- Reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders retained their core team ahead of the 2015 auctions, and heading in to IPL 8, there is no doubt they will be pose a major threat to other teams
- Never have KKR been labelled favourites ahead of the season, but the most popular team of IPL somehow finds ways to defeat the odds and stitch together inspiring performances that has seen them win the title twice
with the kind of form the key players of the squad are enjoying, a repeat of the 2014 season is high on the cards. © BCCI
It is not wise to change a winning combination and reigning IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders retained their core team ahead of the 2015 auctions, and heading in to IPL 8, there is no doubt KKR will be pose a major threat to other teams. Never have KKR been labelled favourites ahead of the season, but the most popular team of IPL somehow finds ways to defeat the odds and stitch together inspiring performances that has seen them win the title twice. After three below-par seasons, KKR, under the aggressive leadership of Gautam Gambhir started to soar high that saw them become only the second team to lift the IPL trophy twice. KKR have made Eden Gardens their fortress and with a close-knit group of players, they have a real chance at the title this year too.
Captain: Gautam Gambhir
Coach: Trevor Bayliss
Previous IPL standings: 2008 6th, 2009 8th, 2010 - 6th, 2011 - Play-offs, 2012 Winners, 2013 7th, 2014 - Winners
How they fared in IPL 7: KKR began the tournament with a convincing win over defending champions Mumbai Indians, but narrow defeats to Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals (via Super Over) meant they left from the UAE in a precarious situation, especially with Gambhir's opening form being a worry. And once they lost two more after returning to India, they had to turn things around and quickly.
Tough decisions were taken; to leave out a player of Jacques Kallis' pedigree was a big gamble but it worked. Robin Uthappa's elevation to the opening slot was a master-stroke as he found his rhythm, as did Gambhir in his company. And once victory came in Delhi, they went from strength to strength, eventually peaking at the right time to launch an unstoppable winning run.
New Additions: James Neesham (replaced by Azhar Mahmood later), Brad Hogg, Aditya Garhwal, Sumit Narwal, KC Cariappa, Sheldon Jackson, Vaibhav Rawal, Johan Botha
Key players: With Sunil Nairne cleared by the BCCI, KKR will be banking on the mystery spinner to deliver the goods once again, provided his change of action still makes him a potent weapon. The biggest strength for KKR have been their strong pool of Indian players and in Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Umesh Yadav, Yusuf Pathan, Suryakumar Yadav, Veer Pratap Singh and of course skipper Gambhir, they have a solid unit who are match-winners in their own right, complemented by the overseas recruits. Robin Uthappa's stellar form with the bat started in IPL last year, and he has been able to sustain it by becoming the highest run-getter in the Ranji Trophy, and a lot will be expected of him. Umesh Yadav's recent form with the ball will also augur well for KKR, but Narine remains the biggest match-winner for the Kolkata-based franchise.
Chances in IPL 8: With a comparatively smaller squad than other teams, KKR's belief of sticking to a settled squad will present them with the best chance in IPL 8. By retaining most of their players, KKR are going with a tried and tested method and even though they do not have a big match-winner in their list of new additions, players like Hogg give them enough reinforcements. Last year, KKR had found themselves in embarrassing situations with some ridiculous batting collapses and though they overcame that, this year they will be hoping to avoid such circumstances. The unavailability of Shakib Al Hasan after the first two games will hurt KKR and they will bank on Johan Botha or Azhar Mahmood to fill that spot. The talk of the 2015 auctions KC Karippa, brought for Rs 2.4 crore, will in all likelihood warm the bench.
Prediction: Being the reigning champions, KKR should make it to the finals, and with the kind of form the key players of the squad are enjoying, a repeat of the 2014 season is high on the cards.
