I think one of the enduring images of the Tamil Nadu Premier League and for how cricket unifies people across borders is the image of #DeanJones, #BrettLee and #MathewHayden wearing veshtis and greeting fans on the streets of Chennai. Match #6 of the IP 2020 between KXIP and RCB was shadowed by the passing of #DeanJones who suffered a massive heart attack at the hotel in Mumbai. He was not just a legendary cricketer for Australia but a true ambassador for the game. Who can forget his double century in searing heat at the tied test in Chennai in 1986.
Meanwhile, Covid claims yet another victim in the form of #SPBalasubramanyam. 40,000 songs in 16 languages over a career spanning four and a half decades is mammoth! As my friend in Oslo, #KiranVenkatesh says, It’s like your own relative is no more. How we wish this year would get over soon!
ASHOK’s FIVE reviews Match #6 of the IPL 2020 KXIP versus RCB.
Karnataka versus Bangalore
Its amazing how KXIP could well stand for the Karnataka eleven. Led by coach #AnilKumble, the team stars many of the kannada boys led by #LokeshRahul. For the captain himself, this was a contest against his own national captain #ViratKohli. And of course, the battle off the ground between Kumble and Kohli – life comes a full circle.
KL Shine like a diamond
They say form is temporary, class is permanent. I am glad the selectors did well in putting their faith in Rahul. Today, he came into his own, striking 132 off 69 balls. Clean strokes, never ungainly, never heaves but all class. He has matured so well – it’s like Rahul Dravid 2.0! Diwali came early to Dubai this year.
Indian Punishment League
I talked about how the 19-20-year olds are giving the 26-27-year-olds a run for their money in this IPL. Augurs well for the future of Indian cricket. However, the other striking feature of this edition of IPL is the way the teams batting first are winning on the strength of a blitzkrieg from one or two batsmen. The bowlers seem to be taking the rough end of the stick and not one bowler seems to have found his mojo yet. Rabada? Hmm let’s wait for the match against CSK.
Kolli…aye kolli…catch pakad
Bad day in office and a rare one at that with the Indian skipper dropping two. Most fans I presume would not enjoy that sight too much, Gavaskar and his comments notwithstanding. More than the misses, I think the lacklustre body language of the skipper and the team is worrying for RCB in the competition ahead.
In T20, Every ball is an event
As I watched RCB collapse listlessly, the other thing that I couldn’t help musing on is that in T20 cricket, every ball is an event. Almost like the episode in a web-series that you are binging on. You remember Tests from the day on which a lot of action happened and sometimes the session; you recollect ODIs from the innings and perhaps the powerplay versus the rest but in T20, a story unfolds in every ball. Which is why the IPL is akin to any other show that you would binge-watch.
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