By Sunil Gavaskar
A determined Kolkata thwarted Chennai’s
bid for a hat-trick of wins of the DLF IPL. In doing so, they also got themselves the opening game as well as the finals of next year’s IPL, unless of course rules are changed.
What was most heartening about the win was that it was achieved by hardly known Indian players fully justifying the motto of the IPL which is ‘where talent meets opportunity’.
Yes the IPL has given incredible chances to so many youngsters from all over the world but obviously more so to Indians since it is an Indian tournament.
While it remains that a T20 players need not be successful in the longer format of the game what the attendant publicity of the IPL does is to bring to the attention of the nation that there are players out there who have the talent and the temperament to go further.
What is needed is proper guidance and nursing of some of the talent because the razzmatazz of the tournament can blind a youngster and make him feel that he has arrived and a superstar when he is probably a one season wonder.
Many a player has fallen by the wayside after a good season of the IPL and have just not been able to get back in the circuit.
Some of them were overrated anyway and some have fallen prey to the belief that they need not do anything since they have played in the IPL.
Hopefully Manvinder Bisla, who won the match for the Kolkata Knight Riders, will realise that one swallow does not a summer make.
What he has to do is to capitalise on the attention that he has got and practice, practice and practice so that he becomes better at keeping and then also learns how to develope a bit of patience, so that his shot selection becomes even better.
Not that there was much wrong with his choice of shots and the balls to which he played, nor his placement. He simply took the match away from Chennai and Dhoni who did not have a plan ‘B’ was unable to stop him.
With Bravo being predictable Ashwin for once leaking runs and Jakati getting nervous, Dhoni did not even go to Jadeja which makes one wonder why he was bought for such a high price if he is not good enough to bat up the order nor good enough to bowl in the finals.
If this does not send a signal to the national selectors, nothing will.
Gambhir, on the other hand, used his bowlers very well and had an alternate strategy even though it did not look as if it was working.
The balance of his team was affected by Balaji’s injury but he brought in replacements which did well and won them the coveted trophy.
It was probably the best IPL in terms of sheer cricket and this season has taken the tournament to another level.
It was a thrill a minute and the packed crowds enjoyed every moment of it.