Kohli jinx to Indian talent: Five things we learned from IPL
The Indian Premier League ended with debutants Gujarat Titans hammering Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in front of almost 105,000 fans at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
By Eastern EyeMay 30, 2022
AFP Sport looks at five things we learned from the 15th edition of the Twenty20 tournament, which was expanded to 10 teams this year.
Kohli's jinx
Former India captain Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bangalore's wait for their first IPL title dragged on after they went down to Rajasthan in the second qualifier.
Kohli endured a tough season that included three golden ducks -- out on first ball -- before he scored a match-winning 73 in the team's final league game. He averaged 22.73 across the tournament, his lowest since the 2010 season.
Coach Mike Hesson says that Kohli, 33, nevertheless remains an "influential character" who brought the senior players together and took care of the youngsters in the Faf du Plessis-led side.
But former players including Brett Lee feel the usually game-changing batsman should take a break to "freshen up the mind".
Debut success
Gujarat Titans emphatically shrugged off pundits' concerns about their squad at the end of the February auction to emerge as the team to beat in their debut season.
Hardik Pandya, who was called an unlikely choice to lead the side because of his maverick ways and injury-prone career, combined with South African David Miller, Indian batsman Rahul Tewatia and Afghan spinner Rashid Khan to become champions.
The IPL 2022 winning team of Gujarat Titans(Photo/Twitter: @gujarat_titans)
Pandya's all-round showing in Sunday's final, three wickets with the ball and 34 runs with the bat, capped a fairytale run that began by beating fellow newcomers Lucknow Super Giants in the league phase.
Lucknow also impressed on their debut season in finishing third in the regular-season standings, before losing to Royal Challengers in an eliminator.
Evergreen Dhoni
Old warhorse M.S. Dhoni had a dramatic year for four-time champions Chennai Super Kings, who ended ninth in the table.
The 40-year-old gave up the captaincy ahead of the season but returned to lead the side midway through the campaign after Ravindra Jadeja stood down with Chennai's form faltering.
The veteran wicketkeeper-batsman not only got some wins for Chennai but also played a few vintage knocks that galvanised their supporters.
Chennai ended last but one in the table, their lowest-ever ranking, but in his final league game Dhoni promised fans he would be "back next year".
Indian talent
While foreign stars including Jos Buttler at Rajasthan Royals and Quinton de Kock at Lucknow Super Giants were vital to the success of their teams, emerging Indian talent made its presence felt this season.
Sunrisers Hyderabad speed demon Umran Malik emerged as a future star and earned a place in the Indian T20 team alongside up-and-coming medium-fast bowler Arshdeep Singh of Punjab Kings.
Left-arm quick Mohsin Khan stood out for Lucknow with 14 wickets in nine matches at an economy rate of under six. Former West Indies seamer Ian Bishop called him a "terrific" prospect for the Indian team alongside Umran.
Spin rules
Spinners including Yuzvendra Chahal and Wanindu Hasaranga ruled the roost this edition despite Umran grabbing the headlines by clocking speeds of over 150 kilometres (93 miles) per hour.
Rajasthan's Chahal finished with 27 scalps with his leg spin to secure the purple cap as the tournament's leading bowler.
Bangalore's Sri Lankan import Hasaranga reached 26 wickets in the second qualifier but the team bowed out of the tournament.
Afghan wizard Rashid embellished his T20 reputation, taking 19 wickets to be one of four spinners in the top 10 bowlers this IPL. Delhi Capitals' Kuldeep Yadav claimed 21.
AUSTRALIAN cricket fans could be watching Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in an ODI for the last time when India tour Australia for a three-match series starting in Perth on Sunday.
Between them, Kohli, 36, and Rohit, 38, have played close to 600 one-day internationals. Both are currently active only in the 50-over format, but their future beyond this series remains uncertain.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir did not comment when asked this week whether the two senior players would continue under new ODI captain Shubman Gill, who will lead the side for the first time in Australia.
Kohli and Rohit last featured for India in the Champions Trophy final in March, when they defeated New Zealand.
If this turns out to be their final international series, the pair will play in front of large Indian-origin crowds in Perth, Adelaide (October 23), and Sydney (October 25).
Several Australian Test players, including batter Travis Head and pacers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, will use the ODI series as preparation for the upcoming Ashes.
The matches will mark Starc’s first appearance in international cricket this Australasian summer after his T20 retirement.
Marnus Labuschagne, drafted in to replace injured all-rounder Cameron Green, will look to continue his strong red-ball form in the white-ball format to strengthen his case for an Ashes recall.
Labuschagne, who was dropped from the Test squad for the West Indies tour, has returned to form with consecutive centuries in the Sheffield Shield for Queensland.
Cricket Australia said on Friday that Green had been ruled out of the ODI series due to “low grade side soreness” sustained in training and would likely return for domestic cricket.
He joins captain Pat Cummins on the sidelines, with Cummins yet to recover from lower back bone stress that could keep him out of the start of the Ashes.
Australia will also miss wicketkeeper Alex Carey for the Perth opener against India, along with spinner Adam Zampa.
Josh Philippe will take the gloves, while left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann gets a rare opportunity in Zampa’s absence.
The ODI series will be followed by a five-match T20I series starting in Canberra on October 29 as both teams prepare for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next year.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.