IPL becomes more explosive

The Indian Premier League (IPL), which started seven years back as just another league, has now become a phenomenon that everybody loves to be associated with in whichever capacity.

As a cricket league its popularity has soared to phenomenal levels, the doomsday predictions by the prophets of doom and critics notwithstanding.

After all, as a sportainment it ranks foremost among every other event related to cricket and beats the coverage and viewership for Ashes by a mile.

It attracts the finest of contemporary cricketers from across the globe. The star-studded extravaganza where regular opponents share the dressing room adds to the spice and makes for a dream marketing tool, which is exactly what it has become. Brand IPL is the biggest thing to happen to the sport since the Pajama cricket was innovated and introduced by Kerry Packer.

IPL’s excitement does not cease despite the controversies and scandals that are happening dime a dozen.

And if the recently-concluded auctions are any indication, it is set for one of the most competitive season ahead.

517 players were set to go under the hammer this season- including the uncapped players for the first time in seven editions. Unlike the first six seasons, the owners were now smarter in their purchases and some of them (read Kolkata Knight Riders) went to the extent of using specially designed software to assist them in their purchases.

From flamboyant southpaw Yuvraj Singh’s record sale, to no bids for Lankans Mahela Jayawardane and Kumar Sangakkara, the two-day auction of the seventh edition was a roller-coaster unlike any other.

Kings XI Punjab was undoubtedly the best performers in the auction. The mantra was simple-maintain a low profile and bag the players who are absolutely needed. Having retained Australian star batsmen David Miller and last season’s uncapped sensation Manan Vohra, they added teeth to their bowling attack by bagging in-form Mitchell Johnson. They also got their hands of devastating Virender Sehwag, who many would say is a tricky buy considering his form with the Delhi Ranji team. But they looked like a side with a plan when they added more firepower to their batting bagging Australian Glen Maxwell and Cheteshwar Pujara. With match winners like Shaun Marsh and Thisara Perera in their ranks backed by good uncapped talent, Kings XI are undoubtedly favourites going into the league, irrespective of where it is played.

Royal Challengers Bangalore on the other hand is adopting a completely different strategy. Their outing in the auctions was larger-than-life when they roped in cancer-survivor Yuvraj Singh for a whooping Rs 14 crore, inarguably the highest ever price ever ion IPL history.

Keeping in mind the fact that they have hitters like Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli already in their ranks, all they need to do is fire and become a bowlers’ nightmare. Yes, bowling is a concern for them, but if the big guns fire, that absence can be suitably and effectively dealt with.

Interestingly, the Sunrisers Hyderabad too made good buys maintaining a low profile. They might look like a good team considering the conditions in India. But with the fire power they have in the bowling led by Dale Steyn, they are serious contenders for the title if IPL is shifted to South Africa. Strengthened by the entry of Aaron Finch and David Warner, the Hyderabad team looks like it has knitted a balanced combination.

The Rajasthan Royals will be the team to watch, like always. They do not have any big names apart from Shane Watson. But that has always been the case. The team thrives on scouting good Indian players and considering they spent more money bagging the uncapped players, they certainly are capable of pulling out a surprise or two, just like they did in the first season.

Delhi Daredevils, who went in to the auctions with the maximum amount of money to spend having dissolved their entire team, managed to raise a few eyebrows with the way they spent it. The biggest surprise was bagging discard Dinesh Karthik for Rs 12.5 crore. Certainly he is a match winner, but the price he was bought for is way out of bounds. They do have a wounded tiger in Kevin Petersen and stylish Kiwi batman Ross Taylor in their ranks, but with the kind of money they had, they could have done much more.

A huge let down in the auction though was world’s fastest centurion Corey Anderson. Though he defined his purchase for Rs 4.5 crore by Mumbai Indians as a ‘life changing event’, much more money was expected to flow in for him. Mumbai, who are the defending champions, were not a very active side in the auction because they preferred to keep their trust with the players who won them the title last year and used full retention powers. With the likes of Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma and Lasith Malinga already in their ranks, they were just adding packing more explosives for the season ahead.

Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings were the quieter franchises. Having said that, both have enough players to turn the table at any time and win them matches. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the silence in the auctions might be the lull before the storm.

A huge let down though was the Sri Lankans going unsold. While the word is that it was because of their non-alliance with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the ICC overhaul, the primary reason is their non-availability for majority of the season.

All said and done, no matter where the league is played, no matter who wins it, it will be eye candy for cricket lovers when eight equally poised yet unique teams fight it out to take home the title, including some for the first time.