IPL & a game called Cricket

With 4 smashing wins in their kitty, the Chennai Super Kings certainly looked unstoppable and clear favorites for the coveted $ 1.5 Million IPL trophy .
But with Hayden, Hussey & Oram gone to their home sides, and with two back to back losses, it has certainly raised a few eyebrows on their path to victory.
One might argue with the fact that all three were key performers and their absence would leave a major dent to an almost perfect side.
It certainly cannot be denied that Chennai Super Kings can never find a replacement in the greats of Hayden & Hussey, and Stephen Fleming might jus after all
be a “just another player” . But what does victory all about? Is it just two players who win matches every time?

Unfortunately, to the dislike of certain fans of the so called Knight Riders (sounds similar to Ghost Rider aint it? Lol…), the answer isn’t that simple.
It’s not about a major Bollywood film star dancing to the tunes of his film songs, in the stadium and cheering to every four or six.
It’s not about an infamous “rose from the ashes” captain scoring 4 or 5 every match, losing every match in disgrace.
It’s not about a “300 movie” look alike uniform, dressing up as Spartans and singing nursery rhymes like Jeet Bole.

Victory in T20 or any other form of the game it might be, is about good captaincy, commitment, the spirit, a passion towards the game and the desire to win.
This is where CSK nearly stands apart from other teams. They have shown what a great captain can do, demonstrated to us what every single run can do and most
of all how do keep your cool in any situation, and sporting the true spirit of the game.
The one thing that is predictable about Test Cricket, and ODI, apart from few exceptions is that the best team in paper always wins. T20 much resembles a football
game in that matter, where anything can happen and most often it always happens at the last moment when its least expected .

The names of Goni , Vidyut , Badrinath, Joginder certainly might not be worthwhile on paper .Yet in the presence and guidance of top class players like Mutthiah
Muralitharan, Dhoni, Ntini in their backing, a spirited and a match winning performance is certainly very near.

The Chennai Super Kings is not about the bigger Kings in paper. It’s about the small pawns that can turn out to be the bigger set pieces that can win the war.
Who ever said after all it’s just a game?

P.S. As far the sustenance of the IPL format goes, it certainly is off to a flyer like a Gilchrist innings.
But with England supported by the Texan billionaire, threatening to start a similar league to that of IPL in England, the league’s long term sustainability and
standing is certainly worth considering . Or as a true marketer says, they are just expanding the market and it certainly can help us grow.
One just needs to wait and watch

Never learn from your failures. Learn only from your successes.
Otherwise the next time u will still fail, only a lot better

Karthik Murali

5 thoughts on “IPL & a game called Cricket

  1. Its good write up, but I am tired of cricket so won’t comment on it.
    I liked reading it.

    The poem “IF” you posted some days ago is lovely creation of Kipling…
    It was my first post in my other blog.

    Take care!

  2. Well…the author is clearly biased and have decided not to see two sides of any issue apart from CSK, MSD, CSK, MSD…you

    have every right to support your home team. Even I am a CSK fan, being in Chennai. But, that shouldn’t stop us in analysing

    issues objectively. one thing about leadership is doing extra-ordinary things with ordinary people. No glory by winning with

    Haydens and Husseys. If there is one pro who has shown exemplary Leadership so far in IPL, its Shane Warne, who is leading a

    pack of underdogs to victory.

    Just smiling and being stony face in the field doesn’t make a ‘cool’captain. We all know how tensed up was the so-called cool

    Dhoni during the match against Dare Devils.

    I have no hesitation to praise Dhoni if he wins further matches with the novice team. Which shows I am unbiased, just being

    objective with the facts.

    Above all, the author has forgot that the IPL is all entertainment and making money. And its a clever business blended with

    two things that unite India– Cricket and Bolly/kolly/tolly? woods.

    Whats wrong in any Khan dancing in the audience and supporting his team?? Grow up Mr.Murali, its business.

    Dhoni may be great. But, he needs to go a long way in truly living up to his image. Let us see whether he proves in the

    coming matches. If he proves, I’ll be open and ready to salute. After all the world judges you by your performance rather

    than the capability. Same is true for MSD

    Also, Mr.Murali, as you have said a lot about victory, eat this also:

    But what does victory all about? Is it just two players who win matches every time?

    Unfortunately, to the dislike of certain fans of the so called Super Kings (sounds similar to Duper Kings aint it? Lol…),

    the answer isn’t that simple.

    It’s not about a major Kollywood Kuruvi waving to the tunes of his film songs, in the stadium and cheering to every four or

    six.

    It’s not about an infamous “so-called cool as a cucumber” captain with a idiotic smile, losing every match without his top

    Lieutenants.

    It’s not about an “Aussie” look alike uniform, dressing up as gunny bags of portland cement and fakely roaring like lions in

    animated ad films.

    You have said “The Chennai Super Kings is not about the bigger Kings in paper. It’s about the small pawns that can turn out

    to be the bigger set pieces that can win the war.”…..we also echo the same, whether MSD can do a Warne

  3. Well…the author is clearly biased and have decided not to see two sides of any issue apart from CSK, MSD, CSK, MSD…you

    Lol, and even he didn’t mentioned Rajasthan Royals!!

    Hmm, Its proved that Shane Warne is the best captain.
    Rajasthan never had big players like Dhoni, Hayden, Hussey, Gilchrist, Sehwag Ntini Pollock, Mcgraw etc.

    Shane watson? a failed australian cricketer, Tanveer? just entered the international arena.. Ravinder jadeja? 22 years old lad who never played internation cricket before. Sidharth? who knew him before?
    Yousuf Pathan? is he Irfan’s brother???

    No big name except Warne, yet Rajsthan won, because they committed better, planned better,played better.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *