Shikhar DhawanIt was a super Sunday yesterday with a doubleheader for all IPL fans. Punjab Kings last season was let down by their bowlers and it’s following a similar script this year too. In the first match, they scored 221 runs, only to win by 4 runs, and yesterday their score of 195 runs was chased down by Delhi Capitals quite comprehensively with 10 balls to spare. If a team can’t defend such high totals then it would be extremely difficult for them to reach the playoffs! So what were the hits and misses of yesterday’s match at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai?

Mayank AgarwalThe Hits:

  1. Shikhar Dhawan has changed his way of play in the T20s over the last year. Gone are the days when he used to start slow and picked up the pace later. Now he uses the power play overs very effectively and his pick-up shot over the leg slip is giving him rich dividends too. His foot movement is much better now and this is ensuring good offside and leg side play consistently! He is one player who is very consistent when in form and it’s a big advantage for Delhi Capitals this season.
  2. Prithvi Shaw is the modern-day Virendra Sehwag. His hand-eye coordination is superb and till the time he is in the crease, batting looks very easy. His style of play also helps Dhawan because he is not pressurised to hit big shots from the word go. Prithvi Shaw has been in good form this season and it’s good to see that he is giving more value to his wicket. Scoring runs consistently is the only way he can get back to the Indian team and I am sure he has realised the importance of scoring big when in form.
  3. Avesh Khan has been a surprise package for Delhi capitals. With the opposition team scoring at close to 10 runs per over, his economy rate of 8 runs per over stood out from his established colleagues in the team. 1/33 in 4 overs doesn’t look great but looking at what the opposition scored, it was a commendable effort.
  4. Mayank Agarwal had a rough start to the tournament this season with two consecutive failures. Finally, he came to the party yesterday. Going at a strike rate of 200 he was the enforcer yesterday for Punjab kings. This allowed Rahul to dig in and play his normal game though it doesn’t suit Rahul that much. Rahul needs to play his natural game too because as it turned out yesterday, Rahul’s strike rate of 119 was the real difference between the two sides.
  5. Deepak Hooda made a huge statement in the first match and yesterday it was his smart finish that helped Punjab Kings to reach a formidable score. He needs to bat at number 4 because that will allow him to get more balls. He is in good form and the team needs to acknowledge that and play him higher up the order. 

The Misses:

  1. Nicholas Pooran is one of the most talented batsmen from the West Indies currently. He brings solidity to the Punjab Kings’ middle order but his form has been very disconcerting for the team this season. Three matches in a row he has failed and the team must be hoping that he turns the corner soon.
  2. Md. Shami was the standout bowler in the last 2 outings for Punjab Kings but he was completely at sea yesterday. He missed the length consistently and looked out of sorts. He went for 53 runs yesterday and without him performing it was always going to be difficult for Punjab Kings to defend the score of 195 runs. Shami even in his worst days generally picks up wickets but yesterday was a completely off day for him and invariably the team struggled.
  3. Kagiso Rabada took 30 wickets last season and was the stand-out performer for Delhi Capitals. This season has been completely opposite and he has been hit around the park with ease. With Chris Woakes bowling well and Nortje yet to get a look in, I foresee a change in their team with Nortje replacing Rabada. I was looking forward to Rabada, Nortje, and Woakes bowling together but I guess I will have to wait for that to happen anytime soon.

What to look forward to?

Punjab Kings need KL Rahul to play aggressively. he is playing too slow and is not able to up the ante. One of the reasons for the same has been because of the bad form of Pooran and I think they are losing out on 15-20 runs because of this safety-first approach of Rahul. One option could be to get Mandeep Singh into the playing XI replacing Pooran. Here is the suggested XI for Punjab Kings for the next match:

KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Jalaj Saxena, Chris Jordan, Jhye Richardson, Md. Shami & Ravi Bishnoi.

Bishnoi not getting a place in the playing XI has been a big surprise for me. I hope he gets a game soon.

Anrich NortjeFor Delhi Capitals, the batting form of Stoinis yesterday must be very encouraging for them. He is a very important player for them and he needs some good games under his belt. The only problem seems to be Rabada’s form and I guess he will be replaced by Anrich Nortje in the next match.

What are your views? Will Rabada get another game or will Nortje get a game replacing him? Should Ravi Bishnoi play? What about Chris Jordan?

Do write in as we move into the second week of IPL 2021.

PS. When life throws stones at you, pick them up and convert them into milestones. How we pick ourselves up when chips are down, differentiates the successful people from the average ones!

AB DeVilliersMy friend in Singapore wrote to me last week, “Ee Sala Cup Namde” (This year the cup is ours). RCB is a very well followed team but unfortunately, they have never won the tournament! This year things seem to have fallen in place mostly because their high-profile recruit, Glenn Maxwell is playing very well and justifying the price tag. With AB DeVilliers in good form too it’s like a dream run for RCB this year. Even before the match with KKR started, I told my son that the only way KKR will be able to win this match if miraculously they can pick up Virat, Maxwell, and AB DeVilliers in the first 6 overs. Once that didn’t happen, the result was a foregone conclusion. It was one of those rare one-sided matches in IPL though RCB fans won’t complain. 

Let’s look at the hits and misses from yesterday’s match.

