Age is just a number for Watto, Gayle

The most compelling performances in the IPL last week undoubtedly came from Chris Gayle and Shane Watson. Their explosive centuries not only decimated opponents, but also served a reminder that in T20, age is but a number.

Gayel will be 39 this September, Watson 37 in June. Both were considered long in the tooth, and not ` hot picks’ when the IPL auctions took place in January. Ironically, both were off- loaded by RCB, who are now wallowing in the bottom half of the points table.

Watson was eventually bought by CSK for Rs 4 crore, but Gayle had an agonising, suspense laden- path in the auction till the very last round when he was bought by Kings XI Punjab for his base price of Rs 2 crore: Almost as an afterthought it appeared.

In the two weeks since the IPL began, both have left skeptics reeling. Watson has been the central figure in captain M. S. zest for the game been exhausted.

While T20 is high- voltage, high energy, highly physically demanding, it also puts a premium on strong nerves and quick thinking. This is where experience becomes vital. Maturity facilitates the ability to size up a situation and respond befittingly.

Many premier players — in the IPL and leagues all over the world — have been ‘ old’ hands. In the inaugural IPL season, 38year- old Shane Warne was kingpin, as player and captain. A year later Adam Gilchrist, then 38, helped Deccan Chargers to the IPL title, shining as batsman and captain.

Sachin Tendulkar was always among the highest run- getters in the IPL till he retired, Mike Hussey was a bulwark for CSK till he quit, Brad Hodge for RR. If you look beyond the IPL, Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi have been going strong well into their late 30s.

This is truer of batsmen than bowlers, but the larger hasn’t point of vast experience being as valuable than just youth cannot be ignored.

The other aspect, equally important now that T20 has become so lucrative, is for older players to keep themselves relevant.

The prime objective for any player is to do well by the team, sure. But sport is also about conflict, so rides heavily on of personal pride and ego: Crucially for ageing players, the fight for survival as well.

Take Gayle for instance. To keep his ` brand’ in T20 intact, he has to perform to expectations otherwise the contracts could dry up. But this season, he faced the double obstacle of winning a place in Punjab’s playing XI since he wasn’t first choice opener too. Whether Gayle and Watson — and by extension, all ` oldies’ in the IPL — can sustain their form over the next five weeks remains to be seen. But for the present, they’re top of the pops and giving young guns a run for their money.