Kolkata Knight Riders

When IPL 2009 was shifted from India to South Africa,many wondered if the tournament could be as successful & as lusty as it was in India,without the passionate Indian spectators.Well,there's no more speculation now;IPL 2009 has certainly been a success so far.The points table resembles the start of a motor race,with 7 out of the 8 teams in touching distance off each other,fighting for a semi-final spot.The 8th team,however,has been so far behind the other teams that its failure has become one of the more discussed topics in recent memory.

The Kolkata Knight Riders have attracted a fair share of attraction before the commencement of both editions of the IPL.Worryingly,it has been mainly due to the Bollywood Superstar Shahrukh Khan,the titanic,former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly,the most successful cricket coach John Buchanan,& Buchanan's "Multi-Captain Theory".That their squad never caught our eyes is the prime reason why they have never really been a serious title contender in both the editions of this glorious tournament.

On paper,KKR looks to be a fine team.They have in their arsenal Sourav Ganguly,one of the greatest ODI players,Brad Hodge,the highest runscorer in T20 cricket,Chris Gayle,the only man to score a hundred in an international T20 match,Brendon McCullum,an exciting wicketkeeper-batsman,a consistent performer in international cricket,& Ishant Sharma,a fine young fast-bowling talent.Chris Gayle & Brendon McCullum are 2 of the hardest hitters of the cricket ball anyway.So what's wrong with the squad ?

Well,a hell lot.Sourav Ganguly might be one of the greatest ODI players,but since his recall to the Indian side in 2006-07,he has commanded attention due to his consistency,not due to his strike rate.His force has not yet deserted him;sometimes we still see that waltz down the track against both the spinners & fast bowlers to deposit them over the stands,but his inability(or unwillingness)to force the pace when required was one of the prime reasons for his exclusion from the Indian ODI team in the CB series 2007-08.He has been one of the worst fielders & runners between the wicket in the world for a long time anyway,but his attitude towards the team has been a warning light.Both him & Rahul Dravid have lost the captaincy of their teams this year,but they have reacted & performed in entirely different ways.Whereas Rahul Dravid has shaken off the disappointment & grown stronger as a T20 batsman,Sourav Ganguly maintains his disappointment till date,& the effect is visible on his team.Throughout the tournament,Ganguly has looked like a man tired of the world,& his response "I can't comment on that now" when asked about his reactions on playing under Brendon McCullum in the Kolkata team,has been stunningly disappointing.

Further problems lie with the performance & the quality of their foreign players.Brendon McCullum is a fine hard-hitting batsman,but since that stunning 158 against RCB last year,he has crossed 30 in an IPL innings only once.In IPL 2009,he has never looked like scoring so far.Brad Hodge has an impressive T20 record,but watching him bat,you always get the impression that he doesn't belong.He has scored two fine 70s this year,& has bowled handy offspin,but he has rarely scored in the other matches.His strike rate hasn't been impressive either.Deduct the two 70s from his IPL career of over 10 matches,& you are left with awful statistics both in terms of runs,average,& strike-rate.Chris Gayle seems to be a fair purchase in the auction,but even then,the risk associated with him is paramount.He is clearly a lazy runner between the wickets,relies too much on boundaries & doesn't have the ability to rotate the strike with singles & twos when the boundaries aren't coming.He can be a good catcher in the slips,but is extremely clumsy in the field anywhere else.

KKR's bidding has been awfully organised.Mashrafe Mortaza was bought for US $ 600,000,& has not yet played a match!Even Ajantha Mendis haven't played much.They let Manoj Tiwary(an exciting prospect with the bat,& a local player to boot)go to Delhi,& they have bought Akash Chopra & Sanjay Bangar,players who are far more renowned for stodgy batting than the wham-bam approach mostly required for T20 cricket.Moises Henriques looks to have been a wild card pick.Apart from Wriddhiman Saha & to some extent,Ashok Dinda,they don't have any exciting local prospects.To sum it up,when it's clearly known that a team can play a maximum of 4 overseas players,they just didn't pick quality local players.

This season's gone,but if the tournament allows,KKR must look to swap some of its players for more exciting talents next season.A charismatic former Indian captain & a Bollywood star won't win you cricket matches.KKR has learned the lesson in the hard way;they should be better for the experience.

"Gobsmacked" was my reaction when I first stumbled upon a certain weblog a fortnight ago.

The last few drops of liquid caffeine from the mug in hand refused to go down the throat and my ever incredible contact lenses threatened to dissolve into the vitreous humor.

The blog was being written by one Mr. Fake IPL Player, who claims to be a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders, on the "inside stuff" cooking in the Knight Riders camp. You can have a look at the blog here.

It is the bizarre nomenclature that the fake IPL player uses to address his peers and superiors as much the content of the posts that appears to have become a huge hit.

KKR website has reportedly described the fake IPL player as "poison pen writing of the dirtiest variety but [with] far too many factual errors." 

True, the fake IPL player seems to have made a considerable number of factual errors in his posts. 

One such example: According to him, Vijay Mallya was present at the opening ceremony of the IPL 2009, whereas it is a well known fact that Mallya was roaming in the streets of Shanghai dreaming about Force India on 17th of April 2009.

My assumptions as to who the fake IPL player might be :

Given that the fake IPL player claims himself to be a member of the KKR squad, I believe it is unnecessary to include that in my list of possibilities. 

a. someone from IPL top management in an attempt to popularize IPL

b. someone from KKR top management for precisely the same reason

c. someone from the rival board, the ICL, hoping to shatter the reputation of IPL  

d. a friend/relative representing a furious player/ support staff (Since it is evident that figuring out a certain someone from a handful of players and support staff is no big deal and given that the player claims that he was a mere spectator last season and made it into the team only for IPL 2009)

e. a former player-turned-coach who is unhappy about the fact that IPL was not a part of their cricketing career, having earned comparatively less than their contemporary counterparts earn through the IPL both in terms of mint and fame.

What share of attention has the fake IPL player received?

• He is being featured on all sorts of media right from telegraph to cricinfo and now for the first time on B/R.
• An orkut community dedicated to him consisting of 3027 members and still counting (as on 7 May 2009)
• At least 300 fans in facebook 
• 5260 blog followers (as on 7 May 2009)
• A huge number of IPL audience considering the fake ipl player to be "the best thing about IPL 2009" 

The fake IPL player could just as easily have hit the charts for the right reasons as a writer given his fabulous writing skills as for all wrong reasons as a fake IPL player—aka bench warmer at the KKR camp (or so he claims).

I understand that the IPL is no where near the EPL but still a question pops out from my mind. Did a fake EPL player ever exist? A certain someone who would have served as a motivation for the fake IPL player? Football enthusiasts kindly enlighten.

Is a phenomenon like the fake IPL player healthy to the sport in any manner? Voice your opinion.

Altogether, the fake IPL saga is nothing better than a melodrama and nothing short of entertainment.

P.S. This is a two part series titled "Twin perspective". The first part written by me describes the fake IPL player and his blog on a serious note. A hilarious version of the same, written by my twin in the B/R cricket circle, Rocky Getters, will shortly follow. We have agreed upon writing such "Twin perspectives" on a variety of topics. I hope the B/R cricket circle has no issues with this.

Cricket is as much about luck as it is about talent or opportunity or hard work. Lady Luck supersedes nearly everything: hard work, ability, form, class. And this circus of IPL is the perfect laboratory for observing such facts.

So, who is the luckiest man in the IPL?

The guy seated next to the blonde cheerleaders? Hmm...well, he must have had to shell out some decent amount of money for that. I don't call that luck.

Then maybe Kevin Pieterson or Flintoff, for getting 1.55 million dollar contracts? Well, Freddy got injured and KP had to work under "The Royal Boss" Mallya. So, I imagine it wasn't such a delightful experience. Just disappointment for one, and pressure for the other.

So who is this lucky guy I talk about?

Meet Mr. Ajit Agarkar. Former Indian international fast bowler, and fantasized by some as an all-rounder even. At one stage some predicted that he'd be the next Kapil Dev, while the legendary Wasim Akram called Agarkar, "the best young fast bowler I have ever seen from India."

