Thursday, February 21, 2008

The IPL will be a MiNdBoGGliNg Experience !

I know there is an overdoes of IPL related posts on Well Pitched but the whole auction drama has left me stumped and thinking about all that went down and all that will go down once the competition kicks off is mindboggling to say the least.

Here are some random thoughts that I think will make the IPL extremely exciting to watch.
  1. Saurav Ganguly ordering Ponting from one field position to another will be a sight.
  2. Same goes for Ganguly and Shoaib Akhtar who have had numerous on field battles but will now turn up for Kolkata and Ganguly will throw the new ball to Akhtar thanking God that he is not the striker this time round.
  3. When Ganguly throws the ball to Ishant Sharma, Ponting will be relieved that he is on the same team as the kid.
  4. Shane Warne telling Greame Smith to go out there and rip the bowling apart. Now how 'bout that? Smith and Warnie in the same team colours!
  5. Dhoni keeping wicket to Murali and Sangakkara doing the same to Lee. That surely is exciting stuff.
  6. Mohammad Asif sharing the new ball with his Idol Glen McGrath.

I'm sure you guys can think of more stuff. Here's more:

The best opening combinations - ranked in order of ability at the T20 Level:

  1. Gilchrist & Gibbs
  2. Sachin & Jayasuriya
  3. Ganguly & Gayle
  4. Sehwag & Gambhir
  5. Hayden & Fleming
  6. Smith & Langer

The best new ball attacks:

  1. Lee & Pathan
  2. Steyn & Bracken
  3. Asif & McGrath
  4. Shoaib & Ishant
  5. Pollock & Malinga
  6. RP & Vaas

If that has got you excited, see this.

Hard Hitting Pairs that can turn any match upside down in the middle to end overs of an innings:

  1. Afridi & Symonds
  2. Micheal Hussey & Oram
  3. David Hussey & McCullum
  4. Cameron White & Boucher

Aussies working with the Kiwis, Aussies working with the Proteas, Pakistanis working with Indians, Aussies working with Indians - the IPL throws at tou mindboggling and endless possibilities to watch the most exciting cricket ever.


Make your pitch on this post...



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7 Pitched:

  1. straight point said...
     

    it will also be interesting to see how franchise cope with tuddlers like SG, RD, VVS, AK, romesh powar and some other ageing players once they start becoming the difference between win and loss...

  2. Jrod said...
     

    Australians and South Africans on the same side, its disgusting.

  3. Soulberry said...
     

    I'm incline to rate Asif-McGrath a little higher and that's not because they are from my team!

    Q, this is exciting in a small way.....we all ahve ahd our fanstasies wondering how one would fare against the other but could never set it up that way in reality. Even though McGrath is old, how will Gilly, Hayden, Langer, Ponting handle him? Same with Shane Warne.....in a reasonable competitive environment where reputation is at stake.

    Shame that the two bowlers are old now...but these are the kind of combinations we could never see. How Shane Warne handles an aggressive Symonds will also educate many young bowlers.

    I see formerly restricted spectators opening out to players from all countries....cricket watching had descended into that over the past decade or so.

    Asif and McGrath in Delhi will be a boon for the local bowlers even if it is for only six weeks a year. Imagine what Sangwan could learn from the two and how that could help him!

    It is things like that...top players bring not just skills but an approach along with them from which young cricketers can learn even in a short time.

    I call Calcutta the Sin City of IPL. Look at the players...must be the most flamboyant and stylish collection.

    Imagine Kallis and Kumble playing alongside...and the youngsters in the dressing room following theri discussions!

    One thing is for sure...Akhtar will fire the imaginatioon of many kids now....he is that much closer to them and there will be many kids in Calcutta wanting to run in and bowl like him...the star of their home team.

    These are the intangible benefits of such creations....my son follows football more closely than I do, but I think footie fans will understand what I'm trying to say. They are more familiar with players from different countries and cultures playing for their clubs and hence have a wider appreciation of the players in the game. Cricket still is hamstrung with spectators who "fear" to appreciate a player from an other country...that will change too.

    But, at the end of it all, one must remember it is just for six weeks and T20 is nothing but an engine of sorts...it isn't the complete body.

  4. Obaid said...
     

    Good comment soulberry, definitely a good analogy with football.

    The question is will the engine leave the car body behind?

  5. Q said...
     

    Thats true SP - how long these ageing players last in the IPL and whether they are worth those millions or not wud be interesting viewing.

    Uncle J - I mentioned the Aussie-Proteas thing just to get this reaction from you :-) btw, Greame Smith has come out saying that he's looking forward to playing in the same team as Shane Warne.

    RE: Soulberry
    If it were a test match Asif & McGrath wud be right up there IMO but in a 20-20 i think Steyn & Bracken and Lee & Pathan may be the better bets. But u never know, u can't doubt the abilities of bowlers of the class of McGrath and Asif.

    I totally agree with you on the comment about our fantasies. I cant wait to see Warne bowl to Hayden and Ponting. and Pollock bowl to Smith. and Pathan bowl to Sachin. As i said the oppportunities are endless.

    Also spot on about the U-19 boys learning from the greats - India is set to benefit the most out of this excercise as I've mentioned before in my posts.

    I love your reference to Kolkata as Sin City. I'm sure that team is going to be partying hard whether they win or lose.

    I hope what u mention about cricket fans perceptions changing does happen cause I've been reading quite apprehensive views regarding this.

    For example, Shoaib bowling to Sachin at Eden Gardens. Does the Kolkata crowd back Akhtar to bowl him out or do they cheer India's God of cricket?

    Same goes for Ishant to Sehwag in Delhi - I think u mentioned this SB in your post.

    How the Indian fans and those around the world react to all this, only time will tell.

  6. Anonymous said...
     

    That my friend is excellent analysis and well put...however I would rate Asif and McGrath a bit higher than 3...maybe 2...but anyways....great stuff and I have somehow just thrown all the negativity out of me for IPL and raring to see it....

  7. Q said...
     

    Thanks Sporting Spirit.

    Maybe Asif & McGrath should be higher than they are. I had Steyn's recent 4 wicket burst against the Windies in mind and the fact that Bracken has been an excellent ODI bowler for Australia.

    Plus Asif is coming back from a long layoff and McGrath is an ageing bowler with limited T20 experience thus i put Steyn & Bracken a notch higher.

    As I told my good mate Soulberry, if it were a test match, then Asif & McGrath would have been at the top.

    And I was never negative about the IPL, I think it'll be a great experience, glad u agree :-)

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