After the euphoria of India's ICC Cricket World Cup win, the excitement amongst fans seems to have dipped for IPL-2011.
here was a school of thought which believed that the frenzy of the World Cup win would only spiral the interest amongst fans for IPL-4. Unfortunately, that has been far from the reality.
Many also felt that the Indian cricketers should have had more time to soak in the feeling of a World Cup triumph. Instead, they were in long room discussions with team owners, taking part in commercial activities as a part of their contractual obligations and, of course, getting to know their new team-mates.
If the glitz and glamour of the first three editions was anything to go by, it was only fair to have expected a similar start this season. But to the dismay of fans, the opening ceremony received a lukewarm response, an event which many felt lacked the 'Lalit Modi' touch.
Here is a brief into how each team has fared after playing two games apiece:
Kolkata Knight Riders:
New team composition, new captain but their fortunes remained unchanged after their first game against the defending champions – Chennai Super Kings. But the side bounced back pretty quickly to get their campaign back on track at Eden Gardens against Deccan Chargers. The telling blow, however, was a desperate attempt by the KKR management to woo fans, who obviously felt that their larger-than-life hero – Sourav Ganguly deserved to be treated better in their own city.
Chennai Super Kings:
They lived up to their reputation by clinching a victory from the jaws of defeat against KKR. On the lighter side, Anirudh Srikanth's candid confession about him batting with more sense than his dad, was the highlight of the game. However, against Gilly's KXIP, they ran into some rough weather. Dhoni's helicopter shot and Murali Vijay's flamboyance, amidst the serenity of Subramaniam Badrinath, wasn't enough to get past the line.
Rajasthan Royals:
The team management's move to leave the tactical decisions to spin wizard Shane Warne has certainly paid rich dividends. With an inspirational leader, backed by 'The Wall' – Rahul Dravid and Ross Taylor, the team seems to have found a new direction. With two sparkling wins, and the dangerous Shane Watson yet to arrive, things can only keep getting better and better.
Deccan Chargers:
Kumar Sangakkara's men have a lot of catching up to do. The home ground jinx continues as the side is yet to win in Hyderabad since the inception of the IPL in 2008. It would be interesting to see how the side picks up after twin defeats of massive proportion.
Royal Challengers Bangalore:
The side which has imported their star power from Delhi registered a facile win against the debutants Kochi Tuskers, but were given a wake-up call against the Mumbai Indians at home. Billed as a marquee clash, the game itself turned out to be as one sided as it could ever get. The bowling, sans Vettori, has lacked potency, and will need a quick turn-around to improve their fortunes.
Mumbai Indians:
Fans who were hoping for a Symo-Bhajji peace treaty will have to wait just a little longer, as the Queenslander picked up a shoulder niggle before the start of their season. With their campaign off to a spectacular start, the side wears a determined look, in order to make up for their disappointment of 2010. Tendulkar's generosity in handing over the Man-of-the-match award to young turk Ambati Rayudu after their win against RCB will be etched in our memories for a long time.
Kings XI Punjab:
Preity Zinta's enthusiasm was the best thing about their opening game against Pune Warriors, which they lost by a massive margin. But one man decided to change the direction of their ship with a whirlwind century in their second outing against the defending champs. If the only 'Paul' you knew until now was 'Paul – The octopus', you could add Paul Valthaty to that list now. He became just the fouth Indian player after Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan and Murali Vijay to score a century in the glitzy league.
Delhi Daredevils:
Touted to be one of the weakest sides, Delhi have started in a disastrous fashion. The team's fortunes seems to be hinged on only skipper Virender Sehwag's shoulder at the moment. However, their effort to defend a modest 96 against Mumbai must be appreciated. The batting looks brittle, but things can change if their skipper can fire at the top. With twin losses, it would take a lot of motivation to fight back from the doldrums.
Pune Warriors:
Yuvraj's life has taken a giant leap post the World Cup, and whatever he touches seems to turn into gold at the moment. With the right mix of explosive power, timing and deft touches, their batting appears to be the most polished. In Alfonso Thomas, they have discovered a gem with the new ball. With youngsters like Shrikanth Wagh stepping up and performing at the big stage, Mr Subroto Roy has plenty of reasons to cheer about!
Kochi Tuskers Kerala:
Everything about the side has invoked a debate since inception. Be it their naming of the franchisee, the buys at the auction or some tactical decisions by skipper Mahela Jayawardene. A lackluster response at their base in Kochi is also seen as a potentially worrying sign. The side needs to lift their game by several notches, if they are to win back the hearts of the crowd. The team definitely oozes class but it needs to show on the scoreboard.