Sadly, talent though he had in plenty, in Wasim's words he was lazy and inefficient in applying himself. Agarkar, after racing past 100 international wickets before one could blink an eye, faded. He was in and out of the squad for years, and finally...just out.

But IPL arrived and fortunes changed. Many were surprised that Agarkar was "bought" for a staggering price of about US$ 300,000, when many young talented under-19 cricketers were going for much less price.

Last season Agarkar failed miserably, as did his team: the Kolkata Knight Riders. He played only in the first three matches, and then had to sit out.

This season though, despite buying Mushraffe Mortaza for another astonishing price, team management decided to keep him as a reserve and play Agarkar in the starting line up instead! Reasons...unknown.

But again Agarkar has failed. So much that he has yet to complete his quota of four overs in a match in the IPL this season. In one match he bowled only one over for 12 runs, in another just two overs for about the same run-rate and so on.

Brad Hodge has bowled more overs than him! So, is Agarkar in the side as a batsman? Well, no, because he comes in at No. 8, and hasn't scored many runs either. Add to that: despite being a really good fielder, this season he has misfielded more than fielded.

And yet he has invariably been picked for majority of matches.

So, let me get this straight. The strategy of John Buchanan and Shahrukh Khan is to play Agarkar, come what may. He will just...play! Not bowl more than an over, bat if at all need be and don't mind if he gets out 'cause he is after in the side as a bowler.

Hmmm....

If I am Ajit Agarkar, I would be damn happy right now. I get paid more than JP Duminy and Lasitha Malinga combined; I don't need to bowl, or bat, or field well. I still get to play cricket in the IPL. While I am fielding or waiting in the dug-out, I can simply look at the cheerleaders!

Oh, life is good, when you are the luckiest man in the IPL!!

Multiple captains. Gifts to players after every game, win or lose. Big statements in the media, stoking unnecessary controversies, and a mystery writer talking about the team not being a team in the true sense of the word. That's the sum total of what Kolkata Knight Riders have achieved in this year's IPL, and the latest piece of news doing the rounds is that the owner wants out.

And here's the news that a lot of people might be expecting: the high-profile and big-talking coach of KKR, John Buchanan, may soon find himself out of a job. A similar fate may be in store for the support staff, many of them his relatives and friends.

In all this, cricket and performance on the field has taken a back seat. McCullum has been unimaginative as captain, and a disaster with the bat. Against Rajasthan Royals, a match that KKR should have won, he decided to hand the ball to Mendis against a menacing and rampaging Yusuf Pathan, and the super over turned out to be a super-flop over.

KKR, it would seem, never recovered from that body blow.

Gayle has fired in a most limited manner, Brad Hodge made a 73 last evening but failed to take his team to victory because he had consumed too many deliveries. Was he playing for himself? Is his contract for the next year, thanks to the 73, safe? Good for him.

Sourav also seems to have given up, if his body language after getting out for a duck yesterday is any indication. Each individual is playing for himself and his contract for the next year after having ensured that the team stays at the bottom of the table this year.

To my mind, the man who must cop the maximum blame for this state of affairs is the super coach, Buchanan. His shenanigans ensured that the team was in splinters even before they reached South Africa and atrophied further once the games began.

It will be good if Shah Rukh lets go of him, and brings back Sourav as captain, and more importantly as coach next year. Dada can do wonders, and he doesn't need to remind any one of the manner he transformed Team India from a talented team that couldn't win to one that could take on the best, anywhere, any time, and win.

But that just might not happen, however good it might be for the team. I believe that Kolkata has been dropped from the team name, and the team might be called Ahmedabad Knight Riders next year. Would that also mean curtains for Dada?

Time will tell.

Finally cricket fans can say, welcome, to the IPL in South Africa.

Finally what was promised to showcase this year has finally risen its marvelous head, in two extraordinary matches on Day Six.

The Delhi Daredevils vs. Chennai Super Kings match produced an incredible run fest, with AB de Villiers scoring a lightning century.

De Villiers' century came off just 52 balls, and ended the day on 107 not out. He destroyed Andrew Flintoff, where he hit him for 22 off a vital over in the Daredevils' innings.

A runchase pursued that seemed to maintain the required runrate all the way down to the final over.

