The IPL Athletic Supporter's Note - I

Keep reading from everyone that this edition of IPL isn't as good. And the comments come in various flavours.

My wife thinks that the lack of 'Indian noise' is the reason. Another friend mentioned that it isn't the same without some mad hitting right through the innings. Yet another said that the overseas players last year were better.

I tend to agree with the first two. Yes, the lack of rabid support in the stands does work towards playing down the excitement levels. But there is a lot of noise - here on FB, and elsewhere on mails and chats. There are emotions on display. Maybe in the guise of e-motions, but they are there.

On to the second point. Yes, there are fewer sixes. But the wickets are different. And the grounds are bigger. Bowlers seem to have an honest chance now. But more importantly, the batsmen who are making runs this year are the ones that make runs in other forms of the game too. Or rather, the shooting stars that we saw last year may just need to tighten up their game to suit the new, even IPL.

And that cannot be too bad.

As of now, Dravid, who was so slammed by the general media (sigh, when will they stop trying to be experts in every field?) is the hero for the Royal Challengers who somehow cannot get their team composition right. Gayle snuffed out the Kings XI the other night. Kallis wrote batting poetry in one over from Lakshmipathy Balaji, in a lost battle. Sehwag batted as only he can.

And on the bowling side, we are seeing serious wickets from the spinners and the quicks alike. If anything, it's the fielding that seems to have taken a dip. There have been quite a few dropped catches and misfields this season.

So don't write off IPL 2 just yet.

PS: Reliable reports suggest that the Punjab Kings XI have put a 'supari' out on Messrs. Duckworth and Lewis. And have hired a native Indian named Smoke On The Water to do a rain dance to keep wet equations away.