IPL Preview # 1 - Kolkata Knight Riders

Sunday, February 28, 2010 cricket, fake ipl player, ipl, kolkata knight riders, preview, rishabh bablani, sourav ganguly 9 Comments

Right, then - this is the first of my previews ahead of the mega-hype that is the IPL. I will be starting with the teams that I don't really like and end with my favourites.

KKR are easily the flashiest team, but following their first ever match where B-Mac slammed a hundred and BCR collapsed, they have spiralled. Downwards, that is.

Team politics and management haven't been great, really unfortunate for SRK, who has provided the money to buy the best players and coaches. Not the uniform though, that's hideous.

Here's their squad -

Sourav Ganguly (capt), Cheteshwar Pujara, Charl Langeveldt, Chirag Pathak, Iqbal Abdulla, G Vignesh, Brendon McCullum, Angelo Mathews, Wriddhiman Saha, Ajit Agarkar, Chris Gayle, Manoj Tiwary, Rohan Gavaskar, Harshad Khadiwale, Varun Aaron, Eklak Ahmed, Owais Shah, Murali Kartik, Brad Hodge, Ajantha Mendis, Laxmi Shukla, Ashok Dinda, Ishant Sharma, Shane Bond.

Issues: One would think that with B-Mac and Gaylestorm at the top, with much-loved (in Kolkata, that is) captain Saurav Ganguly in the middle, as well as do-it-all Aussie Brad Hodge, and star spinners in Mendis and Murali (Kartik), KKR would be great to go. But as we know, the first two tend to blow hot and cold, and the bowling is always a let-down. Ishant Sharma is not fit for shorter formats, and going by recent form, any format. Agarkar is, well, Agarkar. There's no David Hussey, the leading six hitter in the IPL last year. No Morne van Wyk either. Bringing in completely out-of-depth (for T20s) players like Bangar and Akash Chopra wasn't too smart either last year, and Fake IPL Player didn't exactly help team spirit.

Good news: Express paceman Shane Bond has been recruited, though he'll be joining once the ODI's against Oz have been completed. Ganguly is back as captain, where he belongs. Indian players Manoj Tiwary, Saha, Iqbal Abdulla and Chirag Pathak have definitely improved since last year, and domestic giant Cheteshwar Pujara is fit. G Vignesh, the superslogging allrounder is back from the ICL. KKR now has a different away kit. Whoop-de-do.

Okay, this is the likely line-up (with a full squad when the Kiwis are back):

Brendon McCullum (wk)
Chris Gayle
Sourav Ganguly (c)
Brad Hodge
Cheteshwar Pujara
Manoj Tiwary
Laxmi Ratan Shukla
Ajit Agarkar
Murali Kartik
Shane Bond
Ishant Sharma

Until the Kiwis arrive, Saha will probably keep, with Ganguly filling in as opener. Angelo Mathews should fill in for Bond, and Owais Shah will get a few games. Looks like fire at the top, solidity in the middle, and a half-decent bowling attack. I'm trying very hard to preview them without scorn.

My Official-sounding prediction for KKR this season - Will do better this season. And since they rightfully earned the wooden spoon last year, 'better' is a very wide term. So I'm going with 6th place for them.

Rajasthan Royals up next. Until then, Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo Re (*pukes*)(*wipes mouth*).

The Final. FINAL!

Saturday, May 23, 2009 adam gilchrist, anil kumble, cricket, fake ipl player, ipl, mumbai indians, preview, rishabh bablani, sachin, sanath jayasuriya No Comments

Welcome back (that one's for me).

I haven't posted one of these for a bit now. A combination of 'no time' and 'frustration' kept me away from my blog, but since the IPL is about to end, I feel obliged to expose you to my cricketing brain once more.

It's been a great IPL, lots of close matches, some amazing spin bowling - thanks to the end-of-season worn-out South African pitches. Kumble's 5-5 and some Murali magic come to mind. Fantastic innings - be it the biggies from AB deVilliers, Suresh Raina and Manish Pandey (he's my age!), or the short and sweet ones like Rohit Sharma's or Abhishek Nayar's. And of course, there was that one absolute stunner from Gilchrist that had the Daredevils peeing in their pants and yelling "Uncle!" Which he probably is to some of them, age-wise.

The Mumbai Indians failed to get to the semis again. Befuddling captaincy and side-selection from Sachin and losing from impossible-to-lose situations did them in yet again. They experimented throughout their campaign, and my analysis is that Jayasuriya has to go. The middle and lower order kept struggling in his not-so-long shadow after repeated failures, as wickets slow down the run-rate. Mumbai needs to bring in someone fearsome. Someone who will bat with a brain, yet is able to accelerate when needed. All fingers (10, or more if you're a freak) point to an Aussie. Can they nick someone like a Hussey in the transfer window next season? Time will tell.

I've gotten ahead of myself, thinking of next season. So then, about tomorrow's match. The final, that is. Last year's winner and runner-up of the wooden spoon have made the finals. Don't know why, don't know how. They didn't even change their teams! (I'm not counting Pietersen and Jesse, zero impact). This should be entertaining, though.
Prediction - Can't. This IPL has numbed my clairvoyance. I'm gonna be brave though, and root for Kumble's disciplined bunch. And I declare that Gilchrist will (gasp) fall early.

Also, Fake IPL Player has a hilarious bunch of awards to give out. Read here.

Until next year (for IPL, I'm still here).

Pair of Aussies and a Sri Lankan

Monday, April 27, 2009 chennai super kings, cricket, deccan chargers, fake ipl player, ipl, kolkata knight riders, mumbai indians, preview, rishabh bablani, sanath jayasuriya No Comments

Okay. I did say my 'daily' match previews would be tentative, and the delightful exam week has proved to be more of a hindrance than I expected. Now I can't be expected to watch all the matches and blog at the same time, can I? Anyway here I am to bring today's predictions.

Deccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings - This should be good. Both sides have one half of the recently retired Aussie opening pair of bludgeoners, both of whom are in great form. Deccan have sprung a surprise this season, winning all their three matches to sit pretty at the top of the table. Chennai been good though luck hasn't been with them. Deccan have a good chance, though they need Gilchrist, Gibbs and Sharma to fire as they have a weak middle order. Their bowling, led by RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha, could be a match for Chennai's mighty batting order that is now missing Flintoff, with Oram in line to replace him. Chennai should pinch this one though.

Watch out for: Everyone.

Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders - Mumbai seem to be the most balanced side and if not for rain and that ill-timed strategic break, they could have been the table toppers by now. Sachin, Malinga, Zaheer, Duminy, Bravo and Harbhajan all seem to be in great form and I'd be greatly surprised if they don't beat KKR, whom I consider to be the weakest team. Plus I hope all that Fake IPL Player controversy has ruined their focus. Gayle and McCullum are the key for them, and they will probably find that Zaheer and Malinga could be more than a match for them.

Watch out for: Sanath Jayasuriya. Hasn't made any telling contributions yet, and a little cameo from him could be the X-factor needed to propel MI to top gear.

Go watch.