- The ongoing Indian Premier League T20 tournament has not thrown a slew of unpredictable outcomes, even as the league crosses the half-way-mark. Yes, there have been some unbelievable performances on the cricket field, where a few of the unheralded batsmen have left behind an indelible mark courtesy of superlative pyrotechnics. Batsmen like Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Devon Conway, Ajinkya Rahane, Shivam Dube, Faf Du Plessis, Shubhman Gill, and a few others have scorched the cricket field through extraordinary performances. The slambang variety of the game usually favors the batsmen, and it is not surprising to have witnessed the bat completely dominating the ball till now. Of course, the paying public is not complaining either.
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- However, except for a few teams like the Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, and, to some extent, Rajasthan Royals, none of the teams have shown consistency or intent to tame their opponents. The Gujarat Titans, led by Hardik Pandya, are the defending champions and display consistency in their performance, giving the impression that they are a well-seasoned team. Yes, Dhoni’s CSK is slowly getting into its groove. The Lucknow outfit had a good beginning, but with the absence of captain KL Rahul, the team appears to have lost its balance as well as its intent to overwhelm the opposition. Similar to how the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s plan violates logic and convention in cricket, it appears to be on the verge of failure.
- The biggest disappointment must be the way five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians’ campaign has progressed so far. As is its wont, the Mumbai outfit started with a couple of successive losses but regrouped in between by successfully chasing down 200-plus scores, and again had to face the ignominy of losing in between. The inconsistency associated with the Mumbai Indians has got to do with the continuing failure of their batting mainstay and captain, Rohit Sharma. The Hitman simply looks lost, fatigued, and clueless with a constant smirk on his face while marshaling his resources on the field. Add to it the mediocre returns with the bat so far, and Rohit Sharma increasingly looks burdened with his demons, unable to break through the shackles.
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- No wonder MI is struggling to stay relevant in the absence of consistent performances. The Delhi Capitals and Sunsrisers Hyderabad have consistently performed below par, not only with their fans but with the franchise management as well. A lot was expected from the two teams, but the results on display are anything but welcoming. However, one of the standout features of this year’s IPL is the way teams are crossing 200-plus points with ease and chasing those targets too. The number of 200-plus scores amply demonstrates how the bat continues to dominate the ball with such nonchalance. Shortest format diehard fans are not complaining one bit as their craving for big scores is well satiated consistently.