Glenn MaxwellThe Hits:

  1. Glenn Maxwell continued with his rich vein of form. He came in at 9/2 and first took the team to safety before launching a no-hold-bar attack on the KKR bowlers. For the first time after 2014, Glenn Maxwell seems to be playing as per his price tag. In 2014 his performance went downhill from mid-season and this time RCB will hope that he continues in the same zest.
  2. Glenn Maxwell and Devdutt Padikkal took RCB towards safety before AB DeVilliers came to the party and took the game away from KKR. He is known as Mr. 360 degree in cricket for a reason and I hardly see him out of form. Yes, he might get out sometimes but he is never out of form. With the team getting a good platform, it was clear that AB will create havoc towards the end and that’s how it panned out in the end. 204 runs in Chennai would always be difficult to chase and that’s how it panned out eventually.
  3. KKR opened the bowling with Harbhajan and Varun Chakravarthy. In his very first over, Varun took the wickets of Kohli and Patidar to put RCB in the backfoot. Quite inexplicably, Varun was taken off the attack, and that one decision allowed Maxwell to settle in who then later launched an all-out attack in the middle overs. By the time Varun was brought back, Maxwell had got his eye in and he navigated the only threat of KKR quite well.
  4. Yuzvendra Chahal is a very important clog in the RCB wheel. But over the last few months, he has not been in wicket-taking form. In the first two matches in this edition of IPL, he didn’t take a wicket too. KKR batting is one of the weakest in this edition and here lay the opportunity for Chahal to get back to form. He picked up the wickets of Rana and DK to put the match beyond KKR’s grasp. He is still not at his best but this performance should get his confidence back.
  5. Harshal Patel has been a revelation this season. For years, RCB has suffered due to bad bowling at the death. This year they have ear-marked Harshal to do the death overs bowling and he has not let them down. His pinpoint yorkers and fantastic use of the slow deliveries have been fascinating to watch and I will not be surprised if he gets a ticket to the Indian team if this performance is sustained through the tournament.

The Misses:

  1. Virat Kohli is spending more time in the dugout than in the crease. It’s a case of big concern because he has not been in good run-making form for quite some time now. That RCB is still winning shows how well other players have been and that’s why I think this season might just be RCB’s season. Soon, he will be back in form and then this team would be beyond anyone’s reach. I hope he gets back to his usual self soon.
  2. Dinesh Karthick believes that he can still get selected for India. But the way he is batting right now won’t take him there. He is the ideal finisher for KKR but his batting position is continuously being changed and that’s not working for him. He should play at number 6 and his only role should be to finish games in a high. He does that well and KKR should use him where his strength lies.
  3. Andre Russell is baggage who will not walk into any team right now. KKR is just hoping that he will click one day. But tournaments are not won like that. He is jogging in the field. He is definitely not fit and you can’t hide unfit fielders in the playing XI in T20s. I think KKR should look beyond him before things get worse for this team.
  4. Shakib Al Hasan was acquired in KKR with the expectation of providing a good balance to the team. But his batting, as well as bowling, has been a big letdown thus far. He is unable to take wickets and neither he is able to score runs. I think if he has to play, he has to bat at number 3 just like he does it for Bangladesh. That’s his best position and his role should be to hold the innings together. Will KKR keep him or drop him would be interesting to see.

Ben CuttingWhat to look forward to?

It’s getting into the panic zone for KKR and their batting must be a huge cause of concern. If Morgan and DK along with Gill don’t score the bulk of the runs then this team is going to struggle. Going by form currently, KKR will soon be fighting for the wooden spoon if their main players do not show up on the field. Most importantly some hard decisions should be taken and unfit players should not play in the XI. I expect some changes in the team for the next match which will be played in Mumbai.

Here is my preferred XI for the next match: 

Nitish Rana, Shubhman Gill, Karun Nair, Eoin Morgan, Rahul Tripathi, Dinesh Karthick, Ben Cutting, Pat Cummins, Lockie Ferguson, Prasidh Krishna & Varun Chakravarthy

But all said and done the main players of KKR have to perform and by that I mean, Dinesh Karthick, Shubhman Gill, and Eoin Morgan! The bowling is their strength and hence the batsmen mustn’t let the team down consistently! Eoin Morgan is one of the world’s best white-ball cricketers but he is in terrible form. KKR needs him to score runs consistently if they have any hope of reaching the playoffs.

As of now, I do not see KKR reaching the playoffs! A miraculous change of fortunes can only make that happen. Cricket is a strange game though so never say never.

For RCB it’s been a dream season thus far. They have won 3 matches in a row and without contribution from Virat Kohli. This tells me that they will be the team to beat this season. They have got their combination correct this year with lots of batting and bowling options and most importantly Glenn Maxwell is playing the best that he ever had in IPL history. I am very impressed with Harshal Patel too. Another 4 weeks of this kind of performance and Harshal Patel can be a surprise entry in the Indian team for the T20s.

Can KKR turn the fortunes around? Who will be their X factor going forward?

Have a great start to the week everyone as we look forward to the resurgent CSK taking on Rajasthan Royals later in the evening!

PS. Life is very unpredictable so don’t complicate matters by thinking too much ahead of time! Plan for the future but don’t forget to live in the present.

Pollard 105 metre sixIn the last few years if there has been one team that has consistently given Mumbai Indians a run for their money then it has been Sunrisers Hyderabad! In fact last season they mowed down Mumbai Indians by 10 wickets. The way Bairstow started it looked like we are back in Sharjah but then disaster struck with Bairstow getting hit wicket. When things don’t go well, I have seen people finding strange ways to get out and Bairstow’s wicket showed that. His wicket and the subsequent run out of David Warner turned the match on its head and the weak and inexperienced middle order of SRH caved in and handed Mumbai Indians another victory in IPL 2021. So what were the hits and misses from yesterday’s match? Let’s find out:

Pandya Direct HitThe Hits:

