Indian Premier League - General Discussion

[Sherlock Holmes]

RCB and CSK

Good. Now that I have for your attention after you read RCB and CSK respectively,

Let me speak out something for MI, a team which doesn't get much due over here due to less following here or fans being inactive.

Even after having a decent season of 7 wins and 7 losses, everyone including MI themselves are calling it out to be a bad season. Because that's how high the bar is set for them.

One special mention is that even in such a season they had moments of glory with some amazing wins and knocks.

One thing I am sure is that all other teams including the two new to be in place next year will be so so so happy to see MI release 4 to 5 of their core players out in open.

Rohit Sharma
Jasprit Bumrah
Hardik Pandya
Surya Kumar Yadav
Ishan Kishan
Kieron Pollard
Quinton de Kock
Trent Boult

Can't believe that they will have to release 50% or even more from these individual match winners above.

Eager to see MI bounce back again. Like always. Till then, peace.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

At this juncture, I am not really bothered about Rahul and the 2022 IPL. If that Indian management and leadership group has a brain the size of an egg, they will give KL the complete license. He got that in the last PBKS game and he can get out and will get out 3-4 games out of 5 but the game he scores he will shred and tear the game open for India. But, the captain wants to open and it is very clear that apart from him and Rohit, nobody is a mainstay.

Everyone here knows I am a Pant fan, but his batting in T20's has not been at the level he can be and I have a feeling him and Kishan will play some merry go round with the gloves duty in the tournament.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

But, the captain wants to open and it is very clear that apart from him and Rohit, nobody is a mainstay.

That is too old now mate.

Indian team management changes their decision at the snap of fingers. I get a feeling that KLR will open

 

[abhi_jacko]

Yess -- RCB return things to normal. Play Bold, Never for Gold

I think CSK will canter home with the trophy this time as well. They are just in that zone and that knock by MSD has taken things to the next level. Just do not see them losing the finals

 

[icyman]

imo Rahul wasn't an awful captain, he was a selfless guy who put the team first ahead of himself- highlighted by his SR in the last two seasons and his uncharacteristic knocks at a SR ~120. Don't think they were selfish knocks, Punjab's batting order outside of Mayank and himself was non-existent and probably forced his hand at being an anchor. Captaincy has definitely affected Rahul's batting and even his demeanor on and off the field. Guy barely broke a genuine smile as captain, looked depressed and sometimes even relieved after winning in his post-match interviews, which suggests there was a lot of pressure on him. RCB would be definitely targeting him, they'll definitely make him the next captain. Thought SRH would be one of the franchises to target him too, since our management has an eternal love for having 10 openers in the squad.

Rahul as a captain is a poor option. Despite your insistence, the knocks have been selfish, with an increasing focus on him gaining the Orange Cap as opposed to leading the team to victory. Being a captain doesn't mean you slow down your game. You lead from the front, playing the game that you are used to.

I do hope for India's sake, he is never made captain/ allowed to be a part of the leadership core. From a future perspective, the IPL mega auction+2 new teams couldnt have come in at a better time. The retentions should focus on the ones for the future, the ones who would, in all probability lead their teams and perhaps, one day be worthy of leading India.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Despite your insistence, the knocks have been selfish

Yes whenever he failed to score runs PBKS were short by 20-30 runs. So yes he was selfish in helping the team's score.

Heard about pacing your innings? And this is what KLR wasn't doing well. It was his failure to take the decision of when to go hard that that was the problem. This comes down to lack of guidance.

 

[icyman]

At this stage, he does not need mollycoddling. I can understand if he were an U19 cricketer. If you still insist he needs guidance, then this points to a lack of game/situation awareness,which cannot be brought about by guidance.

As a captain, if you do not know when to pace, whom to select, whom to bowl, IMO, you are not worthy of being one. Yes, his batting numbers are stellar- but do you really want one who is simply bothered about socring runs and beating Mayank to the Orange Cap? He has openly said this and this is what irks me the most.

Your talk of pacing the innings- please check how Sehwag and Shaw batted when they captained their respective sides.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

At this stage, he does not need mollycoddling. I can understand if he were an U19 cricketer. If you still insist he needs guidance, then this points to a lack of game/situation awareness,which cannot be brought about by guidance.

