By Parvathy Gopalakrishnan
This space has been lying dormant for the past few days, primarily because of a passive feeling towards the IPL. That’s changed now. Take a tertiary glance at the points table, and the top four teams will make you to rub your eyes in disbelief. Well, here’s how it looks.
Two new teams inducted into the extravaganza this year, and both have perched prettily at the top of the table. And surprise, surprise, the least expected team has come out all guns blazing. Shah Rukh has been at the receiving end of brickbats and verbal assaults, but the change of game plan and a free flow of moolah at the auctions have certainly helped his cause.
The fourth edition of the IPL is well reaching its mid stages, and it’s been no less than a shocker. The cricket pundits can take a sabbatical, for none of their predictions seem to have come true. Let’s take a look at what the top four teams have been doing so far.
Kolkata Knight Riders: The fans were furious when the management looked right through “aamader Dada”. Protests, black bands, virtually empty Eden Gardens. But then, as they say, the junta’s memory is weak. One string of good performances, and they’re back to rooting for you. Ditto case for the Badshaah’s Boys. Gautam Gambhir has been one of the most expensive purchases of the year, and this has proved to be a master stroke by KKR. Kallis, as always has been rock solid, and all we can say is, tough luck Siddhartha Mallya. Balaji has been firing in, and all that can be said is that, a change in the core team has done wonders for the unit. With Shah Rukh promising to run topless if KKR clinch the title, girls must be rubbing their palms together in excitement!
Pune Warriors: Yuvraj is like a true phoenix. When the world and its wife are convinced that he’s dead and buried, he rises from his ashes to prove them wrong. With him at the helm, and the team on song, looks like the Warriors are in the mood of not letting go of the title. Mohnish Mishra, Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa getting into the act now, this team looks unstoppable.
Mumbai Indians: Most ardent fans of other teams I’ve known have made a switch of loyalty. For the love of Sachin they claim. And rightly so. The team has been consistent, performing together as a unit. Malinga has been nothing less lethal. The batsmen sure must be having nightmares with the maggi-mane waala dude charging in at them like an angry bull. With Rayadu also chipping in with a significant knock, the team looks in good shape. The sizzling chemistry between Bhajji and Symmo adds spice to the side.
Kochi Tuskers Kerala: A lot was said about the team even before the curtains were raised. Be it their name, or their website, they were always being dissected, bisected and trisected. But then, they have arrived, and arrived with a boom! Clinching two out of four matches, especially after having started out on a terrible note, KTK look quite intimidating. Jayawardene, VVS Laxman, McCullum, Sreesanth, Vinay Kumar: all of them have played significant roles in zipping the mouths of critics!
But then, there’s still time before the knock-out matches begin, and all is not lost for the other teams. There would very well be a turn around in the table, for yeh IPL hain bhaiyya, yahaan kuch bhi ho sakta hain!
This space has been lying dormant for the past few days, primarily because of a passive feeling towards the IPL. That’s changed now. Take a tertiary glance at the points table, and the top four teams will make you to rub your eyes in disbelief. Well, here’s how it looks.
Two new teams inducted into the extravaganza this year, and both have perched prettily at the top of the table. And surprise, surprise, the least expected team has come out all guns blazing. Shah Rukh has been at the receiving end of brickbats and verbal assaults, but the change of game plan and a free flow of moolah at the auctions have certainly helped his cause.
The fourth edition of the IPL is well reaching its mid stages, and it’s been no less than a shocker. The cricket pundits can take a sabbatical, for none of their predictions seem to have come true. Let’s take a look at what the top four teams have been doing so far.
Kolkata Knight Riders: The fans were furious when the management looked right through “aamader Dada”. Protests, black bands, virtually empty Eden Gardens. But then, as they say, the junta’s memory is weak. One string of good performances, and they’re back to rooting for you. Ditto case for the Badshaah’s Boys. Gautam Gambhir has been one of the most expensive purchases of the year, and this has proved to be a master stroke by KKR. Kallis, as always has been rock solid, and all we can say is, tough luck Siddhartha Mallya. Balaji has been firing in, and all that can be said is that, a change in the core team has done wonders for the unit. With Shah Rukh promising to run topless if KKR clinch the title, girls must be rubbing their palms together in excitement!
Pune Warriors: Yuvraj is like a true phoenix. When the world and its wife are convinced that he’s dead and buried, he rises from his ashes to prove them wrong. With him at the helm, and the team on song, looks like the Warriors are in the mood of not letting go of the title. Mohnish Mishra, Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa getting into the act now, this team looks unstoppable.
Mumbai Indians: Most ardent fans of other teams I’ve known have made a switch of loyalty. For the love of Sachin they claim. And rightly so. The team has been consistent, performing together as a unit. Malinga has been nothing less lethal. The batsmen sure must be having nightmares with the maggi-mane waala dude charging in at them like an angry bull. With Rayadu also chipping in with a significant knock, the team looks in good shape. The sizzling chemistry between Bhajji and Symmo adds spice to the side.
Kochi Tuskers Kerala: A lot was said about the team even before the curtains were raised. Be it their name, or their website, they were always being dissected, bisected and trisected. But then, they have arrived, and arrived with a boom! Clinching two out of four matches, especially after having started out on a terrible note, KTK look quite intimidating. Jayawardene, VVS Laxman, McCullum, Sreesanth, Vinay Kumar: all of them have played significant roles in zipping the mouths of critics!
But then, there’s still time before the knock-out matches begin, and all is not lost for the other teams. There would very well be a turn around in the table, for yeh IPL hain bhaiyya, yahaan kuch bhi ho sakta hain!
