Riding high on the IPL fiesta

The heat and dust are peaking across India. Just as the temperature is rising, action in the Indian Premier League is also getting more gripping. For all those who feel there is an overdose of white-ball cricket, the blue-riband domestic league in India continues to further attract audiences in large numbers. For those who think the IPL is only for youngsters, there is a reality check.

Images of cricketing icons like MS Dhoni posing with senior citizens are proof of his popularity. Some of them are senior citizens. And if you happen to see his fan following in Chennai, even Tamil Mamis (auntys wearing a nine-yard saree) are in awe of MSD. From Rajnikanth to Thala, the heroes are worshipped. Dialogues like ‘Suuper Thala’ in Chennai or Chennagidde (really good) in Kannada describe MSD.

It is one thing for youngsters to grab the chance to click selfies, be it inside the stadia or while hanging outside hotels or airports, like paparazzi. After all, the ten franchises are in travel mode, with the home-and-away format adding zing to the IPL 2023 edition. First things first. For all those who thought red-ball cricket is for fans above a certain age and white-ball cricket is for teenagers and those born or after the Y2K year (2000), it is a massive misconception. IPL is viewed and consumed by various age groups. One does not have to be a hard-core IPL addict, really, to relate to what is going on in cricket’s big bash.

In India, the general belief is everyone follows politics, be it at the state level or national level. One also does follow crime, shootouts, stocks, inflation and, once again, rising Covid cases. However, this IPL continues to show that when there is a need to see something which is exciting, this form of cricket is not bad at all. We may still not be seeing loyalties of the football kind, where sitting in New Delhi or Kolkata or Siliguri, we may be ranting about the Premier League, La Liga and other leagues in Europe. Plus, of course, Saudi Arabia, as CR7 — Cristiano Ronald is now there!

Yet, the IPL does bring out emotions in most of the people. It has taken over 15 years to see the format settle and still get used to the idea of your favourite franchise not doing well. You may mutter or curse under your breath when your “own” team is not doing well, but you do see other matches as well. That is why when we talk of rivalries in IPL minus all the lager louts and hooliganism of football, venues like Chennai and Bengaluru produce such classics.

India has its own El Classicos, just that the game is not football but bat and ball. Sample this, tickets selling in black in Chennai and Bengaluru. Sample this, fans crying over not being able to get a ticket online or after standing in the line for hours in the heat. If the IPL needed a popularity contest, minus all those who sit on laptops and indulge in data crunching, the 2023 season is rocking. For Chennai Super Kings to travel to Bengaluru, paint the Chinnaswamy Stadium awash in yellow made for great viewing.

To top it, when a 42-year-old man still shows cunningness as captain, plays with an injured knee and still fires, it shows passion, purpose and poise. Yes, this evergreen hero named MS Dhoni does the unthinkable, though from now till the end stage of the IPL, it’s still a long journey to be travelled. Why does one talk of CSK and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the same breath? The reason is simple, they have extremely charismatic players on their side. Two men who have led India before, Dhoni and his successor Virat Kohli, continue to show to the world what it is to behave like in public. After the match in Bengaluru, it was brilliant to watch the man in red and the other in yellow engaged in a chat.

The master had to be Dhoni and the pupil had to be Kohli. Images from those video clips were viewed in large numbers, what is called “viral” now. They say, a picture captures 1,000 words. This video of the two former India leaders gave fans their money’s worth. It showed how much of a relationship the two had forged during their peak and how handing over the baton — from Dhoni to Kohli — was smooth.

It was very different from the transfer of power from Kohli to Rohit Sharma, where the dirty role played by Dada Sourav Ganguly stood out as ugly. Perhaps, for that reason alone, when Delhi Capitals and RCB played, Kohli and Ganguly were caught in the media glare — no handshake. It was noticed by one and all. Not to forget, the master on the mike, Ravi Shastri was sardonic, or, sarcastic, when he viewed these scenes. Kohli is still relevant, still scores. Dada has done nothing, his role in Delhi Capitals coming in for copious flak, along with coach Ricky Ponting. Skipper David Warner is an altogether different chapter!

