Earlier this month, before the start of IPL 2021, when I was analysing all the teams, I was pretty sure that on paper, Chennai Superkings looked the weakest. For starters, they had too many players in the lineup who had already taken retirement from international cricket. Secondly, they didn’t have any aggressive fast bowlers and they lacked penetration in the spin department too. All this made me feel that they would struggle. Adding to this, the scheduled prepared for this year ensured that they won’t play a single match in their home conditions, Chennai. Their attack supplemented the low and slow conditions of Chepauk’s pitch and hence when they lost their first match against Delhi Capitals, it was not very surprising for me. 

But, one aspect I discounted was the astute leadership skills of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Great leaders know the limitations of their teams and inspire their team members to go beyond their capabilities to get fabulous results. The last 3 matches have just amplified that fact. By winning 3 matches in a row, CSK not only surprised me and their fans, but I guess they surprised themselves too.

KKR after a good start has frittered away the advantage by first losing a match against Mumbai, which they should have won, and then got blown away by the magic of AB DeVilliers and Glenn Maxwell. But with the scene moving to Mumbai from Chennai and with Chennai not having a fearful attack, I was hopeful of a change of fortunes for KKR yesterday. As it turned out eventually, we were treated to the second-best match of 2021 which in the end didn’t mean much for KKR because they lost by 18 runs. So what were the hits and misses from yesterday at the Wankhede? Let’s have a look:

The Hits:

The best thing about Dhoni is the way he backs his players when they are down. Ruturaj Gaikwad had a terrible start with 3 back to back failures. But Dhoni backed him and he was rewarded back by a great knock. The cover drives that Gaikwad hit yesterday were classy and made you sit up and watch. A half-century with a strike rate of over 150 must give him a lot of confidence going forward in the tournament.

Faf Du Plessis has been a rock for CSK over the years. Seeing him bat, I wonder, why he retired. He along with AB DeVilliers can make a huge difference to the South African team in the world cup later this year. Yesterday he was not very fluent initially but changed gears rapidly towards the end. He remained not out at 95 runs and helped Chennai reach an unassailable 220 runs at the end of 20 overs.

A few days back, Deepak Chahar made the ball swing in a way as if we were playing in England. His 4 wicket haul ensured an easy victory for CSK against Punjab Kings. He was back in the same avatar yesterday and in the space of 3 overs, he removed 4 of KKR’s top-order batsmen to leave the opposition in tatters. I was surprised that Faf was given the man of the match award because as it turned out in the end it was not those additional runs that Faf scored which helped CSK to win – rather it was the initial breakthroughs that Deepak Chahar got made all the difference. After all, if KKR had not lost 5 wickets in the powerplay, I guess they would have chased that score down.

While the CSK batting was going on, some of my followers on Twitter was telling me that with Morgan, DK, and Russell any score is not safe on that pitch. I felt it was taking things too far because none of these batsmen has shown any kind of form this season. I was wrong in my thinking I must say because though Morgan failed, DK along with Russell brought KKR back into the match. 31/5 was the score in the 6th over when Russell joined Dinesh Karthick in the crease. In the next 6 overs, 82 runs were scored by these two leaving CSK in complete disarray. It was a counterpunch that we had got used to seeing from KKR in 2019. Till the time Russell was there, the impossible looked possible. A 21 ball 50 will give a lot of hope for KKR going into the next set of matches.

Once Russell got out, there was a collective sigh of relief in the CSK camp. But out of nowhere, rose like a phoenix – Pat Cummins. Cummins is a very underrated all-rounder mainly because of the huge batting strength of the Australian cricket team. He is not needed to bat most of the time so people fail to realise that he is more than a capable batsman. last season on two occasions he saved KKR from the blushes. Yesterday he had his worst day with the ball in his IPL career and probably he felt obliged to amend it with the bat. With the ball, he went for 58 runs in 24 balls and with the bat, he brought up his 50 in 21 balls. If this is not redemption, then what is? He eventually was left stranded on 66 runs but he helped KKR cross 200 runs and give the fans something to cheer about.

The change that CSK did in their lineup yesterday was the deciding factor in the match. They dropped Bravo and brought in Ngidi. Ngidi has pace and is a hit-the-deck type of bowler. I am very sure if Bravo was there in the team yesterday then this match would have been in KKR’s pocket. Ngidi was the only bowler who was not hit around the park in the middle overs and he ended up picking 3 wickets too. An inspirational change and this is what makes the Dhoni-Flemming combo such an interesting and dangerous combination in IPL.

