The long wait is over. The 56-match IPL preliminary league has run its course and the four semi-finalists have been spotted. Amidst the glamour of the cheerleaders, of whom the Deccan Chargers gang from Down Under were easily the best, and the glitz of Preity Zinta's pretty face beaming at every Punjab XI ball, there was a lot of good and enjoyable cricket.
Not all teams took the tensions well. Under pressure, the Mumbai Indians were the first to crack. They misfielded so often it would not have been considered funny even at an inter-college game. I think one reason why Sachin Tendulkar failed at captaincy was he got too intense on the field.
If the skipper is going to shout at his bowlers every ball, he could end up making them into nervous wrecks, which some of his young bowlers obviously were close to becoming. In Test cricket, Sachin used to press his best bowlers on virtually all day, taking them to breaking point pretty fast.
The difference between Azhar and Sachin was the former's was much the cooler presence at the helm. He allowed his bowlers to relax and try to deliver without more stress coming from undue intensity. Sachin lives every ball with the keen anticipation of a schoolboy at his first big inter-class final.
The last ball fumble of Sanath Jayasuriya could have happened to anyone. The best of thespians have been known to become putty when they step up to the big stage on Oscar night. The finest actors have also been known to suffer stage fright on opening day. Considering his age, Jayasuriya could be forgiven his lapse. He is as old as an amateur cricketers turning up for his office team on Saturday afternoon.
Shane Warne is not any less intense. He was there like the school coach shouting instructions from the sidelines, advising his batsmen to run the second come what may. The not so gentle reminder from an intense captain may have helped a couple of young and virtually unknown batsmen be prepared to run the second run regardless of the circumstances. Warne's timely advice changed the course of the tournament, for Mumbai at least.
Warne has a point about home team advantage. He dearly wished to eliminate Mumbai from the semi final equation because they would have had far too much one-sided support at key games in the knockout. The best two performing teams in the league have the right to demand home games in the knockout. IPL may not have thought too much on this aspect because it would have made logistical sense to fix the semis in advance regardless of who qualified.
Sehwag has such an impassive appearance as captain. I suspect that behind the inscrutable look is a kind of passivity regarding leadership. He was not at his strategic best when handling the reduced overs match situation against Punjab Kings XI and that is why his team was left in suspense over the last four spot that was finally gifted by fumbling Mumbai Indians. But what Delhi need most is his batting. If he can extend his stay into the 20th over, he will probably end up with a score in excess of 150.
Not all teams took the tensions well. Under pressure, the Mumbai Indians were the first to crack. They misfielded so often it would not have been considered funny even at an inter-college game. I think one reason why Sachin Tendulkar failed at captaincy was he got too intense on the field.
If the skipper is going to shout at his bowlers every ball, he could end up making them into nervous wrecks, which some of his young bowlers obviously were close to becoming. In Test cricket, Sachin used to press his best bowlers on virtually all day, taking them to breaking point pretty fast.
The difference between Azhar and Sachin was the former's was much the cooler presence at the helm. He allowed his bowlers to relax and try to deliver without more stress coming from undue intensity. Sachin lives every ball with the keen anticipation of a schoolboy at his first big inter-class final.
The last ball fumble of Sanath Jayasuriya could have happened to anyone. The best of thespians have been known to become putty when they step up to the big stage on Oscar night. The finest actors have also been known to suffer stage fright on opening day. Considering his age, Jayasuriya could be forgiven his lapse. He is as old as an amateur cricketers turning up for his office team on Saturday afternoon.
Shane Warne is not any less intense. He was there like the school coach shouting instructions from the sidelines, advising his batsmen to run the second come what may. The not so gentle reminder from an intense captain may have helped a couple of young and virtually unknown batsmen be prepared to run the second run regardless of the circumstances. Warne's timely advice changed the course of the tournament, for Mumbai at least.
Warne has a point about home team advantage. He dearly wished to eliminate Mumbai from the semi final equation because they would have had far too much one-sided support at key games in the knockout. The best two performing teams in the league have the right to demand home games in the knockout. IPL may not have thought too much on this aspect because it would have made logistical sense to fix the semis in advance regardless of who qualified.
Sehwag has such an impassive appearance as captain. I suspect that behind the inscrutable look is a kind of passivity regarding leadership. He was not at his strategic best when handling the reduced overs match situation against Punjab Kings XI and that is why his team was left in suspense over the last four spot that was finally gifted by fumbling Mumbai Indians. But what Delhi need most is his batting. If he can extend his stay into the 20th over, he will probably end up with a score in excess of 150.
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