[It's Magic]

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

More than 500 runs were scored in 40 overs yesterday with MI scoring 246 trying to chase 278 set by SRH. I'm not sure if I like such games where the bowlers are reduced to bowling machines!

I agree! Watching a T20 match where more than 500 runs are scored can be boring.
There seemed to be no advantage for bowlers, and I am uncertain how such pitches will benefit young players.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

More than 500 runs were scored in 40 overs yesterday with MI scoring 246 trying to chase 278 set by SRH. I'm not sure if I like such games where the bowlers are reduced to bowling machines!

Thats precisely what majority of the crowds want! They're not interested in wickets tumbling frequently. I personally prefer 160-180 type close games!

[Geo_Ipe]

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

Sucks to be Hardik Pandya right now. In back to back matches he has made questionable decisions as captain, bottled two chases with the bat and has been bounced out on both occasions.

Sucks to be him because of his own doings! His attitude has been extremely poor! Dancing on the way in to bat, laughing and joking with Pollard (when the latter looked more concerned) during the last over when his team is losing, again being playful and full of laughs at the post match presentation ceremony. All this on top of such a poor batting performance of 24 off 20!! He's no captain material for sure!

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

Definitely seems like it. Almost all MI fans (me included) wanted either Surya or Bumrah to replace Rohit as captain.

Absolutely! SKY & Bumrah both have better cricketing brains and attitudes than Hardik the joker!

[NomadSK]

So much agree with the Ashwin’s statement.

I wonder if IPL is even cricket': Ravichandran Ashwin makes a big statement on the world's top league

Always believe it’s more of an entertainment than any sort of real cricket. And with the influx of pan masala ads or for that matter betting apps, it’s surely going down the drain. I believe, GOI should start taxing BCCI for entertainment tax on similar lines as was done for F1.

Link

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

He's no captain material for sure!

He won Gujarat Titans an IPL & in the next edition they were runners-up! If he did not have something in him, why else would MI Management go out of their way to get him? Agreed about his attitude & other things. But we must not forget that he's only captained MI in 2 games so far. There's an entire tournament ahead. Have always maintained that he was blessed with a very good team at GT & that may not necessarily be the case in MI & in the Indian Cricket T20 team.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by UMe

Has anyone watched IPL matches at Chinnaswamy stadium? How was the arrangements and experience.

I haven't got so much positive feedback lately, from the guys who watched. I have heard getting tickets is difficult and mostly agents are involved. I wonder, if it's even worth spending money and time with kids there.

The tickets in website is always sold-out and you never know when they open for new booking, looks like agent controlled:
https://shop.royalchallengers.com/ticket

Yes seems like getting ticket is getting tougher and tougher, this after the cheapest ticket available online is almost 2500 rupees. Watching cricket in stadium is getting tougher and expensive.

[Rahkehs]

Really hope the selectors don’t choose both KL & Virat for T20 WC team, both bat in ODI fashion which can hurt the team in some crucial match. In today’s IPL match vs KKR, Virat scored at SR of just 143 and even after playing for the whole inning could not make a hundred.

[redCherry]

A professional cricketer like Ashwin has just realized it now, after so many years, which for some layman like me was very obvious during the first version of this circus itself, way back in 2008

'Sometimes I wonder if IPL is even cricket'

Originally Posted by NomadSK

So much agree with the Ashwin’s statement.

Link

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by Rahkehs

Really hope the selectors don’t choose both KL & Virat for T20 WC team, both bat in ODI fashion which can hurt the team in some crucial match. In today’s IPL match vs KKR, Virat scored at SR of just 143 and even after playing for the whole inning could not make a hundred.

True, look at the way Naraine is batting along with Salt. We RCB fans need to understand that there are only two constants for RCB from 2008, Kohli and no Trophy. RCB Has generally been story of two players while no one cares about the rest of the team. They spend 50% of the purse on two or three players and then are left with nothing to go for better players. The support they have from us fans is unwavering and they are minting money with this format, so winning a trophy really does not matter. Online Tickets cost close to 3K for cheapest one and they are generally sold out.