  1. Johnny Bairstow has been in tremendous form in the T20/ODI series against India which preceded the IPL. I was a bit perplexed when I saw that Sunrisers Hyderabad didn’t open with him in the first two matches. If Bairstow has to play then he should play as an opener. He is relatively wasted at number 4. Finally, SRH got that opening combination corrected yesterday and we were able to witness a masterclass from Johny Bairstow. Sunrisers were chasing a relatively low score of 151 runs and thanks to Bairstow they were able to cross 33% of the target in the first 6 overs itself. With 4 towering sixes, he scored 43 off just 22 balls to give his team a fantastic start. He got out bizarrely when he hit his wicket with his backfoot while pulling a ball from Krunal Pandya. His wicket shifted the momentum back to Mumbai Indians.
  2. Kieron Pollard has had a relatively quiet tournament thus far. This is not new because he takes time to warm up but one thing is sure that when the chips are down for Mumbai Indians he or Hardik Pandya always come up with something special. The Chennai pitch has been sluggish right from the second match onwards and invariably Pollard struggled to time the ball. But as the innings progressed he got used to it. He remained not out on 35 runs off 22 balls and the two sixes that he hit in the last 2 balls of the innings were eventually the difference between the two teams because Mumbai Indians won by 13 runs.
  3. Like Pollard, Hardik Pandya has been struggling too. Chennai is not the kind of pitch where players like Pandya would enjoy batting on and hence it was not surprising. But you can’t keep Hardik Pandya out of a match, can you? The day before yesterday we saw two brilliant pieces of fielding by Jadeja and yesterday we saw some similar magic from Hardik Pandya. After Bairstow got out, David Warner needed to play through because the Sunrisers have a very inexperienced middle order. Warner on his part was going well and playing within himself and looked all set to play the anchor role for his team when a moment of brilliance from Pandya saw him hitting the stumps direct from short fine-leg to find the batsman marginally short from the crease. If Bairstow’s wicket was the turning point then this was the death knell for SRH. Pandya was not done for the day because he affected a similar run out towards the end when he hit directly to run out Abdul Samad. This is what makes Mumbai Indians a champion team because all players contribute in some way towards the team’s victories. 
  4. Rahul Chahar had an ordinary start to the tournament but came back strongly picking up 4 wickets against KKR. He followed that up yesterday and though there was a bit of dew on the ground he was able to hit the right areas and made batsmen commit mistakes. 3/19 off his 4 overs broke the back of Sunrisers’ middle order from where they were unable to recover.
  5. Vijay Shankar came into the Indian set up a couple of years back with a lot of expectations but he never was able to fulfill his potential. You can have a lot of talent, in fact, I believe all human beings are talented but all are not skillful and when it comes to skills you need to practice and you have to keep getting better. Unfortunately, consistency has never been the second name of Vijay Shankar. By his standards he actually did far better yesterday because while bowling he picked up two important wickets of Rohit Sharma and Surya Kumar Yadav and with the bat he scored 28 runs at more than run-a-ball but that was of no use because he couldn’t take the team to victory. He must be terribly disappointed that his good day on the field didn’t turn into a team victory.

The misses:

  1. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar is one bowler who never takes a bag full of wickets but he is always immaculate in his length and lines which ensures that his economic rate is always good. But 2021 has been a strange one for him. He was in good form while playing against England but in the first 3 matches, he seems to be off colour especially at the death. He is hardly going for runs in the powerplay but in the slog overs, he has been missing the length consistently. Yesterday his last 2 balls went for sixes and that was a big damage for SRH which eventually made a big difference in the final equation.
  2. Vijay Shankar had a good match but his one big miss cost Sunrisers dearly and that was the dropped catch off Pollard in the 19th over. It was a pretty simple grab which he fluffed and the final damage that Pollard did to the scoreboard made this particular miss a big one.
  3. On record, this is Manish Pandey’s first failure in 2021 but to be fair he has struggled to score quickly. In both, the earlier matches his strike rate was way less than the required run rate so SRH invariably struggled in the end. It would be interesting to see if they replace him with Garg or Jhadav in the next match. It’s a mighty fall for Manish Pandey was part of the Indian XI less than a year ago.

What to look forward to?

The Mumbai juggernaut continues and it would be difficult to stop them from here on. Their batsmen are yet to fire but they are still winning matches. They for sure are going to be one of the top 2 teams this IPL.

Vijay ShankarFor Sunrisers Hyderabad it’s an unknown territory because it’s for the first time that they have lost 3 matches in a row. Sitting at the bottom of the table is not something that they are used to and I am sure it’s going to hurt David Warner a lot. Their losses from seemingly winning positions would be a cause of big concern for the team management. They need to make some changes in their batting line up and this is what I suggest for their next match: David Warner, Johny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Vijay Shankar, Kedar Jhadav, Abdul Samad, Rashid Khan, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, N. Natarajan & Khaleel Ahmed. 

This lineup strengthens their batting and with Jhadav, Shankar, and Samad in the middle order, they will have 3 options for their 5th bowler which I think is more than enough for them. with Kane back they won’t have middle-order meltdowns going forward.

What according to you should be the strategy for Sunrisers? Do write in as we head towards the first doubleheader for this season with RCB taking on KKR in the afternoon.

Are you excited?

P.S. Life is not about showing off. Life is all about spreading love and happiness. So enjoy your Sunday and be thankful for everything that you have in your life. 

Chahar & JadejaSome psychological scars are difficult to fathom in the world of sports. Just like KKR has a psychological barrier when it comes to playing against Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings has a similar barrier against Chennai Superkings. Somehow Punjab plays very awkwardly against the Superkings. I don’t know why this happens but that’s how it is. Even last year where CSK struggled with most of the teams they found ways to defeat Punjab twice. CSK looks weak on paper and logically it looked very difficult for them to beat the Punjab Kings. But, that’s exactly what happened and what was dished out yesterday was a one-sided affair that is so rare in IPL. So let’s look at the hits and misses from yesterday’s match at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

Shahrukh KhanThe Hits:

