Time to stop thinking of international cricket for now and get colored in the T20 glitz and glamour albeit not in India but in faraway land of SA. The land where India won T20 World cup in 2007, land where they lost ODI series 0-4, their worst in years, the land where they made Paul Harris look like GOD Harris in Capetown, the land where they almost won the World Cup in 2003. And now the Indian players disintegrated to the city loyalties play against each other and hope to have prepared for the defense of their title in England soon after. Indians have not been good defenders of their title. Only time they went in to the defense of their title in 1987, they lost in their own home turf against England. And this time they go to England to defend their T20 title. What would happen to IPL if India fail to win the T20 again? Will it survive to see the season 3? Will the hype be the same as it has been for Season 1 and 2?
India haven’t fared well in their last 3 T20s. Almost lost to SL in SL and then lost the next 2 to Kiwis in Kiwi land. I am not sure how the IPL would be ideal preparation for World T20. Dancing to the tunes of bosses of the franchisees who know nothing on the game of the cricket, who ask fast bowler to spin more than to swing more or run in harder to bowl wouldn’t prepare the Indians to the World T20 title defense. Fir bhi yeh India ka cricket he boss. Yaha kuch bhi ho sakta hain. There is no clear cut favorite for World T20 either. SA have won 2 and lost 2. Aussies ditto. Indians won 1 and lost 2, England and WI are inconsistent. Pakistan are no more strong and SL is in shock with what happened in their tour to Pakistan. So it could be India, SA, Aus and one of Eng / NZ in the semis.
For now lets stop worrying about World T20 and bother about:
· KP vs Ray Jennings. Both are shot tempered and egoistic. Add Vijay Mallaya to it. What does RD do in here in the team of his city ? And heck will Anil play?
· Sachin Tendulkar in MI. Will he continue his supreme form in Tests and ODIs to this format he doesn’t like? Will his presence along with Bhajji and Jaya turn the tables? How good the partnership of Sach and Sanath be? The two of most destructive openers of ODI cricket.
· Saurav Ganguly ? Will he be the captain entire tourney or he would reduce to a strategist in the next game after being captain in one.
· Sehwag leading DD to final ?
· How close Yuvi and Zinta babes go?
· And finally will the maverick Warne spin his magic once again?
Let the tamasha begin..
India haven’t fared well in their last 3 T20s. Almost lost to SL in SL and then lost the next 2 to Kiwis in Kiwi land. I am not sure how the IPL would be ideal preparation for World T20. Dancing to the tunes of bosses of the franchisees who know nothing on the game of the cricket, who ask fast bowler to spin more than to swing more or run in harder to bowl wouldn’t prepare the Indians to the World T20 title defense. Fir bhi yeh India ka cricket he boss. Yaha kuch bhi ho sakta hain. There is no clear cut favorite for World T20 either. SA have won 2 and lost 2. Aussies ditto. Indians won 1 and lost 2, England and WI are inconsistent. Pakistan are no more strong and SL is in shock with what happened in their tour to Pakistan. So it could be India, SA, Aus and one of Eng / NZ in the semis.
For now lets stop worrying about World T20 and bother about:
· KP vs Ray Jennings. Both are shot tempered and egoistic. Add Vijay Mallaya to it. What does RD do in here in the team of his city ? And heck will Anil play?
· Sachin Tendulkar in MI. Will he continue his supreme form in Tests and ODIs to this format he doesn’t like? Will his presence along with Bhajji and Jaya turn the tables? How good the partnership of Sach and Sanath be? The two of most destructive openers of ODI cricket.
· Saurav Ganguly ? Will he be the captain entire tourney or he would reduce to a strategist in the next game after being captain in one.
· Sehwag leading DD to final ?
· How close Yuvi and Zinta babes go?
· And finally will the maverick Warne spin his magic once again?
Let the tamasha begin..