The misses:

KKR has a lot of youngsters in their team, which should mean that the energy level in the field is high. But unfortunately, their fielding was in complete disarray. Add to that the number of no-balls and wides bowled by the team meant they ended up giving more than 20 runs on the platter to CSK. They finally lost by 18 runs so those slip-ups turned out to be too costly.

Earlier this year after Shubhman Gill got out for 91 runs during India’s successful chase in Brisbane, my good friend, Asif said that he foresees a century from the opener in the England series. Forget century, the bloke has hit only one half-century since and he is wasting opportunities like no other. In each of the matches, he looked good but couldn’t convert them into big scores. Yesterday he was out for a golden duck. For KKR to progress to the next stage, they would need Shubhman Gill in run-scoring form. Right now things look pretty bleak for him. It has been very disappointing thus far from him.

Eoin Morgan is a pale shadow of the batsman he is in International cricket. He is another of those stalwarts who are yet to click in IPL. KKR has a lot of hope in him but the way he is struggling doesn’t give much confidence. It would be interesting to see how long the patience holds for the team management with his non-performance.

This season I expected, Prasidh Krishna to be one of the stand-out performers in IPL. Cricket, after all, is a lot about confidence and mindset, and his coming into IPL with good ODI series against England made me believe that his confidence would be sky-high and he along with Cummins and Varun would help KKR change their fortunes this year. But unfortunately, it has not been so thus far. he had struggling way too much in hitting the right lengths. He has been going for a lot of runs in the middle overs and he is clearly struggling with fitness. Will he hold on to his place or will Mavi come back would be interesting to see going forward.

What to look forward to?

CSK has surprised everyone by reaching the top of the table. I do not think they need to do anything different than what they are already doing. It’s for the other teams to improve their performance otherwise CSK will be the surprise entry in the playoffs this year.

For KKR, they need to get an all-rounder in place of Nagarkoti. Having a bowler who is not confident to bowl his over overs doesn’t merit a place in the team. I think it’s better to give Venkatesh Iyer a chance. He is an all-rounder and him along with Nitish Rana and Andre Russell could very well take care of 4 or 5 overs. This would strengthen their batting line up too and compensate for the lack of form of some of their top-order batters.

Did you watch yesterday’s match? Was it the best one this year? What do you think? Do write in as the struggling Rajasthan Royals take on Royal Challengers Bangalore later today.

PS. Talent is overrated and skills are underrated. Do not get bloated with pride if you are very talented. Work on your skills and keep improving because talent doesn’t get food to your table – skill does!

One look at the Punjab Kings’ team sheet and you will understand that the team lacks balance. With a very big tail, the team’s top order seems to be playing under pressure. But T20 is a ruthless game because of you allow the bowlers to dominate you then it becomes very difficult to change the momentum! After losing two matches on the trot, Punjab Kings’ decided to make some changes to elongate their batting lineup by adding two all-rounders replacing two bowlers. Meredith and Jhye Richardson were dropped and they were replaced by Moises Henriques and Fabian Allen. But unfortunately, this unimaginative change didn’t bring in the change of fortunes because the team folded up after scoring just 120 runs to hand over an easy victory to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Sunrisers Hyderabad is too good a team to be lagging at the bottom of the table! When the tournament started I felt that Sunrisers would be able to reach to playoffs but the start has not been ideal for them. But as we have seen in past editions it’s not always important how you start – what’s important is how you finish. Getting Kane Williamson into the playing XI was one of the best decisions that Sunrisers took yesterday. Warner, Bairstow, and Kane make a fearful top order and I am sure these 3 are going to be a pain for all the team going forward in the tournament.

Having a doubleheader during weekdays is not ideal for people like me so I was not able to watch the match though followed the score updates online! Here are the hits and misses from yesterday’s encounter at the Chepauk, Chennai.

The hits:

When Natarajan was rested in the last match, I was a bit surprised but when I saw Khaleel Ahmed bowl I understood why he was playing. He has added a few yards of pace in his bowling and was consistently hitting the 141 Km/hr Mark which was not the case two years back when he made it to the Indian team. Yesterday he bowled well once again and picked up 3 important wickets too. With Bhuvi complaining of a slight strain in his leg, I am hoping to see Khaleel throughout the tournament this year. 