  1. Deepak Chahar: MSD uses Deepak Chahar upfront and many times bowl him out within the first 7 overs. Chahar is a good swing bowler and on the days when he gets some swing he can be very dangerous. Yesterday was one such day and Dhoni found the opportunity to bowl him for 4 overs on the trot. Chahar didn’t disappoint too, picking up 4 wickets for 13 runs and broke the back of Punjab’s top and middle-order from where they never recovered.
  2. There is no ICC ranking available for fielders but if there was one then I am pretty sure, Ravindra Jadeja would have been first on that list. Other than batting and bowling he has a tremendous effect on the field too. He is one player who can enter a team just because of his fielding- a true 3D player. Yesterday he had a telling effect on the match and both his contributions came as a fielder when he ran out Rahul with a direct hit and picked up a low-dipping catch where he had to jump in front to get rid of Chris Gayle. 
  3. Shahrukh Khan has made a good name for himself in the domestic circuit and it was expected that he would be picked up by an IPL franchise this year. Punjab Kings picked him and he repaid the faith yesterday by scoring 47 runs in quick time when none of the other batters could reach 20. He is well built and hits the ball cleanly. It will be exciting to see how he performs in future matches. One problem is that he is slotted to bat at number 6 so generally he won’t get many balls to showcase his batting talent. But in whatever opportunities he gets he has to show his skills because I think he is a very special talent.
  4. MD. Shami is coming off an injury that kept him out of the field for more than 3 months. He was back to full pace in the first match itself and he started hitting good line and length from the word go too. Yesterday was a challenge because Punjab Kings had only 106 to defend. To his credit, he didn’t give any freebies but wickets eluded him in the first spell. In the final spell, he came back and picked up Raina and Rayudu of successive deliveries to give hope to Punjab though that didn’t last long. Shami’s personal performance of 2/21 was good and it’s great to see him back in full fitness.
  5. Moeen Ali has been designated to bat at number 3 this year for CSK and he seems to be enjoying the spot. He has earlier opened for England in ODIs and he is a genuine all-rounder. England is blessed with riches these days which have relegated Moeen to number 7 but he is as good as a batsman than anyone. Yesterday when others struggled to time the ball, Moeen didn’t seem to race any trouble at all. Punjab Kings didn’t give away east runs initially but Moeen broke the shackles and guided CSK towards victory. His positive intent helped CSK in improving its net run rate.

The Misses:

  1. Punjab kings must be very concerned with the form of Mayank Agarwal and Nicholas Pooran. For two matches in a row, both of them failed. Without these two it would get very difficult for Punjab because they have a longish tail and hence the onus is on the top order to make runs consistently. Last year this led to Rahul curbing his positive intent which led to Punjab frittering good starts. Though the team looks good, without proper balance it might get very difficult for them going forward.
  2. Two matches in a row Ruturaj Gaikwad failed. With CSK winning he might get another couple of opportunities but his time is running out. He is a very talented batsman but to be in the eyesight of the selectors he needs to score match-winning runs for his team.

What to look forward to?

I would love to see Ravi Bishnoi in the team. I am not sure why he is not selected but I think he is a match-winner and Punjab kings need him.

Also, it’s time to get Jordan to come into the playing XI. He is a good all-round cricketer and it would bolster their lower-order batting too. Jordan is an excellent death bowler too. Without proper balance, Punjab kings might end up in the mid-table once again.

MS Dhoni 200 matchesFor CSK it was a great gift for their captain who played his 200th match in this yellow jersey. They have great balance to their side but they have a dodgy top order. Right now things look ok but how this long batting lineup works when put under big pressure would be interesting to see. I still believe they need Imran Tahir in the team.

What do you think? Can CSK go all the way this year?

Do write back with your inputs as we get ready to see if Sunrisers can win their first match of the season when they meet Mumbai Indians later in the day today.

PS. Enjoy the small moments in life. Pick up the phone and talk to your friends. Life should not be lived under the baggage of past regrets but it should be lived with love and happiness!

Chris MorrisThe pitch at the Wankhede Stadium had played quite differently from the one in Chennai. With both teams, Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals having a great top order, I expected a run feast. But what happened was completely different with the bowlers having the upper hand. As has been the norm this season, we saw Indian players once again standing tall and performing better than the seasoned international cricketers. It was a redemption time for Chris Morris who was denied the single in the last match as he hit 4 sixes in the last 2 overs to wrestle the match from the clutch of Delhi Capitals. Let’s now look into the hits and misses from yesterday’s encounter.

Chris WoakesThe Hits:

  1. I had predicted in January this year that it’s gonna be Pant’s year and he is doing the same. Wickets kept falling around him but that didn’t stop Rishabh Pant to play his natural game. The crisp off drives were all timed to perfection and if he had not got run out, Rajasthan Royals would have had to chase a much bigger score than what they eventually did. I think that run out was the biggest turning point of the match. The half-century went in vain for Pant but he showed that captaincy pressure has not affected his game which was good to see.
  2. Chris Woakes is one of the better all-rounders in world cricket these days. His batting talent is generally not seen by the fans because of the excellent top order that England has. Yesterday with Pant gone, Delhi Capitals ran the risk of getting all out before 20 overs but he along with Tom Curran built a good partnership to help the team reach 147 runs. His excellent spell with the ball during the power play brought Delhi Capitals back in the match.  He was the best bowler for Delhi Capitals yesterday returning figures of 2/22 in his 4 overs!
  3. Avesh Khan continued from where he left off against CSK. Though he was taken for a few runs in his final over which dented his bowling figures he turned in another good performance with figures of 3/32. I don’t think Delhi Capitals can expect anything more from their supposedly weakest link in their bowling lineup.
  4. Playing 3 left-arm pace bowlers is a rarity but Rajasthan Royals did exactly that and got rich dividends with Jaydev Unadkat picking up 3 wickets in the power play to stun Delhi Capitals! After the end of the first innings when he was interviewed he said in a tongue-in-cheek manner that he would like to chase the score in 10 overs but it’s not in his hands because he won’t be batting. Nature play in a way that no one can predict and little did he know that he would be required to bat and to his credit, he played his role to perfection by remaining not out for 11 runs which included a big six!
  5. Rajasthan Royals broke the bank to acquire the services of Chris Morris. He is a very smart cricketer and over the years I have seen him play some smart cricketing shots whenever the chips have been down. When he was asked how he felt after being denied a single in the last match to deny him the strike, he was very forthright in telling that he knows that who is paid for batting and who is paid for slogging! Morris’ 38 runs off 18 balls gave Rajasthan the victory which looked quite impossible after losing Miller in the 16th over.
  6. David Miller warned the bench throughout the IPL 2020 season. With Smith, Buttler, and Stokes permanently featuring in the playing XI it was difficult for him to break into the playing XI. It’s very different this year though with Smith no longer in the team and Stokes injured. It means Miller will be featuring in all the matches and most importantly he needs to perform well to keep the middle order intact for Rajasthan Royals. He showed good form against Pakistan and though he walked out yesterday with the scoreboard reading 17/3, Miller played the way he generally does. 17/3 became 42/5 and all seemed lost for Rajasthan Royals when Miller took the onus on himself to keep the team floating. He brought up his 50 in quick time and the only way Delhi could have come back into the match was by picking his wicket. To be frank, Miller threw his wicket away and allowed Delhi Capitals to claw back into the match because he had already hit Avesh Khan for 2 sixes that over and he could have easily avoided another big hit against him.

