[prince_pervez]

Pune Warriors India are on a roll. What an exiting match. And what a finish! Utthapa played well. Go Pune go!!

[amoghchaphalkar]

I see that each team is playing only 14 games. Have the rules changed this year ? Till last year all the teams played each other twice (one home game and one way game). With 10 teams and 70 league matches : the numbers don't work out.

What are the rules this year ?

[Fordmanchau]

I am surprised nobody is talking about Paul Valthaty here.
120 from 63 deliveries was awesome stuff and more so when he hit only 2 sixes.
Only 2 sixes and 19 boundaries means he must have been good at hitting through gaps on the field.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by amoghchaphalkar

I see that each team is playing only 14 games. Have the rules changed this year ? Till last year all the teams played each other twice (one home game and one way game). With 10 teams and 70 league matches : the numbers don't work out.

What are the rules this year ?

AFAIK, out of the nine teams which a side has to play against, they will play against 5 teams twice and only once against the remaining 4 teams. So only 14 matches. I don't know how they decide on who plays whom once or twice.

I don't see any logic in this move. If they wanted to reduce the number of matches played, then why increase the number of teams? 8 teams would have played 14 matches each. There was no need 2 new teams, no need for all this reshuffling of teams which IMHO has killed the spirit of this year's IPL.

This format gives an unfair advantage to a few teams who might get to play an 'out of form' side twice (whatever the logic be in allocation of matches) :thumbs down:

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

I am surprised nobody is talking about Paul Valthaty here.

Flash in a pan.

T20 is the worst format to spot talent.

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

AFAIK, out of the nine teams which a side has to play against, they will play against 5 teams twice and only once against the remaining 4 teams. So only 14 matches. I don't know how they decide on who plays whom once or twice.

I don't see any logic in this move. If they wanted to reduce the number of matches played, then why increase the number of teams? 8 teams would have played 14 matches each. There was no need 2 new teams, no need for all this reshuffling of teams which IMHO has killed the spirit of this year's IPL.

The match up between the teams was decided via a draw at the time of auction.

Regarding adding of 2 more teams - other cities (read business houses) also wanted to be part of the IPL Tamasha. BCCI is more than happy to do that. Its ultimately business for them and for the owners it is a good vehicle for marketing and hope to break even in the future. Who in BCCI cares for the spirit of the game anyway ?

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by amitwlele

Who in BCCI cares for the spirit of the game anyway ?

Who in which game believes in the spirit of a sport in India?

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Flash in a pan.

You think so?? May be but isn't it too early to decide. I would like to see him through the whole tournament .
I read somewhere that you yourself were a former player ? May be you know better, but let's give him some space, that guy has hardly played in top games.

Originally Posted by Spitfire

T20 is the worst format to spot talent.

Don't think so , there are many names that we common people spotted through IPL.
Manish Pandey, Mithun, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Saurabh Tiwary and many more.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

that guy has hardly played in top games.

Politics aside. If you are a good, nay exceptional player you will make a mark for yourself. No godfathers required. Actually godfathers will come out of the woodwork once they spot the talent and start taking credit for it. But that is talk for another day.

This guy has been on the circuit for a while. Has got opportunities (enough or not is debatable) and has missed the mark by a little. He is well known amongst the cricket playing crowd. Just that no one - media, cricket fans or you ever notice the other players. For those who know there are many who are good players, much better then some of them who make the mark to the National Team (the politics part).

This is not the way he plays.

IPL. One opportunity grab it, is the mantra. Kal Ho Na Ho. Everything else is secondary. And that's a big big motivation for any player, including those playing at the nondescript levels. And the biggest motivator the money and glamor involved. Lot have been satisfied by this.

So whatever I do I need to make a mark. And this is the moment. Some get through some fail. He has in one match that too in a T20. You tell me whether that's a pointer to talent. Can we predict he is the best talent to come out looking at one match? My experience says no. Its a flash in a pan knowing his history. And yes I can be proved wrong and I am so much for it.

Don't think so, there are many names that we common people spotted through IPL. Manish Pandey, Mithun, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Saurabh Tiwary and many more.

I will quote what I have said above:

For those who know there are many who are good players, much better then some of them who make the mark to the National Team (the politics part).

Hope that answers.

EDIT: I had somewhere in the Cricket Thread also said that Virat Kohli isnt going to go too far with the attitude he carries, he needs to change it to make that notch. Today we know what he attributes his playing in the team too.

[amitwlele]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

You think so?? May be but isn't it too early to decide. I would like to see him through the whole tournament .
I read somewhere that you yourself were a former player ? May be you know better, but let's give him some space, that guy has hardly played in top games.


Don't think so , there are many names that we common people spotted through IPL.
Manish Pandey, Mithun, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Saurabh Tiwary and many more.

I agree with Spitfire here. T20 is not ideal for spotting talent, unless you are referring to spotting T20 talent :-)

But also agree that it is too early to write off Paul Valthaty. Maybe some more games and we would know.

But then again T20 cannot be a sole indicator of his talent in the longer format or even in ODIs. Its only a 20 over game in which the batsmen bats for what 5-6 overs on an average.

[geeta]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

I am surprised nobody is talking about Paul Valthaty here.
120 from 63 deliveries was awesome stuff and more so when he hit only 2 sixes.
Only 2 sixes and 19 boundaries means he must have been good at hitting through gaps on the field.

Well really Paul Valthaty was a surprise package in this match. His inning was awesome.

But my favorite team is Mumbai Indians. I wish Sachin and his team all the best.

[prince_pervez]

Pune 4 down for 23. Kya yaar hah!

[normally_crazy]

For me, besides the players who are making an impression, the stand out player so far has been Ravindra Jadeja.

The man was hammered by all and sundry for his batting , bowling and his IPL stunt of talking to teams backfired on him - he was banned for a year...

And just looking at the way he is going at the moment - SUPERB COMEBACK.

[ghodlur]

And dont forget Chipli and Venugopal Rao, they are also contributing very well for their teams even though they are not finishers of the game.

[ghodlur]

Finally Mumbai Indians have dragged themselves to a win. They won pitiably with the winning run coming off the last ball. The Pune warriors were better in scoring 118 runs in 17 overs which MI achieved in 20 overs.