When we talk of icons like Dhoni and Kohli, it’s worth looking at what the two other captains are doing. Yes, Rohit Sharma, the Mumbai Indians captain, and Lucknow Super Giants’ captain KL Rahul are fiddling with the bat, not scoring heavily. The more one watches Rohit these days, his body language suggests arrogance and that care-a-damn attitude.

When you are captain, you are the commander. You will do anything to pilot the team, through calm weather and a storm. This guy takes a break and comes back as an “Impact Player” in one match. Then flops. What was that? Is that the way a captain leads? No way. This is Rohit’s disrespect and way of handling leadership, as if he is doing a favour to the Mumbai Indians side. Worse, he knows, stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav has forgotten how to bat. Analysts on TV are aghast as to how SKY, nickname for Surya, has disappeared behind the clouds. Form is temporary class is permanent is a phrase we have heard many times.

Yet, the SKY conundrum has serious implications, as one thought Indian cricket had found its Sun God (Surya) who would be a hit in all forms of cricket. These IPL teams have coaches — batting coaches, fielding coaches, coaches for catches and throw-downs. It’s a whole industry out there plus physios, masseurs and so on. One of them or a few of them need to educate fans what’s wrong with SKY — Suryakumar Yadav. It is not just about his failure for Mumbai Indians, Indian cricket needs him. After all, in white-ball cricket in the deserts of UAE and even Australia, he had shown sublime form. Hope the BCCI takes note.

Frankly speaking, one should not get fooled by the IPL points table and where LSG — Lucknow Super Giants — stands in it. There is a need for a debate on KL Rahul, as to how he hides behind the success of his team. As an opening batter, he continues to resemble the famous Jekyll and Hyde. Fans today agree, it was right to sack KL Rahul as vice-captain from Indian cricket. He should have used the IPL to find form, score big and prove a few points. After all, he still has many people backing him for the ICC World Cup, as first-choice batter and wicket-keeper. This sense of entitlement is baffling. On batting form alone, KL Rahul deserves to be out of all Indian teams. It’s his good luck that the Lucknow franchise is still doing well, with the win against Rajasthan in Jaipur in a low-scoring match being impressive.

For that matter, Sanju Samson has shown more flair as the skipper of the Rajasthan Royal side. It’s not fluke he was leader last year when the team finished runner-up to Gujarat Titans. For Sanju’s side to beat the Titans last week was impressive. The 29-year-old has the calibre and tenacity to lead a side which is back to playing matches now in Jaipur after a long break. For anyone who has followed Rajasthan Royals since 2008, one man’s name will come to mind readily, Shane Warne.

Warne loved the team as much as Rajasthan loved the genial Aussie. That Warnie, as he was called fondly, is no more, is shocking. Maybe, Rajasthan Royals still draws inspiration from Warne as he was a fun bloke who lapped up cricket and entertainment wholesale. The Warne imprint can never be taken away from the Rajasthan side, it’s like a permanent tattoo.

The debate has begun, in the wicket-keeper batter role for India. Will it be a toss-up between KL Rahul, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. Sanju is leading and Ishan looks subdued, the explosive burst or streaks have not been seen till now in the IPL 2023. There is still time. From April 23 till June 1, a lot more cricket is to be played. As much as entertainment is the key in IPL, performances do count. Or, even the lack of it.

If Rohit Sharma thinks he is a guest artist and KL Rahul thinks he is a permanent entity in cricket, the BCCI selectors must show they are not a “bunch of jokers” — as Mohinder Amarnath once remarked. The Super Selector today is the public — viewing fans. And they are there in lakhs, all over India and abroad. That’s why the IPL notices performers as well as the failures. You cannot hide behind a bush, really!