The Misses:

  1. Both Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals have a very strong top order with big hitters amongst the midst. I expected the match to be high scoring because both the teams’ top order had a good outing in their respective previous matches. But all the top-order batsmen failed to deceived yesterday. It was good for both the teams in one way because it tested their middle and lower-middle order which would hold them in good stead in future matches.
  2. Rahul Tewatia is looking a pale shadow of his 2020 avatar. Last year he played some amazing knocks when the chips were down but this year he failed to do it two matches in a row. His bowling also looks quite pedestrian because he is bowling too short. I hope he picks up his game quickly because he is one of those fringe players who is expected to get selected for India. 
  3. Marcus Stoinis made a big difference to the Delhi Capitals team last season. He turned out with some match-winning performances with both the bat and the ball. But this season he is in terrible form. Unfortunately, his bowling is also not up to the mark. Will he be replaced by Smith? This is a big question that Delhi Capitals has to answer but how will they balance the team without Stoinis? It would be interesting to see.

Steve SmithWhat’s in store for the future?

Delhi Capitals have a big question in front of them and that’s about Steve Smith. To get a balance to the top order they need him to play in place of Rahane. Anrich Nortje has returned Covid positive so his participation in the first half of the tournament looks in doubt so I would suggest they drop Tom Curran and get Umesh Yadav in the playing XI. Otherwise, the team is looking good and I am sure they will reach the playoffs without much trouble.

For Rajasthan Royals, they have a lot of inexperience in their team so they will have to expect more consistent performance from their experienced players like Jos Buttler, David Miller, and Sanju Samson. They can bring in Livingstone in place of Shivam Dube and replace Mustafizur with Karthick Tyagi. Having 2 inexperienced players in the top 4 is a big risk for them and they need to look into it.

I will be very surprised if Rajasthan Royals along with Chennai Superkings make the playoffs this season.

So what do you think was the turning point yesterday? Was it Pant’s wicket? Or the 19th over bowled by Rabada?

Do write in as we wait for today’s Kingsized clash between Punjab Kings and Chennai Superkings!

Glenn MaxwellA day back KKR won the toss decided to field first and had the match in the bag to blow it spectacularly in the final 5 overs. Well, we are told that learn from our mistakes – better still learn from others’ mistakes. In that perspective, SRH should have known the difficulty in chasing in Chennai but they still decided to chase. And the game followed in the exact template of the other day. They had to chase 150 to win and till the 13th over the match was firmly in SRH’s grasp when Warner got out. And from there the match turned on its head and RCB won the match by 6 runs.

SRH has a weak middle order or May I say an inexperienced one and it lay completely exposed yesterday! 

So what were the hits and misses from yesterday’s match at Chepauk?

Shahbaz AhmedHits:

The Misses:

What to look forward to?

RCB seems to have got their combination right and with so many bowling options at his disposal, RCB is currently looking like a complete team. I still have doubts about Christian & Chahal but right now others are contributing and most importantly the team is winning so I do not foresee any changes in the next match.

Subho NoboborshoFor Sunrisers, they need to get Kane Williamson in the playing XI. He is one player who can make a huge difference to their playing XI. This obviously means that Bairstow has to sit out but the stability that Kane provides is worth in gold. I will also suggest having Kedar Jhadav in the playing XI replacing Vijay Shankar.

So what do you think should be the ideal XI for Sunrisers Hyderabad? Will they turn around their campaign in the next match?

Do write in as we get ready for another high-scoring encounter tonight at the Wankhede between, Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals.

Subho Noboborsho, everyone. Stay blessed!

Winning from hopeless situations is what differentiates a champion team from an average one and Mumbai Indians showed that yesterday in Chennai. It was the 5th match of IPL 2021 and Mumbai Indians kept their lopsided record against KKR intact. It’s one of the biggest mismatches in IPL history with Mumbai Indians winning 21 of the 27 matches that they had played previously against KKR. It became 22-6 after yesterday’s match. For 80% of the match, it was all KKR, with them needing 40 runs to win off 36 balls with 7 wickets in the hand. From there, things turned spectacularly and Mumbai Indians won the match by 10 runs.

When singles would have won them the match all their premier international players went for big hits and failed. Quite a spectacular turnaround by Mumbai Indians and it got their campaign back on track.

So what were the hits and misses from yesterday’s encounter?

Andre RussellThe Hits:

The misses:

What to look forward to?

I don’t see Mumbai Indians need to do any changes going forward. This XI is their strength and they play this team continuously which is the reason why they win consistently. The Mumbai juggernaut looks set to roll on and it would be interesting to see how Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals play against them because these are two teams that I think are the real challengers to Mumbai Indians this season.

For Kolkata Knight Riders it was a case of so near yet so far. I don’t expect any changes in the lineup, though, I would suggest a few changes in the batting order. It’s getting increasingly clear that Gill struggles to find the gap in the powerplays and he is not comfortable going over the top consistently hence do a radical change and make Russell open the batting and give him the license to go all out in the first 6 overs. Who knows, this change might bring the old Russell back. Secondly, in spin-friendly conditions, push DK or Shakib to number 3. 

Eoin MorganI still believe that KKR has the team to reach the playoffs because their bowling is looking good and it’s the bowling that wins you championships. They will hope that Morgan will get his form back because once he is back in form, the KKR middle order will be much better than what we are currently experiencing.

So what do you think? Will KKR be able to get their house in order? Do you foresee any changes in the team going forward?

Please do share your thoughts as I anticipate another close encounter today between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings played out a thrilling high scoring encounter last season in Sharjah. Both the teams have some big power hitters and hence it’s always expected of them to give us high-scoring encounters. Rajasthan Royals without the services of Jofra Archer looks weak on the bowling front and that’s a hole they won’t be able to plug this season. For Punjab Kings, they lack genuine all-rounders which exposes a long tail which in effect puts more pressure on their top order. Wankhede is a smallish ground and we were in for another high-scoring encounter. So let’s see the hits and misses from yesterday’s match.

The Hits:

1. Last year’s orange cap holder, KL Rahul has had a pretty ordinary start to 2021 when he failed with the bat multiple times against England in the T20. He was finally dropped from the playing XI. He came back strongly in the ODIs though scoring a century. That series did a world of good for him as he started with positive intent yesterday. He took his time initially but grew in confidence in the latter part of the innings. When Rahul is in form batting looks so easy. His pick-up shots on the leg side are a treat to watch. He missed his century by a whisker being denied by a superb catch by Tewatia on the boundary ropes.

Deepak Hooda2. Deepak Hooda had a very unpleasant 2021 when he was removed from the Baroda side during the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament after having a tiff with Krunal Pandya. I guess that incident spurred him to do well this season of the IPL. He was sent up the order ahead of Nicholas Pooran and he took all the bowlers to the cleaners. Some of his shots were simply breathtaking though I must say, that Rajasthan Royals’ bowling was plain trash on most of the occasions. Royals did the mistake of having too many spinners for a small ground with a pitch that hardly gave any assistance to the bowlers. Honda’s innings of 64 runs of 28 balls made a huge difference in the final total.

Chetan Sakariya3. Chetan Sakariya was a surprise choice to start for Rajasthan Royals. I expected Unadkat or Tyagi to get the nod ahead of him but he soon showed why he was selected by picking up Mayank Agarwal within the power plays. He came back strongly towards the end too picking up 2 wickets in the final over. In between, he pulled off a stunning catch to get rid of Nicholas Pooran. A great addition to the Royals set up and I hope he builds on from here because India needs a good left-arm pacer.

4. Riyan Parag makes shot-making look very easy. In the last 2 seasons, he had shown enough glimpse of his talent and I believe he is enough matured now to convert the good starts into big scores. For that to happen, he would need to bat a bit higher this season. Ideally, number 5 looks good for him. Yesterday he was sent at number 6 and in the space of a few deliveries he brought the momentum back for Rajasthan with some sweetly executed strokes.

5. Till now Sanju Samson has been an enigma in Indian cricket. When he is in form, there is no better batsman to watch but consistency has been a big problem for him over the years. He sometimes plays a few risky shots which bring about his downfall. He will do well to cut down on these risky strokes early in the innings. He is best when he takes some time to get his eye in before playing those lofted strokes. Yesterday he looked like a man possessed and he almost made an unlikely chase possible only to miss out on the last ball. 4th century in the IPL for him yesterday and probably his best. Looking forward to some consistency this year from him.

Arshdeep Singh6. Arshdeep Singh made some good contributions with the ball towards the end of the last season. India is on the lookout for some good left-arm pacers and Arshdeep’s performance yesterday after the heroics of Chetan Sakariya in the first innings shows that India has back up resources in this department. His last over was wonderfully executed. Rajasthan Royals needed 13 off the last over with Samson and Morris at the crease but he was able to defend that to give Punjab Kings a 4 runs victory. 

The Misses:

1. Without the services of Jofra Archer, Rajasthan Royals have a problem in hand when it comes to their bowling. This imperatively means that for one, Mustafizur and Chris Morris together can’t have bad days on the field. Also important is that Ben Stokes need to bowl some important overs and he along with Buttler has to contribute consistently with the bat. Bowling is the team’s weak point so their batsmen have to overcome that by scoring a few extra runs. Yesterday all their foreign recruits fail to deliver. That they were still able to come close to the Punjab Kings score of 221 runs was only due to the special innings from Sanju Samson.

2. Rahul Tewatia became a household name last season after some consistent performances. This year his stakes have risen and it’s now up to him to show the world that it was not a fluke. He failed with both the bat and the ball. The catch that he took to dismiss Rahul was a great one though.

3. Though Punjab Kings won the match, I don’t think we would have seen such a close match without the help of the Punjab Kings’ fielders. 3 absolute easy catches were dropped and Sanju Samson was a beneficiary too. I am sure their fielding coach, Jhonty Rhodes will have some tough words to say to the players after yesterday’s horror show.

What to look forward to?

I felt Rajasthan Royals did a mistake in team selection yesterday by playing an extra spinner. Wankhede is not the kind of ground where you play two leg spinners if both of them are not Rashid Khan category. I will suggest one change and that is to get Karthick Tyagi in place of Shreyas Gopal for the next match. They can also think of getting Miller in place of Vohra and Unadkat in place of Mustafizur. Here is my XI for their next match.

Manan Vohra, Jo Buttler, Sanju Samson, Ben Stokes, Rayan Parag, Shivam Dube, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Mustafizur Rehman, Karthick Tyagi & Chetan Sakariya.

Ravi BishnoiFor the Punjab Kings, they have a problem with their team balance due to the lack of all-rounders on their side. They can’t do anything about it so they need to get their combination right. I think playing Chris Jordan in place of Riley Meredith would make more sense because Jordan is more than handy with the bat and his bowling in the death overs is very good. Also, I think Ravi Bishnoi is one of the best talents in Indian cricket and I was slightly disappointed seeing him benched yesterday. I hope they get him back to the playing XI in the next match.

Here is my XI for their next match.

KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Chris Jordan, Md. Shami, Jhye Richardson, Ravi Bishnoi & Arshdeep Singh.

So what do you think about Sanju Samson’s innings yesterday? Will he be able to have a consistent season this year? Can he win the Orange cap this season? Do write in with your thoughts as I get ready to watch KKR take on Mumbai Indians later in the evening.

