The IPL Athletic Supporter's Note - V

Two matches that could have been so much more. And in the end...

Putting forward a little theory here. It's purely my own, based on what I have observed.

There seem to be two kind of players. And I am not talking about how much a player has cost his team owner.It's more about that player's mind-set. About how he approaches his role in the team, and therefore about how he plays the game for his adopted team.This individual could be an international big name, or he could be a young Indian player.

We shall call this species of player 'worker ant'. In other words, this is a player who freely gives of his talent, his experience, his enthusiasm and his thinking, without expecting anything in return. And the teams that are doing well are those who have more of this species.

For the first time, the Bangalore Royal Challengers appeared to play as a unit. The induction of Mark Boucher may have contributed hugely to that.The South African gloveman, in partnership with Virat Kohli, gave RC a decent total to defend after Pietersen and Taylor had stiched together a superb recovery stand. Pietersen however, played a genuinely stupid shot to get out.

IMO, the decision to open with Kallis was something always fraught with risk. Strokeplayers are not good ball-leavers. And when they are put into a situation that demands a different approach, they tend to over-correct. Which is what Kallis did first ball.But the way Uthappa threw his wicket away was inexcusable. Why is he still in the XI? He is out of form, and shows no burning desire to do things differently when he bats.


When the DD batted, fter Sehwag and Gambhir got out early, the RC team seemed to come back, riding the wave of a superb tight spell of eight overs from Kumble and Appanna, the left-arm spinner. Appanna somehow reminds me of Iqbal, the leftie who plays for Mumbai. Young, not a big turner, and a bowlerwho seems to land on the same spot, a la Nilesh Kulkarni.

Anyway, RC seemed to have the DD boys on the ropes. Karthik got out trying to get a big hit in which would correct the run-ball equation in DD's favour. In walked Mithun Manhas, a talented, hard-working cricketer who is worth much more. Manhas started off with a few big hits and pushed Dilshan into moving up a gear too, which the Sri Lankan found without much trouble. Manhas is a much-ignored batsman who should be in the Indian ODI and T20 squads. He has sound technique, can hit the ball, and is electric in the field.

Uthappa, one of the glamour boys in the RC outfit muffed up what could only be described as a straightforward chance. And the match was lost.

The second match brought into focus two things. The first is something I had ventured by way of an opinion in my last IPL post. That the Kings XI would feed hugely off their last win, in terms of teamwork and confidence. Which they did.

And the second is the fact that the Rajasthan Royals do not seem to have a batting plan. Asnodkar should be tempered a bit. This year, he seems to be swinging madly at everything. Wickets lost at the top put so much pressure on the shot-players who come in later. Despite that, Warne and Ravi Jadeja (IMO, a genuine all-rounder) almost pulled it off. Dimi Mascarenhas has struggled right through the IPL. Maybe get in an extra bat for the next match, Warnah?