Kohli + Gayle
Kohli + ABD
Kohli + Maxwell

[Pythonic]

Originally Posted by Rahkehs

Really hope the selectors don’t choose both KL & Virat for T20 WC team, both bat in ODI fashion which can hurt the team in some crucial match. In today’s IPL match vs KKR, Virat scored at SR of just 143 and even after playing for the whole inning could not make a hundred.

Bit unfair imo. That’s just how he plays. Kohli is never going to pull a klassen or travis head. He holds one end and keeps the score board ticking. The problem is after him, there’s 4 free wickets (so much for the much spoken about KGF) till Anuj Rawat and DK show up. RCB lose at the auction table not in the ground.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by NomadSK

Always believe it’s more of an entertainment than any sort of real cricket.

Not sure in what context Ashwin made that statement. Perhaps due to the excessive shoots for all sorts of brands & franchisee's before the IPL! But that has been the case since many years now. IPL is cricket, no two ways about it! Perhaps it wasn't in the initial years on Sony when there was too much of Bollywood & parties associated with it. If IPL wasn't serious cricket then there wouldn't have been a 2 month long window in the ICC calendar to accommodate it. Personally I feel there are just way too many games in IPL stretched over 2 months. But I guess thats how you generate more & more revenue.

[Rahkehs]

Originally Posted by Pythonic

Bit unfair imo. That’s just how he plays. Kohli is never going to pull a klassen or travis head. He holds one end and keeps the score board ticking. The problem is after him, there’s 4 free wickets (so much for the much spoken about KGF) till Anuj Rawat and DK show up. RCB lose at the auction table not in the ground.

In T20s on a flat pitch, there is no need to hold one end. KKR won the match in 16 overs without anyone playing the anchor role. Virat may be the greatest ODI batter (arguably) but he is not a good T20 player, especially on flat batting pitches while setting up targets. His and KL’s approach will cost us some important match in the upcoming WC, similar to what happened in 2016 T20 WC SF against WI on a flat Wankhede pitch with Rohit & Rahane’s ODI batting style!

[Shumi_21]

I don't want Hardik the player to lose confidence is all, especially with the T20 world cup in June. Let's see how it goes at Wankhede, really hope MI give another opportunity to Kwena Maphaka. The boy is just 17, still swings it in the mid 140's!

RCB v KKR was an interesting match. Kohli slowed down considerably after the power play, scoring just 21 off the last 16 balls he played. Felt like the pitch was on the slower side, until KKR blazed their way to 85/0 in the first six. Their power play score was more than what SRH (81) & MI (76) could manage in "that" game.

To be honest, it felt pathetic that our international bowler Siraj was taken down by Sunil Naraine of all batters! Felt similarly when Arshdeep was taken apart by Lomror & DK a few days ago. Except Bumrah, all our World T20 probable pacers are going the journey. Hopefully they regain their form soon.

[Pythonic]

Originally Posted by Shumi_21

To be honest, it felt pathetic that our international bowler Siraj was taken down by Sunil Naraine of all batters! Felt similarly when Arshdeep was taken apart by Lomror & DK a few days ago. Except Bumrah, all our World T20 probable pacers are going the journey. Hopefully they regain their form soon.

On the flip side, uncapped talent Harshit Rana bowled brilliantly. That said, we need Mohd. Shami in the T20 WC otherwise our chances look bleak.

Also agreed about Pandya. He is THE premier all rounder in the Indian side. He is also a pillar in the pace battery and can use bouncers effectively. He’ll bounce back I’m sure.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Rahkehs

Really hope the selectors don’t choose both KL & Virat for T20 WC team, both bat in ODI fashion which can hurt the team in some crucial match.

India's best chance to win the WT20 is if Rohit, Virat & KL have some major niggle towards the end of IPL! I know its not correct to wish someone get injured, but thats India's best chance. All 3 cannot be accommodated at all in the XI!

Originally Posted by Pythonic

That said, we need Mohd. Shami in the T20 WC otherwise our chances look bleak.

Shami is out for a few months. Just hope he's in form by the time the Australian tour starts.