Squad: Gautam Gambhir (c), Azhar Mahmood, Andre Russell, Manish Pandey, Kuldeep Yadav, Morne Morkel, Suryakumar Yadav, Piyush Chawla, Patrick Cummins, Ryan ten Doeschate, Robin Uthappa, Sunil Narine, Shakib Al Hasan, Veer Pratap Singh, Umesh Yadav, Johan Botha, Yusuf Pathan, Aditya Garhwal, Brad Hogg, KC Cariappa, Sumit Narwal, Vaibhav Rawal, Sheldon Jackson
Rajeev Shukla returns as IPL governing council c
- Shukla, who replaced Ranjib Biswal as the chairman of IPL, had resigned from the post after the 2013 spot-fixing scandal broke out
- Shukla was the IPL chairman before Biswal took over in 2013, and this time is joined by Sourav Ganguly and Ravi Shastri in the governing council
Earlier, Shukla was in line for a top BCCI post, but he had lost the BCCI elections for the treasurer's post to Anirudh Chaudhary. © BCCL
Rajeev Shukla was appointed chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday.
Shukla, who replaced Ranjib Biswal as the chairman of IPL, had resigned from the post after the 2013 spot-fixing scandal broke out. Shukla was the IPL chairman before Biswal took over in 2013.Former India captains Sourav Ganguly and Ravi Shastri were also included in the IPL governing council.
Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, who was sacked for financial bungling in IPL, took a dig at Rajeev Shukla just moment after announcement was made.
"Shukla is the next IPL chairman," a BCCI office-bearer told TOI on Sunday. TOI reported on Saturday on how the BCCI was debating over three choices on who would be the next IPL chairman.
If former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly had the backing of BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya, former BCCI chief N Srinivasan was behind Biswal while the Sharad Pawar faction was solidly behind Ajay Shirke.
But with no solution in sight, BCCI picked Shukla as a consensus candidate.
Earlier, Shukla was in line for a top BCCI post, but he had lost the BCCI elections for the treasurer's post to Anirudh Chaudhary.
Technically, BCCI should have appointed the IPL chairman and the members of the governing council (GC) on the day its AGM was held last month. But they couldn't reach a decision
IPL countdown: Top moments, Part 2
Since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League has captured the imagination of the cricketing world with its in-your-face entertainment quotient. The excitement of a new season is heightened several notches due to the progressive success of the preceding editions. Over the years, the tournament has witnessed moments of unparalleled joy, heartbreaks, outstanding individual performances, inexplicable gaffes. Cricbuzz takes a trip down memory lane and pulls out 15 golden moments from the seven previous seasons to kindle your anticipation for the gala event.
The second part of the countdown features a 37-run over, a butter-fingered fielder, a Rhodes impersonator, a tied super-over and a sledging mismatch. Read on...
10. A 37-run over
Little known Kochi Tuskers' left-arm medium-pacer Prashanth Parameswaran infamously shot into limelight during the 2011 season for conceding the most runs in an over in IPL history -37! Defending a measly total of 125 on a road of a pitch in Bangalore, Mahela Jayawardene's KTK side needed early breakthroughs. RP Singh, Ramesh Powar and Parmeswaran are hardly the bowlers to send shivers down the rival dug-out and as it turned out RCB's opening batsman Chris Gayle and Tillakaratne Dilshan were in no mood to stretch the run-chase. Dilshan milked 20 off a Powar over before Gayle stepped up. He feasted on the Parameswaran's cannon-fodder like deliveries and dispatched him to all parts of the small Bangalore ground. First two deliveries (second was a no-ball) flew over point for sixes. Balls two and three disappeared for four past mid-wicket and cover respectively before Gayle revved up for more. The fourth ball was dispatched over cover for six before the next was sent back towards the sight-screen for another maximum. Even the gods wanted to see more of the Gayle storm as the final delivery took the inside edge and slipped past the keeper for four taking the count to 37 in the over. RCB had raced to 66 in the three overs and the chase was almost done.
9. Smith pulls off super over miracle
Steven Smith's meteoric rise to the top of the batting charts has been well documented. Coming in after a successful 5-0 Ashes win, Steven Smith lit up the seventh edition of the IPL in the 2014 season with some wonderful displays on the field. Against Gautam Gambhir's KKR in Abu Dhabi, uber cool Smith played the nonchalance card to perfection and brought home two points for Rajasthan Royals in a tense super-over finish. After James Faulkner pulled a rabbit out of the hat in the 19th over of KKR's chase and helped tie the game, it was the turn of fellow Australians Smith and Shane Watson to chase down 11 in the one over eliminator for victory. Bowling to them was ace-spinner Sunil Narine. Narine conceded two singles and a two off his first three deliveries before Watson hoicked one towards cow corner for a four. The batsman swung hard at the fifth ball but succeeded in getting just a single. With three required off the last ball, Smith walked out and quietly nudged the ball towards extra cover and jogged back for two. Despite the super-over ending in a tie, RR picked up the win on account of having hit more boundaries. Gambhir was left unimpressed even as Watson and Smith celebrated.
