148. IPL Observations

Now that the IPL is in its last phase, I thought I would pen down some of the thoughts that came to me during this season😊.

Nowadays, there are so many ex-cricketers doing commentary.  For the current generation, who do not know these cricketers background as to how they played when they were active cricketers, it would seem that whatever these commentators spout forth, are golden words.  Almost all of them talk as if they were the superstars of the game and the current lot that is playing don’t know anything about the game.  I will just talk about Gavaskar, his son Rohan and Akash Chopra. 

Now Gavaskar is a legend and a well-known cricketer and a great commentator.  But, only, as long as he speaks about the game and its technique.  But sometimes, he goes off a tangent and gets into commenting on the things that he is not supposed to.  Some examples – he unnecessarily entered into a controversy when he waded into Anushka’s playing with Kohli behind Kohli’s initial string of low scores in this season.  Even after Anushka rebuked him, he was still unapologetic.  Maybe that’s what stardom does to people.  Before the start of the season, he gushed about Shubman Gill and predicted that he will be the next big star. While writing this blog, Shubman has so far made 311 runs in 273 balls at a strike rate of just 113.  While this may be good in one-day cricket, in T-20, this is just a below-par performance.  Similarly, Gavaskar had to talk about KKR captaincy being transferred from Karthik to Morgan just because he seemed to be overawed by Englishmen.  Of course, this happened, but it might be for other reasons.  With the loss of form of Andrew Russel, Karthik might have thought it would be safe to drop the captaincy rather than being made the scapegoat at the end of the tournament.

Next comes Akash Chopra.  While looking at Wikipedia, I found that he played for India only for 1 year with a Test average of just 23.  He played IPL in the inaugural and the subsequent edition.  He was sent back from IPL 2 as “he was deemed unfit for T-20 matches” (as per Wikipedia).  Now this guy is bad-mouthing so many guys in the current IPL that he has simply forgotten about how he was when he was playing T-20.  When he mocked Neesham of New Zealand, Neesham pointed out to his T-20 average of about 18 odd😊.

Rohan Gavaskar is the son of Sunil Gavaskar. He tried his best and also played for India, but he completely failed. He had an average of 18 in ODI’s and 16 in T-20’s.  Now he is doing commentary and talks only about the failures of the youngsters.  I was really pissed off with him during the epic batting of Rahul Tewatia when he hit Cottrell for 5 sixes in an over.  Before that over, when Rahul was struggling to hit the ball, Rohan wanted Rahul to get out and give opportunity to the other players in the team.  He was also wondering out loud as to why Rajasthan Royal was continuing with Rahul when they had so many other players to choose from.  He continued for almost 4-5 overs castigating Rahul whenever Rahul failed to hit the ball.  Just before the Cottrell over, Rohan disappeared and never came back till the end, during that match. 

As is usually known, in cricket, you can never say who will win, till the final ball is bowled.  Till that time, no point in castigating anyone.  These players have been selected over others and are being paid a lot of money.  Obviously, the player also is aware and will ensure that he give his all to justify the amount of money that he is getting from the franchisees. 

All these ex-cricketers keep on castigating the young players.  Maybe they are remembering they themselves being castigated by the people when they were playing and are just paying it back to those who are currently playing.  People like Akash and Rohan are spouting forth so many techniques about playing cricket that you are wondering as to where this knowledge was when they themselves were playing.  When they were playing, I remember, I sure was wishing for them to get out so that some other player can come in and get a win for us😊!!  Of course I kept this wish to myself rather than tom-toming to the entire world😊.

There are also another set of players who will flourish in a couple of games in IPL.  Statistically if you are talented, you will obviously fare well in a certain number of games, as each team gets to play at least 14 games.  As soon as a cricketer scores big in a single match, he is talked as the next Sachin or Dhoni.  After the IPL get over, these cricketers fade and then we come to meet them again in the next IPL and the scene continues😊.

Let me take an example of Sanju Samson.  As soon as he has a first good game, everyone, right from anyone to one Mr Sashi Tharoor from Kerala talks about how he is so great and is heralded as the next Dhoni😊.  Till the time of writing this blog, Samson had scores of 74 and 85 and then has not crossed 26 with five scores in single digits!!

Rahul Tewatia is the new wonder boy now.  Of course, he seems to have street smartness to judge which balls to hit and which to leave.  Let’s hope he does not go the Samson way!!

Cheers till next time!!

Today’s Observation

We owe almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed, but to those who had differed!