As a captain, if you do not know when to pace, whom to select, whom to bowl, IMO, you are not worthy of being one. Yes, his batting numbers are stellar- but do you really want one who is simply bothered about socring runs and beating Mayank to the Orange Cap? He has openly said this and this is what irks me the most.

Your talk of pacing the innings- please check how Sehwag and Shaw batted when they captained their respective sides.

I am wrong, you are right. Ok?

 

[icyman]

This was/is never about being wrong or right. My analysis of KLR based purely on his captaincy tenure at KXIP shows that he isnt the man to lead India. Others may have differing view-points and all all welcome to put them forth here.

 

[Velocity]

Rahul as a captain is a poor option. Despite your insistence, the knocks have been selfish, with an increasing focus on him gaining the Orange Cap as opposed to leading the team to victory. Being a captain doesn't mean you slow down your game. You lead from the front, playing the game that you are used to.

I do hope for India's sake, he is never made captain/ allowed to be a part of the leadership core. From a future perspective, the IPL mega auction+2 new teams couldnt have come in at a better time. The retentions should focus on the ones for the future, the ones who would, in all probability lead their teams and perhaps, one day be worthy of leading India.

When I said Rahul wasn't an awful captain, it was never to imply that he should remain the captain in any IPL team. It was meant to highlight the fact that given his lacklustre team, he did okay as a leader by trying to lead by the front with his anchor role. Should he continue to be a captain in whichever franchise he chooses to go to? The answer is NO. He should never have that pressure fall on him again.

If you've followed any of Punjab's games, they've had a very weak and out of form middle order struggling to make any scores of substance, which clearly forced Rahul's hand at holding one end. In fact the sole reason Punjab didn't get the wooden spoon this season was Rahul holding one end at the crease, where he was able to pick up the pace later on. Although we do know this isn't the destructive Rahul we know he's capable of. His own wicket falling often trigger collapses, hence I don't think his knocks were selfish in nature. In that last group game where he teed off, he had nothing to lose with Punjab down and out.

I do agree with you that KLR should never be considered a potential India captain or be part of that leadership group. It's clear that when he's at his best it's when he's free and not under pressure.

 

[SaiSrini]

Yess -- RCB return things to normal. Play Bold, Never for Gold

I think CSK will canter home with the trophy this time as well. They are just in that zone and that knock by MSD has taken things to the next level. Just do not see them losing the finals

Depends! Both KKR and DC have the resources to beat CSK. You might say DC have a better shot since they have the best bowling attack of the tournament, their batsmen are in good batting form and they have had a good taste of Dubai conditions. However their last 2 games and those close defeats can hurt them and Pant needs to make better choices on the field when choosing his bowlers.

KKR have thrived in Sharjah conditions and so a final in Dubai is not really up their alley (they have played 2 games in Dubai in this second leg, with one win). But like DC, KKR also has a very good bowling attack and also KKR's batsmen are in better form than their DC counterparts. They also bat deep, and are importantly led by a comparatively stronger captain in Morgan. I would say both teams can beat CSK, but CSK will have a much closer game if they face DC while with KKR, it might swing significantly to either side depending on the day.

 

[Velocity]

There were plenty of people on here harping on Pant's decision making the other night and comparing him to KL Rahul the captain. He's had a dip in T20 form for the last two seasons, which include without captaincy. Probably need to give Pant another season as captain to really see if he's cut for a leadership role for India in the future. In all fairness, you could understand why he bowled Curran the other night ahead of Rabada, purely based on the fact TC was bowling well on the night (3/16 from his 3 overs) prior to that last over. It wasn't a tactical blunder with that logic, it's just how cricket is. If Rabada had bowled that over and CSK won then there would definitely be criticism on here on Pant and why he didn't bowl TC with those great figures.

KKR have the advantage here in Sharjah having beat DC here as well, but if there's a team that can beat CSK, it's DC. DC's bowling attack can exploit that middle order muddle of CSK's better than KKR with their fast bowlers on a batsmen-friendly pitch in Dubai, while KKR depend more heavily on their spinners, whose influence may be negated on that track. If KKR win today, CSK's chances for the title will also increase, but a DC win will set up a more exciting final in store.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

I feel its going to be a Shaw show today. He is looking really good so far.

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

I feel its going to be Stonis's night

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

I feel its going to be a Shaw show today. He is looking really good so far.

I feel its going to be Stonis's night

Pure reverse jinxing this!