Indian Premier League (IPL)

[Kumar]

I think entertainment is designed to be an escape from real world. What do we expect people to do?
There are lot of websites that have dedicated COVID coverage. Our forum was supposed to be sports only forum, so don’t see anything wrong with talking sports primarily while occasionally dabbling in other less important subjects

[Atithee]

I understand that this is a sports forum and entertainment has a value, arguably even more in these times when it’s all negative news. IPL can prove to be a distraction, keep people in their homes, provide livelihood for players and non players alike, .....

I get all of this. But, surely BCCI can put profit away for a while and think of how it can help India. This is not the time to find alternate sites for IPL. There was no need to host it in the first place.

I may be the only one who thinks this way. I understand rest of you may not.

[Kumar]

I understand your point of view. The key question may be the willingness of the players to play the game. They may not be willing to play like Ashwin, who worry about the well being of their family and not being available at time of need.

There are lot of youngsters who may be willing to take the risk and this may be the break that they never dreamed off. Unfortunately, one man’s misfortune could well be a lottery ticket for another.

IPL should not penalize the players who want to sit out. Even pay the Indian players their salary.

[Atithee]

Why can they (players and BCCI in particular) not import some oxygen cylinders, concentrators, etc. and show they care? Instead, they are busy finding charter flights to Maldives, Australia, New Zealand, which they should as responsible employers. But, can’t they do something for the nation? How about creating a mini-hospital in stadia? Not a Covid hospital. Provide food, get critical shortage meds from the rest of the world. I haven’t heard of any such tangible actions. Have you? I do see tweets. I did read about Gautam Gambhir (now a MP) doing something and maybe one or two more.

Sorry; professional sports is a 100% dispensable activity. Especially in today’s environment. These guys are incredibly privileged to rake in the money.

[prasen9]

Absolutely, the BCCI should do more. The Indian CEO's of Adobe, Deloitte and Google are trying to do things to help. As are many others.

[Rajiv]

A surprise inclusion in RCB,although many candidates and alternatives could have been found ,like Paul Stirling  a great talent, who never played IPL, Convey, and many others.

But still being the first Singaporean to ever play an IPL will not only bring in a lot of curiosity factor, but RCB has missed a big hitter down the order, and just might fit the bill.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news18 ... 11826.html

[PKBasu]

Tim David is clearly a product of Australian cricket (specifically Western Australia), having moved to Perth when he was 2 years old. I think I may have played against his dad once before he moved to Australia in 1997. (I played only a few league matches in 1996, but played against several of Rod David's Singapore national team-mates that year, and may have played against his club side as well). Tim David happens to have been born in Singapore, and is thus eligible for Singapore's national team. But he is basically Australian.

[prasen9]

Hardik is unfit. Since his injury and marriage, he has been rather awful. Seems like his "fame" got to him. Hope he gets fit soon. Of course, it could be that his body cannot stand both bowling and batting at that level and whatever lifting and exercise regimen he has used to get fit, he has overdone it. He is supremely fit when he is on the field, i.e., he has power, can fun fast, etc. But, is he over-training and that is why he is injured all the time? Overload in bowling?

On another note. We used to have Sachin. Now we have Sachin Baby, Jay's friend, who is not that good. What else do you expect of a baby Sachin anyway?

[PKBasu]

Rahul's Punjab side has developed a remarkable capacity to lose matches in incredibly improbable ways after he and Mayank have scored rapidly to make defeat seem almost impossible. Yesterday's was just another similar result to many from earlier this year and last. Highly suspect results! Surely some sort of fixing going on...

[prasen9]

After 8-9 games, the top 3 are DC, CSK and RCB. #4 is RR with KKR and MI on hot pursuit. PK and SRH seem to be behind and way behind respectively. Here's hoping RR loses to DC tomorrow

[PKBasu]

26 year old Venkatesh Iyer is a terrific talent. He gave up his CA (after passing the halfway mark with flying colours) to become a first-class cricketer, then took an MBA but turned down a job offer (as management consultant) with Deloitte to continue as a cricketer. He took Trent Boult and Bumrah to the cleaners, as very few other batsmen have managed to do in the IPL. Got to his 50 off 25 balls with good clean hitting. Hopefully India will find a way for him to be squeezed into the T20I World Cup squad.

[PKBasu]

Dwayne Bravo continuing his superb form in the second half of the IPL. But it's bizarre that CSK play him as a tail-end batsman rather than the genuine allrounder he is -- as he showed in the previous match.
Ruturaj Gaekwad is also looking good, and Padikkal continuing his great form from the first half of this IPL.

[Kumar]

Delhi capitals have a very ordinary batting lineup especially with Stonis not available.

Why is Sunrisers still sticking with Jadhav. I am surprised there are no Upcoming Indian players that they cannot tryin his place

[SaniaFan]

But DC have exceptional bowling lineup. They make 150 look like 180.

[prasen9]

The leaderboard among Indian batsmen (qual: 230 runs) by SR:

160+: Shaw

140-145: Tripathi, Padikkal, Samson, Agarwal

135-137: Gaikwad, Rahul

131: Pant

123: Kohli

If there is an injury, whether it be to a batsman or bowler, we should get Prithvi in. Unless it is to a pace bowler and we really need a pacer.