Many also felt that the Indian cricketers should have had more time to soak in the feeling of a World Cup triumph. Instead, they were in long room discussions with team owners, taking part in commercial activities as a part of their contractual obligations and, of course, getting to know their new team-mates.
If the glitz and glamour of the first three editions was anything to go by, it was only fair to have expected a similar start this season. But to the dismay of fans, the opening ceremony received a lukewarm response, an event which many felt lacked the 'Lalit Modi' touch.
Here is a brief into how each team has fared after playing two games apiece:
Kolkata Knight Riders:
New team composition, new captain but their fortunes remained unchanged after their first game against the defending champions – Chennai Super Kings. But the side bounced back pretty quickly to get their campaign back on track at Eden Gardens against Deccan Chargers. The telling blow, however, was a desperate attempt by the KKR management to woo fans, who obviously felt that their larger-than-life hero – Sourav Ganguly deserved to be treated better in their own city.
Chennai Super Kings:
They lived up to their reputation by clinching a victory from the jaws of defeat against KKR. On the lighter side, Anirudh Srikanth's candid confession about him batting with more sense than his dad, was the highlight of the game. However, against Gilly's KXIP, they ran into some rough weather. Dhoni's helicopter shot and Murali Vijay's flamboyance, amidst the serenity of Subramaniam Badrinath, wasn't enough to get past the line.
Rajasthan Royals:
The team management's move to leave the tactical decisions to spin wizard Shane Warne has certainly paid rich dividends. With an inspirational leader, backed by 'The Wall' – Rahul Dravid and Ross Taylor, the team seems to have found a new direction. With two sparkling wins, and the dangerous Shane Watson yet to arrive, things can only keep getting better and better.
Deccan Chargers:
Kumar Sangakkara's men have a lot of catching up to do. The home ground jinx continues as the side is yet to win in Hyderabad since the inception of the IPL in 2008. It would be interesting to see how the side picks up after twin defeats of massive proportion.
Royal Challengers Bangalore:
The side which has imported their star power from Delhi registered a facile win against the debutants Kochi Tuskers, but were given a wake-up call against the Mumbai Indians at home. Billed as a marquee clash, the game itself turned out to be as one sided as it could ever get. The bowling, sans Vettori, has lacked potency, and will need a quick turn-around to improve their fortunes.
Mumbai Indians:
Fans who were hoping for a Symo-Bhajji peace treaty will have to wait just a little longer, as the Queenslander picked up a shoulder niggle before the start of their season. With their campaign off to a spectacular start, the side wears a determined look, in order to make up for their disappointment of 2010. Tendulkar's generosity in handing over the Man-of-the-match award to young turk Ambati Rayudu after their win against RCB will be etched in our memories for a long time.
Kings XI Punjab:
Preity Zinta's enthusiasm was the best thing about their opening game against Pune Warriors, which they lost by a massive margin. But one man decided to change the direction of their ship with a whirlwind century in their second outing against the defending champs. If the only 'Paul' you knew until now was 'Paul – The octopus', you could add Paul Valthaty to that list now. He became just the fouth Indian player after Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan and Murali Vijay to score a century in the glitzy league.
Delhi Daredevils:
Touted to be one of the weakest sides, Delhi have started in a disastrous fashion. The team's fortunes seems to be hinged on only skipper Virender Sehwag's shoulder at the moment. However, their effort to defend a modest 96 against Mumbai must be appreciated. The batting looks brittle, but things can change if their skipper can fire at the top. With twin losses, it would take a lot of motivation to fight back from the doldrums.
Pune Warriors:
Yuvraj's life has taken a giant leap post the World Cup, and whatever he touches seems to turn into gold at the moment. With the right mix of explosive power, timing and deft touches, their batting appears to be the most polished. In Alfonso Thomas, they have discovered a gem with the new ball. With youngsters like Shrikanth Wagh stepping up and performing at the big stage, Mr Subroto Roy has plenty of reasons to cheer about!
Kochi Tuskers Kerala:
Everything about the side has invoked a debate since inception. Be it their naming of the franchisee, the buys at the auction or some tactical decisions by skipper Mahela Jayawardene. A lackluster response at their base in Kochi is also seen as a potentially worrying sign. The side needs to lift their game by several notches, if they are to win back the hearts of the crowd. The team definitely oozes class but it needs to show on the scoreboard.