Two very balanced sides, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders took the field yesterday to kick start their respective campaigns. The match was held at Chepauk, Chennai. On paper, both these sides look good with more strengths than weaknesses but cricket is a funny game and it surprises you when you least expect them. Last year, Sunrisers and KKR played out an exciting tie in the UAE, and going into the match yesterday I expected another thriller.

 So let’s look at the hits and misses from yesterday’s match.

 The Hits

 1. Nitish Rana holds the record of the most half-centuries scored by an uncapped player. After a dozen half-centuries, he is yet to crack into the Indian team is only because of his lack of consistency. Last season he scored half-centuries and then invariably followed that with a duck on the next match. Yesterday he played a fabulous knock of 80 runs and gave KKR a lovely start. He needs to now ensure that he scores consistently throughout the tournament so that the selectors take notice.

 2. Rahul Tripathi is another player who looks so good on the eye when in full flow but lacks consistency. Another year and another half-century in his first match. Now hoping for some consistency from him for the rest of the tournament. His big-hitting against Bhubaneswar Kumar turned out to be one of the big reasons for KKR’s win.

 3. Dinesh Karthick recently stated that he wishes to play for Team India and make a mark in the coming World Cup. For that to happen he needs big runs and yesterday he showed why he is one of India’s best finishers even today. His quick-fire 22 runs of 9 balls at the end took KKR from a par score to a winning score. The final margin of victory was much lesser than what DK scored in the last over.

Rashid Khan 4. Rashid Khan is the best leg spinner in the world, especially in white-ball cricket. He is in a separate zone altogether. His 4 overs are like a fixed deposit for his captain and he showed why once more yesterday. First, he came in to dislodge Shubman Gill and later took the wicket of Russell to put KKR under temporary pressure!

 5. Prasidh Krishna was a surprise addition to the Indian team in the recently concluded ODI series against England. To be fair to him he turned in a very good performance and it was quite thrilling to see the amount of bounce he could extract from the pitches in each of the three matches he played. He is tall and he has good pace. Yesterday he showed that his confidence is now sky high because the ball that took the wicket of David Warner left everyone bewildered. Warner didn’t expect such pace and bounce from a docile Chennai track. Prasidh Krishna was economical and took 2 wickets too. He would be the man to watch out for this season.

6. At 10/2, chasing 188 Surisers Hyderabad was in some strife. But Bairstow and Manish Pandey brought the match alive with some clean hitting and beautiful running between the wickets. Bairstow in particular looked in ominous touch and it was his wicket that turned the match in KKR’s favour decisively. Both he and Manish scored fifties but the damage done in the powerplay was too much to be covered up in the end.

Abdul Samad 7. Abdul Samad is a player I am really looking forward to this season. He showed glimpses of his special talent last year and he showed it yesterday too with two fabulous hits off Pat Cummins in the 19th over. That KKR won with a 10 run margin was only because of Abdul Samad otherwise the gap would have been far bigger. I hope Sunrisers make him bat at number 5 not at number 7. In the field, he took two catches too. The guy can bowl decent leg-spin too though he was not called for bowling yesterday.

 What were the misses?

 1. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar missed the IPL last year due to an injury and that left a gaping hole in the Sunrisers set up. With him back in action this year, Sunrisers needed him to bowl the important overs at the start and the death. But with Tripathi and Rana going great guns, Warner was forced to get Bhuvi in the middle overs but it turned askew as Tripathi took Bhuvi to the cleaners. We don’t often see Bhuvaneshwar getting hit in such a manner. It was an off-day for him yesterday.

 2. David Warner has been struggling with a groin injury and I am not sure if he is still 100% fit and he looked off-colour yesterday during his brief stay on the crease. He could have got out in the first over itself when Cummins dropped his catch but he couldn’t capitalise and got out in the next over against Prasidh Krishna. With an inexperienced middle order, Sunrisers Hyderabad will expect him to come good in the next match.

3. Shubhman Gill is terribly out of touch. He had a terrific series in Australia but he has not done much since then. Yesterday, he failed once again and KKR will hope that he gets back his touch soon. Yesterday 4 delightful cover drives were hit straight to the fielders – I hope he works on this aspect because playing in the gaps is an art and I am sure he will come back stronger in the future matches.

 4. Andre Russell looks fitter but he is still not at his best. This year there is a backup in Ben Cutting so if he doesn’t deliver, I won’t be surprised if he is replaced. He failed with the bat but redeemed himself somewhat with two good overs at the end. But overall he is still a pale shadow of 2019.

 What to look forward to?

 Kane WilliamsonFor Sunrisers Hyderabad they need a little bit of rejigging in their lineup. They need Kane Williamson in the playing XI and that would mean Nabi missing out. Williamson not only holds the innings together he is handly with the ball too. Here is my predicted XI for the next match: David Warner, Johny Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Manish Pandey, Abdul Samad, Kedar Jhadav, Abhisekh Sharma, Rashid Khan, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Sandeep Sharma, N. Natarajan

 For Kolkata Knight Riders they made a good start to their campaign but Mumbai Indians await in the next match. They have a horrible record against the defending champions so they need to be at their best because Mumbai Indians would come hard after their first loss against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Here is my predicted XI for the next match: Shubhman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan, Shakib Al Hasan, Dinesh Karthick, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Kuldeep Yadav & Varun Chakravarthy.

 Will KKR be able to build up from here? Or will they remain inconsistent like previous years? Will they be able to beat Mumbai Indians? What do you think? Do write in as we build up to another great match today between Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals.

 It’s a fresh week everyone – hope all of you are excited to take on the new challenges that life throws at you. Be happy, Be excited, and keep winning!

IPL moved to Mumbai yesterday where Chennai Superkings met last year’s finalists, Delhi Capitals. With Suresh Raina back this season, Chennai’s middle order looks better, though the biggest attraction of any match involving Chennai Superkings is always Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Delhi without the services of their captain, Shreyas Iyer had a gap to fill and the bigger challenge was how would Rishabh Pant, the captain for this year cope with the new responsibility. Delhi Capitals had another problem in hand with both Rabada and Nortje serving mandatory quarantine which meant on paper their bowling looked slightly weaker than it actually is. It was of course a good opportunity for CSK to put up a big score when Rishabh Pant invited them to bat after winning the toss.

