IPL started this year with a rather casual note, tending to lose its shine and glamour even with everyone’s utmost endeavour to keep it floating. When it seemed that the leverage of 6-year journey of the mega show is showing a negative trend towards the cricket fans, came some cheesy situations that completely changed the scenario in its favour. Two super over wins for Bangalore, Chennai getting most of the wins in the ultimate over of the match, Pollard dropping Hussey 3 times in a single over and himself gets dropped the same number of times in another match, deliberate-looking outs, and the huge pandemonium surrounding the spot-fixing racket: all added up to garner at least some of the lost interest.
The most important drawback, however, is the lack of display of action from many of the heavyweight cricketers who missed the limelight for some reason or other. Leading the list in the category of injury-driven players is Kevin Peterson, who appeared only in news and newspaper columns for his team and offered the Daredevils a hard time to make up for the huge gap in the middle order. Signing Michael Clarke was one of the bright news for PWI until the Australia series, where his injury confirmed that he will eventually miss this season. Other members of the same team including Yuvraj and Taylor are occasional members of the playing squad with reasons shroud with mystery.
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The previous highest individual score record holder of the shortest format had to roam about in the side-lines the whole season while KKR leaned towards the bottom three with a dismal performance that questioned their ability of being the title defender. Spin wizard Murali was seen only during the Kingfisher ad throughout the IPL and showed signs of quitting the game eventually, quietly unlike the open announcements from Dravid and Tendulkar.
Worthwhile decisions weren’t unheard of, too. Ponting and Sangakkara ended their team’s skipper-trouble by opting their way out to younger players which bore playoff tickets and eventually the coveted trophy for Mumbai Indians. With Ponting’s departure, Rohit Sharma slipped in the shoes of captaincy and carried his team through to the final with some cunning decisions and pertaining strategies. Out of nowhere came utility players in the form of Sammy and the discarded Australian quick Mitchelle Jhonson. None thought of Mohit Sharma bowling the first over of the tournament finale or of David Miller(or anyone in the real world) to outshine Gayle in a match and single handily taking Punjab home in a difficult chase. Chris Morris, Dinesh Kartik, Amit Mishra opened eyes of many and Dravid talked through his bat persistently and saw his heavyweight-free team off to a Champions League berth.
The scenario changed quiet unexpectedly in the last one and half week when everybody’s hypothesis regarding spot-fixing became a proven theorem after Mr. controversial Sreesanth finally reached his height of controversy, being arrested on grounds of the shameful act that had hit India previously during Azharrudin’s regime. Cctv footages gave in Sreesanth and two of his teammates from Rajasthan Royals, Chavan and Chandila. Suspects from Bollywood to underworld came under lights with the arrest of Vindoo Dara Singh, who revealed names of several involved bookies and that of the Chennai owner, Meiyappan. BCCI interference came through and Srinivasan’s throne suffered a brief scare of getting detached from his owner’s butt. Finally, the greatest irony came on the last day when Chennai was named as the recipient of the Fair play award even when their owner was knee deep in the spot-fixing scandal.
Although, cricket became the unfortunate loser in the battle over money; the dramatic finale and tourney-winners Mumbai sought solace on their first trophy and the last ever for Tendulkar to place his hands on. It’s good to see that even after so many years, all cricketing paths eventually lead to the legendary Master from India.
