League, 2016 | Records | Most runs | ESPN Cricinfo

Valid point in regards to Rahul. Uthappa is someone who's performed consistently for KKR for a while now. I understand your opinion but I personally feel you're underrating him.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Just want to mention something-

MS Dhoni is frequently criticised around here for his rigidity in terms of squad selection and while I agree that he's too rigid, you have to credit him for providing a player security. Why am I bringing this up?

I've not seen a worse managed side than RR/DD under Rahul Dravid. I admire, respect and love the man to bits, but his style is way too fickle. How Carlos Brathwaite is on the bench beats me? Why Duminy bats at 6 beats me? Why Coulter-Nile plays beats me? Why Rishabh Pant bats at 5 beats me after a match winning performance at the top beats me? Talent is the 'most abused' word in Indian cricket and Sanju Samson is the definition of it! My Delhi team?

Pant/Iyer (Iyer did well last season, give young chaps a run)
de Kock
Nair
Duminy/Billings
Brathwaite
Negi (You've paid a fortune for him, at least give him a decent run)
Morris
Mishra
Shami
Khan
Nadeem/Local foreign quick!

 

[Markkkkk]

I agree Samson and Iyer have seemed ordinary compared to Pant and co.

 

[Aalay]

I agree Samson and Iyer have seemed ordinary compared to Pant and co.

And this is where Domestic cricket steps in. Iyer scored over 1300 runs in recently concluded Ranji trophy. He had a pretty good season with DD last season where he was the top run scorer for them but yes he is having a shocker this season. If he had performed even half decently, he would have been pretty much a confirmed ticket for Zimbabwe tour but I don't think that will happen now. I think Karun Nair might have earned himself a spot. Sanju Samson has always been like this I feel. He is a very capable and talented batsman and you can clearly see that when he plays but still highly inconsistent.

 

[SaiSrini]

Personally, I don't think that Uthappa should be given a chance as opener. He played well at the start of this IPL but isn't carrying forward now. Moreover, KL Rahul is a possible change that can happen. He has been batting so well for RCB. ANd he's got stats to back it.


Cricket Records | Indian Premier League, 2016 | Records | Most runs | ESPN Cricinfo

Uthappa is still consistently scoring runs this IPL. He might not have set the IPL on fire, but he is still getting those consistent and valuable knocks for KKR. When he set the stage on fire, he wasnt given a long enough rope in the Indian side. He needs to be given. On Rishabh Pant, I would wait sometime and give him more exposure. Maybe next year IPL if he continues his good run, pitchfork him into the T20 side. I am suspect around KL Rahul. Agree that he has done well this season, but he is another highly classical batsman of the Rahane mould. Rahane has also bashed bowling attacks in IPL, but does not replicate it in international stage. I have the doubt that Rahul will be similar.

 

[Yash.]

Uthappa is still consistently scoring runs this IPL. He might not have set the IPL on fire, but he is still getting those consistent and valuable knocks for KKR. When he set the stage on fire, he wasnt given a long enough rope in the Indian side. He needs to be given. On Rishabh Pant, I would wait sometime and give him more exposure. Maybe next year IPL if he continues his good run, pitchfork him into the T20 side. I am suspect around KL Rahul. Agree that he has done well this season, but he is another highly classical batsman of the Rahane mould. Rahane has also bashed bowling attacks in IPL, but does not replicate it in international stage. I have the doubt that Rahul will be similar.

I agree that Utthapa has been performing so good especially since 2014 . After that season, he was even tried for the Bangladesh series, but couldn't carry forward his form.

How can you say that Rahul will falter at the international stage. You have to try him to do so

 

[LiveLoveABD]

And this is where Domestic cricket steps in. Iyer scored over 1300 runs in recently concluded Ranji trophy. He had a pretty good season with DD last season where he was the top run scorer for them but yes he is having a shocker this season. If he had performed even half decently, he would have been pretty much a confirmed ticket for Zimbabwe tour but I don't think that will happen now. I think Karun Nair might have earned himself a spot. Sanju Samson has always been like this I feel. He is a very capable and talented batsman and you can clearly see that when he plays but still highly inconsistent.

For me, talent is performance. It's the most abused word in Indian cricket. Look around, what Samson is doing is remarkable average (if you see what guys at his age have achieved or clearly on the road to). He has not done anything spectacular, other than have a romantic small town story behind him and a lot of media and RSD backing. The last two innings are so proof that he's very poor in T20 terms! A bit like what @SaiSrini is mentioning. T20 cricket has become a lot about 'tempo' and from what I'm seeing the shortest format more and more demands players who can adapt and have at least a 'reasonable' power game. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's all smack, bang, wallop but you still need to pace the innings enough to not bring the whole team down. Therefore, a lot of 40 ball 45 ball half centuries from the likes of Rahane, Gambhir and Samson look alright on the newspapers, but it's really the 18 ball 30's which propel teams to victory in T20 cricket.

 

[zwarrior]

I am worried whether today's match will be played. It's been cloudy here since yesterday. Hope it doesn't rain tonight.

 

[AliB]

I am worried whether today's match will be played. It's been cloudy here since yesterday. Hope it doesn't rain tonight.

If it rains, RCB are out I guess?

 

[zwarrior]

If it rains, RCB are out I guess?

Most likely. Then they have to depend upon other teams to loose like DD, GL.