Though Shahrukh Khan scored only 22 runs yesterday, he looks to be a very good find for Punjab Kings. In all the matches he has shown that he is capable enough to be given a spot higher than number 6 in the batting order. Punjab Kings need to play him consistently at number 5 so that he can play to his potential. His form should act as a confidence booster for the top order who should play with a little bit more freedom. 

For Sunrisers to do well in this tournament they have to ensure that their top-order clicks consistently. They have an inexperienced middle order which they changed a little bit by playing Kedar Jhadav yesterday. This will ensure that their Top 3 comprising of Warner, Bairstow, and Kane Williamson play with freedom. Yesterday it was a small chase so the middle order was not tested but it would be interesting to see how this pans out when they chase a bigger total. But with Bairstow in great form, I think Sunrisers will do well because Warner and Williamson will contribute heavily with the bat surely as the tournament progresses.

The misses:

The Punjab Kings’ is having a meltdown at the top. I expected their top 4 to be a big danger for the other teams but they have flattered to deceive thus far. Rahul is not playing aggressively. Mayank Agarwal is the only one at the top who is playing with intent and once he is losing his wicket they have been struggling. Pooran is hardly staying in the crease. In three matches Pooran has played 6 deliveries and got out for a duck on all three occasions. This is a big concern for the team and till this is sorted it would be extremely difficult for Punjab Kings to reach the top 4.

Playing Moises Henriques and Fabian Allen was a very defensive strategy and it failed spectacularly. They tried to elongate their batting order and in the process pushed Shahrukh to number 7 which just didn’t make sense! They need to sort out their team lineup because such a defensive mindset won’t help them win matches.

What to look forward to?

The way Rahul is batting right now it would make more sense for him to come at number 4. This would open up the opener’s slot for Chris Gayle which would be good for him. They can get Mandeep Singh to replace Moises Henriques and find a way to get Ravi Bishnoi to play in the next match. Here is my ideal playing XI for them in the next match:

Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh, KL Rahul, Shahrukh Khan, Deepak Hooda, Chris Jordan, Fabian Allen, Jhye Richardson, MD. Shami, Ravi Bishnoi.

For Sunrisers they finally got their combination right though the niggle to Bhuvaneshwar Kumar would bother them. Their batting order looks far more solid with the addition of Kane Williamson and I am looking forward to seeing them making some big scores going forward.

What do you think about my suggested changes to Punjab Kings?

Do write in as we wait for another RCB match later in the evening who takes on Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai later today!

Stay safe everyone! Wear a mask and ask everyone around you to get themselves vaccinated!

PS. Take care of yourself first before helping others!

Last year Delhi Capitals lost to Mumbai Indians in the finals of IPL 2020. That was not the only time that they lost to Mumbai Indians in 2020. Mumbai Indians has been a nemesis for Delhi Capitals right through the 2020 edition. Both the group matches were won by Mumbai Indians and when both the teams met each other in Chennai I was excited to see if Delhi Capitals could break the jinx.

This was Delhi’s first match in Chennai so how they adapt to the new conditions was something that I was looking forward to. Delhi Capitals on paper has the best team in the tournament but a couple of places in the lineup was still up for grabs. How they plug those gaps would ensure their progress in the long run. 

Mumbai Indians though winning the last two matches have a problem in plenty when it comes to their batsmen’s form. The matches they won were both due to their superb middle and death overs bowling. They have struggled to cross 150 runs and that has been a major cause for concern. Mumbai Indians generally start slow in IPL but this year though they have not played to the potential but have still been able to win 2 of the first three matches.

It was expected to be a close encounter because on paper both Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians looked balanced and both were coming into the match after winning their previous matches respectively.

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

The Hits:

1. The pitch in Chennai has been slow and low throughout the tournament and hence it was not a surprise to see that Delhi Capitals brought in Amit Mishra into their playing XI. Ravichandran Ashwin their main spinner though bowling well has not been in wicket-taking form. Amit Mishra is an old warhorse of IPL cricket having taken more than 160 wickets including 3 hattricks. He is a very underrated bowler but he generally ends up taking wickets. Yesterday as it turned out Amit Mishra was an inspiring change because his old guile was back and he picked up 4 wickets to break the back of Mumbai Indians’ batting. Picking up Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya in one over, turned the game in Delhi’s favour from where they never looked back.
2. When I saw Marcus Stoinis opening the bowling for Delhi Capitals, I was a bit surprised because he has not been in good form this season. But the move turned out to be a masterstroke because he picked up the wicket of Quinton De Kock in the very first over. The form of Stoinis is very important for Delhi Capitals because he is their star all-rounder and he made a big difference to their campaign last year. 
3. Lalit Yadav looks to be a pretty smart cricketer and a handy one too. He bowls off-spin and is a decent batsman too. Yesterday he bowled his full quota of 4 overs and returned figures of 1/17. He got a promotion in the batting order too and remained not out till the end to see Delhi Capitals through in the chase. He will get more opportunities this season and it will be exciting to see how he develops from here. In Ricky Ponting, he has a great coach and I hope he uses the most of it.
4. Jayant Yadav replaced Adam Milne yesterday and the change was mainly due to the prevailing pitch conditions in Chennai. He made use of the golden opportunity though it didn’t lead to Mumbai’s victory. He performed well with both bat and ball and I hope he gets a longer run this season. Jayant Yadav has a test century under his name and he is a good all-round cricketer. Will he be able to put up a consistent show for Mumbai Indians this season would be an interesting watch going forward. 

The Misses

1. Bumrah had a habit of bowling no-balls when he first burst into the scene. Most importantly these no-balls used to come at very important junctures in a match. I remember his no-ball in the champions trophy final which gave life to Fakar Zaman which eventually led to him batting India out of the match. That match turned out to be the inflection point for Bumrah because he worked on this loophole and thereafter I have hardly seen him bowling no-balls. This season Bumrah has been in good form and batsmen have not been able to take him for runs but wickets have been alluding him. Don’t know if that’s the reason but he ended up bowling 2 no-balls yesterday under pressure. I hope it’s a one-off thing which would be a thing of the past when he takes the field next time around.
2. Hardik Pandya is playing purely as a batsman these days due to his back troubles and I hope he is not putting himself under pressure by thinking too much about it. He is a terrific finisher but Mumbai seems to be using him at number 5 to allow him to build a big innings. He has not been up to the mark thus far, getting out while going for the big hits. Yesterday also he missed the flight of Amit Mishra’s ball and was out for a duck. His form is critical to Mumbai’s success and I hope he will be back to his old self soon.
3. Quinton De Kock has failed to deceive in the three matches he has played in IPL 2021. I was not very happy when Mumbai Indians included him in the playing XI in place of Chris Lynn because I thought it was unfair. Lynn had scored 49 runs in the first match and to replace him was not the smartest decision. As it has turned out now, Quinton is struggling and it will be interesting to see if they go back to Lynn in the next match.

What to look forward to?

For Delhi Capitals, I don’t think playing Smith and Hetmeyer is a very smart move. I think Woakes should play because he is a genuine wicket-taker for them and has been in good form. They have too many good players sitting on the bench so it’s a good problem to have for Ponting and Pant. To think that Axar is still not available and Shreyas Iyer not playing this IPL – just shows how good a team Delhi Capitals is. There is no reason why they can’t win the IPL this season. I am backing them to reach the finals once again.

For Mumbai Indians, too many of their top-order batsmen are struggling and they are not easily replaceable too. Their bowling is still their strength and though they lost very tamely yesterday, I think it’s an aberration which they will surely correct in the upcoming matches. I do not foresee any changes but with Hardik firing Mumbai could be in trouble going forward.

What do you think? Would you suggest any batting order changes for Mumbai Indians? Or am I being too pessimistic?

Do write in with your views as we get into a doubleheader Wednesday which would see Punjab Kings taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad and later in the evening it’s KKR vs CSK. 

PS. Opportunities are rarely offered! They are seized!

As leaders, one of the most important traits that you need to have is to take decisions. If you don’t have the confidence to make decisions and always look for advice from others then you are not a leader. Your decision might be wrong sometimes but when you make the decision, communicate that to the rest of the team and inspire them to follow the decision. This is part of any great leadership trait. 

People in leadership positions who try to get consensus for any decision will never make any great decisions. Because all human beings are different and it’s very difficult to manage a consensus on everything. That’s why collective decision-making fails many times. Yes, sometimes your decision can be wrong and as a leader, you should be humble enough to accept it and move on rather than looking for excuses on why the decision went wrong. In collective decision taking this happens quite regularly because then people just blame each other – nothing is learned and when nothing is learned the entire exercise fails.