So let’s look at the hits and misses from yesterday’s match.

The Hits:

1. Prithvi Shaw: He has had a tough couple of years and lost his place in the Indian team too. But he had a terrific domestic season scoring over 800 runs in the recently concluded CK Nayudu trophy. I expected him to carry that form to  IPL and he didn’t disappoint.  He has tremendous hand-eye coordination which allows him to play shots even against perfectly pitched deliveries. One crunching cover drive against Sam Curran and a lofted shot which went for a six over long-on against Deepak Chahar drove home the point. He played in one gear throughout the match and when he finally got out after scoring 72 runs off 38 balls Delhi Capitals were well on to their way to victory. 

Dhawan and Shaw in a century partnership2. Shikhar Dhawan: last season Dhawan roared back to form after an indifferent start with a majestic century against CSK. His eyes must have lit up after seeing CSK as Delhi Capital’s first opposition in 2021. Some people have this happy knack of playing well against certain oppositions and for Dhawan, CSK seems to be that team. He had a pretty good ODI series against England and he continued in the same zest yesterday. Pulls, drives, cuts all were in equal display and he looked all set for a century but got out for 85 runs leaving Delhi Capitals on the cusp of victory.

3. Suresh Raina: Suresh Raina missed out the last season and CSK missed him terribly. I was interested to see if he could have an impact this year especially after retiring from international cricket. But from the time he took the crease, it didn’t feel like that he has not played for so long. His trademark lofted strokes were back and he was particularly severe on the spinners. In the process, he brought up his half-century which incidentally was the first 50 of IPL 2021. Suresh Raina is back and his fans must be doubly thrilled seeing the way he batted yesterday.

4. Sam Curran: If there is one player whom I like to watch from England it’s Sam Curran. He plays well when his team requires him the most and he showed that in the last ODI against India too. Last season he played some matches as an opener for CSK and got a limited amount of success. Yesterday he was held back for the slog overs and it was his clean hitting towards the end that took CSK to 188 runs by scoring 34 runs off 15 balls.

Avesh Khan with 2 wickets5. Avesh Khan: He was the surprise package yesterday for Delhi Capitals. I expected Umesh Yadav to play and hence I was particularly surprised to see Avesh getting a game ahead of both Ishant and Umesh. But his bowling throughout the match showed why he got selected. His excellent control over line and length kept all the batsmen in check and with wickets of Faf DuPlessis and MS Dhoni to boot, Avesh Khan is set to have a longer run in the playing XI this season. 

6. Chris Woakes: Rishabh Pant missed a trick by under bowling Woakes yesterday. That one over cost Delhi Capitals at least 15 runs because Woakes finished with 2/18 in 3 overs whereas Tom Curran went for 1/40 in 4 overs. Woakes made the ball swing from the word go and his wicket of Ruturaj Gaikwad was a dream wicket for any swing bowler. An over in the middle overs when Raina was going great guns would have stifled CSK surely.

So what were the misses?

1. Before the tournament started, one aspect that I was keen to look at was India’s spinning options when it came to white-ball cricket. Ashwin has had a terrific test cricket season this year but when it comes to white-ball cricket he ends up doing too many experiments. He was trying too many variations yesterday and both Raina and Rayudu took full toll against him. The same was the condition of Amit Mishra too. Mishra particularly lacked pace and with smaller boundaries, in the Wankhede, he went for plenty too. All spinners across both the teams had a very ordinary outing yesterday.

2. IPL is the only occasion when we could see MSD play. I was looking forward to his batting but he failed miserably scoring a two-ball duck. Forcing the pace right from the start is difficult for Dhoni and I always felt number 3 or 4 is the best place for him to bat. Unfortunately coming lower down the order only makes things difficult for him. I hope he plays in the top order in the future matches

3. Ruturaj Gaikwad had a great finish last year and it was good to see that CSK started with him. But he failed to deceive getting out to a lovely outswinger against Woakes. He missed a simple catch in the outfield too giving life to the rampaging Prithvi Shaw. With CSK boasting a long batting order, I hope he doesn’t get dropped to accommodate a wicket-taking bowler. He needs to make his opportunities count.

What to look forward to?

With Rabada and Nortje coming back from the next match it would be interesting to see how Delhi Capitals accommodate them. With Woakes and Avesh doing so well it’s an interesting choice on their hands. Delhi is blessed with plenty of riches warming the bench and no wonder they are one of the favourites to win the tournament this year.

My predicted playing XI for the next match: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Ajinkya Rahane, Marcus Stoinis, Vishnu Vinod, Chris Woakes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje,  Avesh Khan.

With Dwayne Bravo coming in at number 9 and Shardul Thakur at 10, it’s a case of having too many options with the bat for CSK. They need a couple of bowlers who can force the issue because in their current XI they have too many holding bowlers. I would suggest getting Ngidi and Tahir or Karn Sharma in the playing XI. How they accommodate them and who gets sacrificed would be an interesting watch.

Sam CurranHere is my predicted XI for the next match. Faf Du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shardul Thakur, Karn Sharma, Deepak Chahar, Ngidi.

Delhi Capitals look very strong and would be the team to beat this season. With Rabada and Nortje back they would become more balanced and I don’t see any problem in them reaching the playoffs.

For CSK unfortunately this is not looking good. I think this would be another season where they will miss out on reaching the playoffs. I am sure though that MSD will have some tricks which he will bring out from his bag in due course. Raina needs to have a stellar IPL for CSK to be competitive this year.

So what do you think should be the way forward for CSK? Do you think Prithvi Shaw will be able to bring consistency to his game? Who impressed you the most yesterday? Did you get surprised with Avesh Khan’s performance?

Do write in as I gear up to watch my favourite team KKR take the ground later today.

Stay blessed everyone. Keep enjoying the moments that life throws up to you. Live to your fullest and keep following the journey of the 12th man!

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