Friday, May 22, 2009

Royal Challengers: Something To Think About

In the race for a spot in the IPL Semi Finals, the Royal Challengers Bangalore were once in a position from where they had to win every single match in order to qualify.

They did just that starting with their victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders and going on to win their next 3 games as well, making it 4 wins on the trot.

Their next 3 wins came against:

Chennai Super Kings

Delhi Daredevils

Deccan Chargers

That's right, the other 3 semi finalists.

Food for thought?

Make your pitch on this post...



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19 Pitched:

  1. Leela said...
     

    Q,

    Food for thought indeed.
    The games have been coming thick and fast and I did not realize that BRC actually defeated all the 3 semi-finalists on the trot!
    Good point... however now I am nervous as they play CSK.

  2. raj said...
     

    Leela, you have every reason to be nervous. BRC have become the new RR, throwing new young Indian heroes every match. Signs are ominous for Chennai. Be prepared for the worst. Nevertheless, I think you have always digged Mallya's team, so it shouldnt be that big a blow.
    Besides, I will take this opportunity to remind you that this year the heroes for BRC have been Kumble, Kallis, Manish Pandey, Akhil, Vinaykumar, Shreevats Goswami - all Rahul Dravid picks. Only Virat Kohli was a failure among Rahul's picks.
    The bigggest failure for BRC was Mallya's pick Upmappa/Idliappa/Dosappa.
    If you remember, I had wished exactly for this in your blog a month back. I am glad - no matter what happens here, Rahul Dravid stands vindicated as a selector. Eat your hats, all Dravid-haters.

  3. raj said...
     

    Add Boucher to succesful Dravid picks.
    Personal picks of Mallya in the last 2 years
    Misbah Ul Haq
    Kevin Pietersen
    Robin Uthappa

    Uthappa, in particular, screwed Ambani as well becuase in their haste to splurge on Uthappa, MI failed to keep enough cash for Rohit Sharma. That screwed them this year - not Uthappa's fault since he top scored for Mumbai last year nevertheless indirect effect of Upmappa caused MI to fail, and direct effect of Idliappa nearly derailed BRC this year!

  4. Minor In Possession said...
     

    RBC Have reached semis. Best of Luck

  5. scorpicity said...
     

    Have already stuck my hand up days ago before they had to get 3 wins in a row to qualify that they are winning this one.

    Yup that's what I am betting on and if it does happen, one can safely bet along with the bookies.

  6. Rayden said...
     

    BRC has played some really good cricket to be in the semis. Thoroughly deserve their spot. Now only if Uthappa could learn how to catch and field then BRC could win this thing. Maybe they should drop his altogether. I am sure whoever replaces him will be able to score 2 runs in the game.

  7. Q said...
     

    Leela: RCB are the dark horses. Strong feeling that Kumble wud be holding that trophy.

  8. Q said...
     

    Raj: uve made a good point abt Dravid's selections.. he surely stands vindicated, but who knows, knowing Mallya he'll now claim that he picked all the Indian players and that he ask Kumble to open with Manish and so on...

    No doubt, RCB could go all the way.

  9. Q said...
     

    Raj: I always thought that KP did not deserve a 1.5mil contract but Mallya was woo-ed through the reputation of the man.. KP has an envious test record, but his 20-20 record is nothing to talk abt..

    He was a bad choice as captain as well I felt. I never thought Kumble wud do so well, but whoever made that pick, actually did the best thing for RCB.

  10. Q said...
     

    Minor in Possession: welcome to Well Pitched.

    Good luck to them sir!

  11. Q said...
     

    Scorps: did u really? In my previous post I asked for people who wud have predicted RCB to be there.

    Well done.

    Along with the bookies? I thought the bookies gave RCB no chance.

  12. Q said...
     

    Rayden: all for Uthappa to be dropped. Just like he drops all those catches.

  13. Leela said...
     

    Raj,

    Fair enuff; if Dravid's picks are doing well, he should be praised for selection.
    But by the same token, his picks and leadership did not work last year and he deserved criticism.
    :-)

  14. raj said...
     

    Rahul always takes the long-term view, Leela, thats why!
    But unfortunately the world is not for the long-sighter because as a wise man observed "In the long term, we are all dead" :-)
    This happened to Dravid - his long term vision paid off this year but he wasnt aroudn as captain to take the credit. These are unsung heroes - who seed and water plants but the plants grow as trees to benefit the next generation, not them. Succesful leaders, or leaders who credit are the ones with short term vision, who inevitably leave the org they built in chaos.
    This is what will happen to RR and CSK when Warne and Dhoni leave - they will crumble whereas a leader like Dravid will ensure long term surivival, if not short term glory.

  15. Q said...
     

    Raj: thats some deduction, which may hold true, in my view. Not so much abt CSK, but abt RR for sure.. without Warne they will be nothing. And they definitely haven't groomed a leader to take over after the master. Sure Smith is there, but I dont c the team responding to him the way they do to Warne.

    CSK, I thing shud be fine. For one, Dhoni aint leaving them any time soon.. and when that time comes, they may have someone to take over..

  16. adverbin said...
     

    Raj, I am not too sure about BRC either. After Kumble ... who?
    Pietersen - Oh! really!!
    Dravid - not pro-acive enough on the field.
    Kallis - Can he lead?
    Boucher - will he oulast Kumble?
    Uthappa - may be Karnataka captain, but really ....!!!
    Taylor - good guy, destructive batsman when in the mood, but captaincy material?
    More likely, It will have to be somebody from the 2011 auction (after the current 3 year contracts have expired).

  17. Q said...
     

    Adverbin: a lot of the IPL teams will have captaincy issues going forward, not only RCB.

  18. raj said...
     

    Adverbin, I was just commenting that rahul was a good leader from whom to take over.he would have done solid ground work for you to take advantage of.yet, people will spit at his captaincy and praise the successor to skies not realisig his ground work. Which is why I argue passionately forhim because nobody recognises his leadership skills. Its not always about savvy and charisma.someones got to do the foundation work - and they are my heroes

  19. Q said...
     

    Raj: Dont think Dravid's captaincy was the issue last year.. the team just couldnt gel..

    Dravid even did a lot for India as captain.. if anything they won more abroad under him than any other captain.

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