Recently CBSE after consultation with the PM decided to cancel the class 10 board exams in India. As I write this article, India registered more than 2,50,000 new Covid cases! The situation is turning quite grave and hence it was quite sensible to cancel the board exams so that the students can start preparing for class XI/XII. Once CBSE declared this decision it was a matter of time before other boards follow suit. ICSE board in the meantime declared that they will decide on their course of action shortly. After an agonising wait of over 48 hours, the ICSE council released a press note that the exams are being postponed and they will meet again in the first week of June to decide if and when the exams will be held. Now comes the interesting part. The note declares that the class X students will have the option to sit for the exams or not sit for the exams. For students who decide to not sit for the exams, their results would be declared based on an unbiased criterion (probably based on the performance of the student through the year – class tests/pre-boards/projects).

Leaving the decision on the students looks great on paper but actually, it just shows that the council doesn’t know to make decisions! First of all 15/16-year-old kids can’t decide for themselves. Secondly, their parents will be under pressure too. The board is allowing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) to bias student’s decisions! When a student sees that his or her neighbor is not giving the exam – then their decision could be based on that. Similarly if in a group of friends few decide to sit for the exams then the other lot might also think that it’s better to give the exams. In both cases, it’s the FOMO psychology that is decisive. This is wrong! 

Let’s come to the other aspects.

Students who are in the CBSE board will start their class XI studies and classes by next week. What do the ICSE students do? They study for class XI or keep preparing for class X board exams? What happens if in the first week of June the board decides to cancel the exams? Will it not be a waste of time for the students?

What happens to the students who were planning to change boards from ICSE to CBSE? On one hand, they have to attend class XI and on the other hand, they have to prepare for class X boards! How is this a fair decision?

The biggest question why does it take 48 hours to take such a decision of postponement?

I think the ICSE board tried to show smartness by telling that we are very democratic by giving the option to the students but in actual they have done more harm to the students. Already these kids have lost important months due to covid. Now by not starting the classes, they will suffer further in the Class XII exams in two years’ time.

My advise:

I will advise students to not opt for exams! For students who feel that they might not have done well in pre-boards, remember marks do not define you. 10 years down the line people will know why your class X results were not good because this pandemic is an event that will be remembered for decades. So focus on the future. Do not waste a single minute on your class X books. Get your class XI books and start studying. You have another 20 months to go for your class XII board exams. Prepare with that goal in mind and I am sure you will succeed.

Do not think that it is going to harm your career. It won’t if you focus on doing well in class XII. Do not waste time because time is in your control. Start preparing for class XII boards because for class XII you won’t have the option of not sitting for exams. Promise to yourself that you will do well in 2023 and I am sure God will be kind enough to help you reach your goals.

P.S. My son is in class X and was supposed to give his ICSE exams. I have decided to not send him for exams and have already got him his class XI study materials which he will start from next week!

I was about to post this article when my son informed me that the board has canceled the ICSE exams for 2021. Better late than never – I would say.

When one looks at the CSK team sheet, one doesn’t get intimidated! Many of the players are already retired cricketers and past their prime. Genuine match winners are few but what they have is a great captain and a very good balance in their team. 7 bowling options in their playing XI with no tail in their batting lineup means they play with complete freedom. This part of their game came to the fore yesterday when only Faf Du Plessis crossed 30 runs but the team still ended up scoring 188 runs. This is what differentiates this team from the others in this competition because I believe in T20 you need to good balance if you want to succeed consistently. On paper, CSK doesn’t look like a team that would be making the playoffs but as the first few days have proved they have it in them to beat the best and are title contenders too. 

It was one of those rare IPL days when we saw a one-sided contest being played out. Things looked quite even at one stage before Rajasthan Royals collapsed spectacularly to hand CSK a 45 runs victory. Let’s look at the hits and misses from yesterday’s match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The Hits:

