Chennai drive home the virtues of team effort once again
The evening fix for millions of cricket lovers in India is over and now they have had to find some other way to keep occupied for the evenings. The IPL this year was one of the most intense and competitive ever and the cricket seen was of the highest quality.
The Chennai Super Kings’ comeback was a fairytale one as they not only entered the finals for the seventh time in nine appearances but went on to win for the third time, equalling the wins by Mumbai Indians.
The win re-emphasised as if it was ever needed that Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of the greatest captains ever in all formats of the game. When the player auction took place and Chennai picked their team, there were many including me who thought that in the run-by-run margin that often differentiates the winners from the losers, their slightly ageing team may find themselves outfielded and thus not get through close encounters. While this held true when they were fielding, with the glorious exception of the skipper himself who has got second wind beneath his wings, the very experience of the seniors pulled them through some tough moments and got them wins when least expected.
Every year, teams go in with high hopes after having done plenty of homework sitting with analysts and stats guys and make some changes to the support staff and releasing a player or two and picking some others who they feel will do the trick for them. The teams from the north capitulated once again — finishing in their usual spots at the bottom of the table.
The most disappointing show was from the Royal Challengers Bangalore, who once again promised much but didn’t quite deliver. With a batting line-up like they have, they should have been able to set targets of near or over 200 every time and then chase anything similar that their opponents put up. Their playing eleven also did not always take into account the opponents they were playing. Yes, injuries can sometimes do that where the players who would have been very useful against a particular team aren’t available because of injuries. However, when the management of these teams look back, they will want to know why they haven’t got close to the trophy after 11 years. As always, individual brilliance can do only so much but for a team to emerge triumphant — you need a team effort like from the Chennai Super Kings.
There was some comment about the umpiring errors in the tournament but, to be fair to the umpires, it is not easy to officiate in such a high-pressured event with all the noise of the crowd that can overwhelm even the best of players. Making mistakes is part of the game — be it for players and umpires but where the umpires can be more effective is to ensure the rhythm of the game is not interrupted by the reserve players bringing drinks at the end of every over.
In fact, the sooner a time limit in between overs is brought about, the better it will be for the game. In tennis, if a player doesn’t serve within 30 seconds of the earlier point he can be penalised a point. Like in tennis, the only penalty that will work is the one that can affect the result for the monetary one doesn’t scare and deter the players any more. So, a penalty of five runs, which can affect the result, can be a good deterrent.
Cricket is in a good space and has never been healthier and if the officials can ensure that the spectator gets his full quota of cricket [90 overs in six and-a-half hours in the day] or the fifty overs in no more than 210 minutes or the T20 match finishing in no more than 190 minutes, then they will make the game even stronger than it is today.
The Chennai Super Kings’ comeback was a fairytale one as they not only entered the finals for the seventh time in nine appearances, but went on to win for the third time.