KKR critically

IPL-4 is in full swing, with KKR having started on a different note this time. The bowling department seems to have more teeth with the inclusion of Kallis and the pacer with four slower deliveries in an over and nowadays even does a slow bouncer, Balaji.

SRK can be seen in the VIP box with a solemn expression. Earlier the man who cheered every single run does not even smile on a four. What else can one expect after the last three disastrous versions of the IPL? He sits with a gloomy countenance that symbolizes apathy. An occasional six brings back his idiosyncratic ‘flying kiss’. If it’s a win, the post match celebration captures his ostensible smile; beaming is out of the question.

The exclusion of Ganguly reduced the Eden crowd enormously. His stern followers believe that this act of KKR snubs Ganguly’s contribution to cricket and quite rightly so; if a player’s performance is the only benchmark, then he should be on the field since he has fared better than any other player in his team in the last version of IPL. Big international names not being able to deliver at the right moment was a major cause of KKR’s underperformance. Of course one cannot forget that our local players are not experienced enough to perform under pressure. Hot-blooded as ever, they cannot be relied upon for winning a tight match.

If the above written fact about Ganguly is true, then how come no other team bid for him. There can only be one reason. When Ganguly plays in an IPL team, it is difficult or rather outrageous to not make him the captain. Once he is the captain, the throne shifts from the management towards him. He becomes the key personality and most decisions are well influenced by him. This appalls team-owners. Thus the reasons that Ganguly is too aged and he is an underperformer are a mere travesty.

Let’s hope we get into the knockout stage this time but the slogan should be for now at least …

“korbo, lorbo tobe jitbo na harbo ta bolbo na re”.