1. Moeen Ali was the star recruit for CSK this season. He is a good all-round cricketer and I feel he has always been underutilised by other franchises previously. But with Dhoni at the helm, you could be rest assured that he knows how to utilise the strengths of his players to the team’s advantage. Moeen has been in good touch with the bat and he played some fabulous shots while on the crease yesterday. But the star turn happened with the ball. He was held back by Dhoni till the 12th over because Buttler was in the crease. But as soon as Buttler got out, Moeen Ali was brought into the attack and in the next 2 overs, he broke the back of Rajasthan Royals’ middle-order picking up 3 wickets. Rajasthan Royals couldn’t recover thereafter.
2. When Dhoni walked in after the fall of the 5th wicket, I felt he read the situation wrong because holding back Sam Curran was not the right thing to do. Thankfully the damage was not deep because Curran along with Bravo gave the final push to take CSK to a winning total. Sam Curran is one of the best all-rounders in white-ball cricket today and he has been smart with the ball too. He picked up 2 wickets yesterday including the big wicket of Sanju Samson to push Rajasthan Royals back to the wall within the power play. He along with Moeen Ali would have a big say in CSK’s overall performance this season.
3. Dwayne Bravo is no longer the force that he used to be a few years back. But the cricketing brain is still strong as ever and you can take him for granted at your own peril. CSK needed to score above 180 runs to be above par but with Dhoni, Raina and Jadeja all struggling to time the ball it was looking increasingly difficult. Out came Bravo and he changed the complexion straight away hitting 20 runs off 8 balls to give the necessary impetus at the back end of the innings. With the ball, he was targeting the Yorker length outside the off stump continuously and most of the time he succeeded in getting it right. In one particular over he bowled 4 wides but yet the over went for only 6 runs – just shows how consistent he was with his length yesterday. 
4. Chetan Sakariya seems to be the find of the season thus far. He has a good run-up and a lovely action. He being a left-arm bowler is even exciting. He is supposed to be the weakest link in the Rajasthan Royals’ bowling line up but he is the one who is leading their wickets list at the moment. Yesterday too he picked up 3 wickets which included his idol’s wicket, MS Dhoni. 
5. Ravindra Jadeja is a true all-rounder and yesterday though he failed with the bat he compensated with the ball and the field. Yesterday the ball kept following him and he ended up picking 4 catches in the outfield. With the ball, he did the star turn for his team in the 12th over when he picked up 2 wickets including the big scalp of Jos Buttler to start the slide. It was a classic Jadeja delivery that saw the back of Buttler – grip, turn and bounce to dislodge the off stump. 

The Misses:

1. Sanju Samson played the innings of IPL 2021 against Punjab Kings when he scored 119 runs to almost take Rajasthan Royals to victory. Unfortunately his biggest bane – consistency has come back to haunt him again. Yesterday once again he got out to a lose shot trying to hit the ball over the top only to get out giving a catch at mid-on. He is too good a player to keep getting out to lose shots. India is losing a good talent but as I keep saying talent can’t take you too far if you do not work on improving your skills. I hope he works in this consistency factor because otherwise, he will remain just an IPL star.
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a domestic star for the last few seasons and played very well towards the end of IPL 2020. I was very excited to see how much he has evolved this year because I was sure Dhoni will give him a long rope this season. Unfortunately, he has failed to deceive thus far and 3 failures in a row could mean a change of personnel in the top order for CSK! Will he get another couple of matches? Let’s wait and see.
3. Shivam Dube was a big name in domestic cricket with a penchant for hitting sixes in 2019/20. He got into the Indian team too as India was groping with Hardik Pandya’s injury. But unfortunately, he has not lived up to his reputation and is yet to show his talent in the IPL or world stage. Rajasthan Royals is without the services of two of their best foreign players so people like Shivam Dube, Mannan Vohra, and Riyan Parag have to play to their potential otherwise I don’t see this team reaching the playoffs.

What to look forward to?

I don’t think CSK needs any changes in their team setup as of now other than probably moving Rayudu to the opener’s slot and replacing Ruturaj with Uthappa or Pujara. But I don’t think Dhoni would do that simply because he doesn’t like to change winning combinations. The team is gelling well and their bowlers are doing a fantastic job. When the tournament started, I didn’t expect CSK to reach the playoffs but right now I think I have been wrong because they look good enough to finish in the top 4.

For Rajasthan Royals, they need to replace a couple of players in their playing XI. Shivam Dube needs to be replaced by Liam Livingston which would, unfortunately, mean Mustafizur has to sit out who can be replaced by either Karthick Tyagi or Shreyas Gopal. Also, Manan Vohra should give way to Yashasvi Jaiswal. This is my preferred XI for their next match:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, David Miller, Liam Livingston, Riyan Parag, Rahul Tewatia, Chris Morris, Shreyas Gopal, Jaidev Unadkat, and Chetan Sakariya.

What do you think of this starting XI? Do write in with your thoughts and insights as we get ready for a blockbuster evening when Mumbai Indians take on Delhi Capitals in Chennai!

PS. Add life to days not days to life.

It 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?

The 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.

For 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!

My 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.

The 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.

What 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.

In 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:

The 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.

For 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. 

Some 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.

The 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.

For 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!

The 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.

The 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.

What’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!

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