Author: Atreyo Mukhopadhyay

A few months ago, before the 2023 edition of the IPL began, the Indian board had issued a media statement. Among other things, it mentioned that the National Cricket Academy (NCA) will work in collaboration with the IPL franchises and monitor the workload management of players expected to play in the World Test Championship final, which takes place soon after the completion of the tournament. Even during the recent series against Australia, India captain Rohit Sharma reiterated that. Not in the exact words as the board’s statement, but he said that workload management is crucial before the big Test and…

This was 2010. Wasim Akram was the bowling coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Speaking to the media, he used to mention the bowlers he had been impressed with. Along with the usual suspects, he would take the name of someone who was yet to make his first-class debut back then. “Shami acchha hai, dum hai usme [Shami is good, there’s spirit in him],” Akram would say. Scribes at times used to get confused why a legend like him was talking so glowingly about someone who was not even a rookie at the IPL level at that time. Forget KKR,…

Delhi Capitals kept their IPL season alive with a dramatic five-run victory over Gujarat Titans, the table-toppers, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. After Mohammed Shami’s sublime new-ball burst had wrecked Delhi’s top order, they showed considerable character to put 130 on the board. A multi-skilled and disciplined bowling display did the rest. Well done, Khaleel Talk about Khaleel Ahmed. The first and 18th overs. Those were match-turning moments. An India discard, the left-armer from Rajasthan was spot on with those 12 deliveries which cost four runs and fetched two crucial wickets. Defending 130 even on a sluggish pitch…

It was May 21, 2009. A lofted off-drive from Manish Pandey landed right in front of the media enclosure. That sixer made him the first Indian to score a century in the Indian Premier League. Fittingly, it happened at a venue called Supersport Park in Centurion, next to Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa. Because of that effort and due to the stupendous response the IPL got in South Africa on a whole, it became a global brand. It was a nascent concept until then. It had received a great response and TV ratings in 2008. But it was…

For most of this match, it was Rajasthan’s to lose. Yashasvi Jaiswal scored one of the most assured and polished centuries any Indian youngster has ever scored in the IPL, and R Ashwin then bowled a wonderful spell to tighten the grip. But Mumbai Indians stayed afloat, and Tim David pummelled 45 off just 14 balls to pull off the most sensational of run chases in the IPL’s 1000th game. It helped that Jason Holder dished out three juicy full tosses in the final over, with 17 needed. Here are our takeaways from a game fit for a special occasion. …

In the end, Abhishek Sharma’s all-round heroics proved enough to see off a Delhi Capitals side that rode on a superlative display from Mitchell Marsh to nearly chase down a target of 198. Ultimately, though, Sunrisers Hyderabad were able to avenge their loss to Delhi on home turf less than a week earlier. Here are our takeaways from the match. Abhishek’s day This was Abhishek’s match. No doubt. Yes, there were other performers but none like him. He batted, he bowled and he conquered. This was such a devastating and telling performance. First, he smashed the Delhi attack with an…

The performance of the Kolkata Knight Riders has disappointed the fans so far this season. Their chances of making it to the play-offs are slim. They may win a few more matches, but not even the diehard KKR supporter would say that they are serious contenders. Three wins and five defeats — the numbers show how improbable their prospects of making progress are. There are several reasons behind this. Improper squad selection, not having enough players who can make an impact, missing Shreyas Iyer due to injury, a rickety batting line-up, fast bowlers who are going for plenty — just…

Lucknow Super Giants moved up to second place in the IPL table with an emphatic 56-run victory over Punjab Kings. Along the way, they put up the second-biggest total in the competition’s history, 257-5. Here are our takeaways from the match. Crazy Mayers This was crazy from Kyle Mayers. We have seen batters going berserk, but this was absolutely bizarre. Hit anything and it goes out of the park, mostly from the middle of the bat. There is something called scientific hitting, and something else called unbelievable. That’s what the Barbados native pulled off. It was insane. Whatever he tried…

People used to call it an Old Age Home, an assortment of veterans who had no future and had only the past to talk about. This was not completely untrue if you looked at the names. Shane Watson, when he was well past his best-before date, Ambati Rayudu, long after he had slipped out of India reckoning, and Ashish Nehra, when everyone thought he was done. There are just a few examples. That’s what Chennai Super Kings opted for. The most consistent franchise in the history of the IPL – yes, Mumbai Indians have won the title more times –…

Is left not right? “No” is the answer, when it comes to left-arm orthodox spin bowling in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Bowlers of this type are low in demand in the most-watched cricket league in the world, and this has been a historical truth of sorts. Talk about spinners in the IPL and one will see leg-spinners calling the shots, along with right-arm finger spinners of the orthodox and unorthodox kind. They are in demand. They go for big money. Somehow, in a competition played in the country of Bishan Singh Bedi, bowlers of his variety are hard to…