Thursday, May 7, 2009

Is Darren Lehmann a Factor in the Chargers' Success?

They slipped to 4th place after being on top of the table for most of the IPL, but after today's victory over the Mumbai Indians, the Deccan Chargers are on top again. Just behind Delhi Daredevils on net run rate.

This season has been a good one for the Chargers, and very different from the one they had last year.

Some time back I wondered what was different about the Chargers' campaign, but that was a very non-serious look.

More seriously, what has clicked for them this year?

Some suggested Edwards made a difference, but he lost the last game for them and now he's gone and doing it for the Windies.

Gibbs form was also suggested but he's failed in the last few matches including today.

Gilchrist is no doubt leading from the front, but is it Darren Lehmann who has been calling the shots behind the scenes?

I've noticed him in all the games and he's always seen in the middle of the Chargers' huddle before the match and during the tactical time outs.

At other times, he's always scribbling something on his note pad.

Note to Buchanan: note pad, not laptop.

Lehmann was considered God in the Australian domestic circuit. A lot of the Australian internationals also rated him highly as a strategist.

For a long time Ricky Ponting used him as the man to make a decision on the field.

Even Shane Warne has spoken highly about Lehmann's cricketing sense and used him as a motivator last season besides giving him a few games for the Rajasthan Royals.

I believe Lehmann has been one of the major drivers behind the Chargers' turnaround.

I agree that the Chargers were unlucky last season ending up at the wrong end of many close matches, but it takes more than misfortune to lose 12 out of 14 games!

Lehmann has probably instilled the confidence in the team and probably has some defined roles as well for the players, just like Warne does for his Royals.

He's probably not a coach per se but more of a motivator and mentor and its surely done the Chargers a lot of good.

Make your pitch on this post...



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4 Pitched:

  1. Rayden said...
     

    This is an interesting post. I do feel Darren Lehmann has been working hard for Deccan Charges for almost 6 months now and I guess he has a lot to do with the fact that Deccan Chargers look like a united front.

    Also he is mainly in the background, always talking to the guys, scribling on his notepad. Totally opposite to Buchanan who has done everything to make sure the KKR team lost morale even before IPL began. He does not even sit with the team in the dug out.

    Anyways I am just totally depressed right now with the self destructing batting order of Mumbai Indians. What were they thinking !!!!

  2. Q said...
     

    Rayden: 6 months? really? what has he been doing for 6 months?

    He's surely made a difference.. and ur right abt staying in the background.. he's unlike Buchanan and some others.

    As for the Mumbai Indians.. I have an interesting theory abt them:

    http://www.wellpitched.com/2009/04/it-is-india-of-90s.html

  3. Rayden said...
     

    Q - your theory on Mumbai Indians is absolutely perfect. It is absolutely the India of the 90's. No wonder I keep getting a deja vu feeling with them.

    Sachin has acheived a lot but I would say he is unlucky to play in a team almost all his career that chokes all the time.

    Do you remember the test match between India and Pakistan in Chennai where Sachin scored a century in the second innings but as soon as he got out the entire Indian team collapsed. Pakistan got a standing ovation from the Chennai crowd for winning one of the best test matches of all times. That match is pretty much how India used to play for over a decade and now Mumbai Indians are doing the same thing.

  4. Q said...
     

    Exactly Rayden.. I felt it too.. and that too b4 the IPL began!

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