8. Third time's not the charm
Kieron Pollard has perhaps been singularly responsible for raising the fielding standards in IPL but in a league encounter against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in 2013, the Trinidadian experienced a rare butter-fingered day on the field, much to the surprise of everyone in attendance. Defending a sub-par 139, Mumbai relied on early breakthroughs from ace paceman Mitchell Johnson and he looked every bit in the mood to give them that, except Pollard on the field was feeling particularly giving. Off the fourth ball of the chase, CSK opener Mike Hussey cut a short delivery towards point where Pollard was stationed. With the ball flying quickly off the blade, Pollard succeeded in only palming it to the boundary. A missed chance. The next ball, identical to the previous one, was cut straight at Pollard and not as hard it had been on the previous occasion. Pollard, looking to take it in front of his stomach, somehow spilled it. Again. Johnson couldn't believe it. His disbelief turned to anguish when the action replayed itself a third time off the very next delivery. Short and wide - cut to Pollard - spilled. All Pollard could do, at the end of one of the most ridiculous passage of play, was to give a sheepish smile. Thankfully for him though, Mike Hussey and CSK were in an equally giving mood themselves and fell apart soon after to hand MI, the win.
7. He's only a boy
The format of IPL is such that it can throw up strange contests. To quote a boxing metaphor, only in the IPL can a cruiser-weight take on a heavyweight. The final of the second edition of the tournament between the now defunct Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore witnessed one such incident that pitted a relative unknown - Manish Pandey against a seasoned veteran, Andrew Symonds. Pandey who had shot into limelight just a few matches prior to the final by becoming the first Indian to score an IPL hundred, also against DC, was identified as one of the key men capable of leading RCB's chase of 143. As Pandey walked out to open the batting, Symonds followed the young batsman all the way to the pitch, muttering away looking to psyche him out of the game. Symonds' antics prompted Harsha Bhogle on air to exclaim "Symonds should pick on someone his own size. He's (Pandey) only a boy." Symonds' tirade continued well into the first over of the chase as Pandey drove the first delivery he faced towards Symonds at cover. Symonds' sledge worked as Pandey made only 4 runs off 8 balls before falling to Pragyan Ohja. DC then went on to claim a memorable win and became the second team to win the IPL.
6. Yuvi does a Jonty
Mumbai Indians, the most expensive IPL franchise, got off to a slow start in the opening edition of the tournament, a predicament owed largely due to the untimely injury to Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan's suspension following 'slap-gate'. Their campaign gained momentum mid-way through the tournament under the stewardship of Shaun Pollock and at one point MI were firm favourites to grab the final semi-final berth before they stumbled their way out of the reckoning following three successive defeats. Going into their home game against KXIP on a six-match winning streak, Mumbai looked set to chase down Punjab's 189 with Tendulkar leading the way with a sterling half-century. His run-out with 30 to get off 3 overs turned the tide back in Punjab's favour who skittled through the MI middle order in rapid succession. MI were seven down and needed 19 off the final over bowled by VRV Singh. Siddharth Chitnis slapped a waist high full toss (no ball) for six before getting a four of the next. The equation was reduced to a more comfortable 8 off 5 before the inexperienced MI batsmen committed hara-kiri. Chitnis and Dilhara Fernando got run-out looking to pinch an extra run and last man Vikrant Yeligati walked in with 4 to get off 2. He got two off the penultimate ball to reduce the equation to 2 off 1. Yeligati then hit the last ball to mid-off and scampered for a single. Yuvraj Singh, the fielder, scooped on to the ball and flung himself at the stump ala Jonty Rhodes, effected the run-out and set out on a celebratory run around the Wankhede Stadium much to chagrin of the home fans.
© Cricbuzz
0 comments: