The Indian Premier League has already shown its real flavor of excitement in its 4th week in 2020. The toughest league has also proved has nothing is end untill it's ended. This season has also observed some opposite playing styles of the teams like Chennai who usually remain in the top three in every season is taking long breaths where as slow starters Mumbai Indians have got off to a rocket start. But the last week has witnessed some awkward decisions taken by the franchises which could easily change the whole equation.
AB AT 6 FOR RCB :
If you have to take a decision of setting the batting order for RCB having Kohli & Ab in the set-up, it should be the easiest activity as a captain; it should be as simple as captains winning the toss decided to bat first in this year's IPL. But, all on a sudden after playing the most unbelievable innings of 77 in 33 balls where Kohli had hit a single boundary in 28 balls, going at a strike rate of under 120 in Sharjah, De villers had to sit out in the pavilion because of his weakness against the leg-spinners.
" We had a chat, it was a message about the left-hand, right-hand combination." Kohli said in the post-match presentation. In a Cricbuzz show, Mbangwa has painted the picture of what could happen if the game would be playing in Chinnaswamy; " Ab de villers at no.6 ? Fans at Chinnaaswamy would have stopped the game." And the end result is RCB gifted Punjab their 2nd win, both against themselves. Again, Pooran's six off the last ball won them the game and that tells you that more 10-15 runs could have changed the scenario. Hopefully, they will reach the playoffs and if not this would surely the game that they would be regretted.
CHANGE OF CAPTAINCY IN THE MIDDLE OF A TOURNAMENT :
Changing captain and that too in the middle of a season, plus when your team is doing quite well winning 4 games of 7 matches; well couldn't really understand what your exact plan is. The history of the IPL shows that captainship has been delivered to others either because of injury or when the team was at the bottom of the table. But, Just 6hours before their game against MI, Dinesh Karthik decided to step down as KKR captain handing it to world cup winning captain Eoin Morgan only to focus on batting. Now if you have the wish of giving the leadership to Morgan, you could have done it before the tournament.
Now, I want to give some of my thinking and this is just my thinking, nothing more than that. Changing leaders can make difference in taking strategies as we have seen that in the Mumbai game. Also, giving an overseas the captainship means he will surely play the rest of the tournament irrespective of his form. He could have the best possible knowledge of the Indians but not about the uncapped Indians. And to be honest, still I couldn't really figure out why Indian star Kuldeep Yadav is not playing.
Now, under Karthik, Knight Riders has won 4games and if they do the same under Morgan, then they will be through. But my question is, then what's the point of changing captains if Morgan does the same ??
A DAY OF SUPER-OVERS :
Naturally, we are looking for some excitement but what we saw on Sunday, was undoubtedly overexciting. The first match saw so much poor decisions; first when David Warner came at 4 and Priyam at 3 and then why an injured Russell over a fit Kuldeep. But Morgan just got the soft cushion because of the diamond Lockie Ferguson, whose 3wickets and then 2 wickets in the super-over made sure that Kolkatta will have their noses ahead.
If you have thought, "wow, excitement.!!' then I am telling you, "Hang on, hang on.. please contact a heart-specialist, because IPL don't guarantee you what could happen". You might not expect that edge of the seat competition from the clash between 1 & 8. But Mumbai somehow reached to 170+ and then Punjab was going well thanks to Rahul's phenomenal form; but Bumrah's right time breakthroughs brought them back to the game which would now be decided in super-over. Now, When Punjab were asked to depend 5 thanks to Bumrah again, a few would have imagined what Shami did. Another tie and the game which was already of 42overs, required more 6balls per side. This time, Mumbai missed Bumrah as the rules said that players involving in the super overs, couldn't take part in the next occasion. So, Punjab needing 12 to win, got home this time to end the most exciting game of the Indian Premier League.
The points table is showing us that Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai perhaps have qualified but you never know with the best league of the world. Probably, Punjab's that show against Mumbai proves the depth of the tournament that any team can beat any team at any day. So, don't spoil your time going outside to find excitement; you will find it every-night in your drawing room.
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