A fantastic final over by Australian Dirk Nanes kept the runs to a minimum, and fantastic fielding by substitute David Warner (two catches and one runout), secured the victory for the Daredevils.

The game to follow was a real duel.

The Kolkata Knight Riders vs. Rajasthan Royals match provided one heck of a spectacle for cricket fans worldwide.

The Royals' batsmen struggled to get going, until the arrival of Yusuf Pathan. The all-rounder turned things around with his 42 off 21 balls. The rest of the middle order provided a few 20s to get the score to a defendable 150.

Chris Gayle, for the Knight Riders, provided some fireworks, as he blasted four sixes and two fours to attain 41 off 33 balls.

Eventually Gayle was removed by "Hollywood" Shane Warne, and an absolute thriller followed up.

The Knight Riders middle order was removed for close to nothing, and all seemed to be going in the Royals favor.

And in the famous words of Robin Jackman, "No team in IPL cricket will ever cruise to victory." This statement proved to be true.

The Prince of Kolkata, Sourav Ganguly, produced a game-breaking 46 off 30 balls to revive his team's chances of victory. This arrived after he dealt with Munaf Patel in superb fashion, dispatching him for 19 off one over.

Kolkata were eventually left needing two off two balls, and with Ganguly facing, all seemed to be done and dusted.

Yet it was not over.

The 18-year-old Kamran Khan removed Ganguly, and it was down to two runs off one ball.

Ajit Agarkar was left to face the last ball, with over a billion eyes on him, and was unable to split the field. A run was taken, and Agarkar was run out turning for the second run.

For the first time ever in cricket, a super over decided the match.

A super over means that each team gets one over to bat and the team which scores the most wins. If it's a tie then the team that scores the most sixes in the match wins.

Gayle faced all six balls from the young Khan, and disptached him for 16 off the Knight Riders' super over.

16 seemed a bit steep, but not steep enough for the courageous Pathan, who only needed four balls to dispatch Ajentha Mendis over the ropes and secure the victory for the Rajasthan Royals!

The fighting spirit of the Royals has shown itself for the first time in 2009, and with 11 games for the defending champions still to go, IPL 2009 is going to be an absolute "roller coaster" of massive proportions for all involved.

Let’s continue with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Last year I was very impressed with them, for their marketing skills not their cricketing. By many records they financially broke even a great achievement for a new team in a new league. I however want to look at their cricket not management. 

They are very like the Mumbai Indians in their inconsistency. Their record last year was 6-7-1 and was unlucky. They had two games that were affected by rain and if they had won one of those they might have made the semis. They have been in the news for the multiple captains idea, but Buchanan has back tracked from that.

Last year's result: 6^th Place (6-7-1) 

The squad (Internationals Starred)

Batsmen 

·         Brad Hodge*

·         Aakash Chopra

·         Debabrata Das

·         Cheeteshwar Pujara

All Rounders

·         David Hussey*

·         Moises Henriques*

·         Chris Gayle*

·         Mashrafe Mortaza *

·         Angelo Matthews*    

·         Sourav Ganuly (C)

·         Laxmi Ratan Shukla

·         Ajit Agarkar

·         Iqbal Abdulah

·         Sachin Rana

Bowlers

·         Mashrafe Mortaza*

·         Ajantha Mendis*

·         Charl Langeveldt

·         Ishant Sharma

·         Ashok Dinda

·         Murali Karthik

·         Mohnish parmar

Coaches: John Buchanan

Some scheduling issues to be aware of when choosing the playing XI. The IPL starts April 18^th and ends May 24^th. The Australian-Pakistan series ends on May 7^th. The English and the West Indies will play starting May 6^th and won’t be back. The Knight Riders will lose the series of Chris Gayle at this time. They will gain David Hussy and Brad Hodge if he is selected to play versus Pakistan.

In the playing XI the seven Indian players should be Sourav Ganguly, Ishant Sharma, Ajit Agarkar and I don’t know. This is the biggest problem with this team. Shane Warne said last year that the four internationals equal each other and the seven Indians make the difference. Ishant is a very good player. Sourav may be retired but he is good captain and good batsmen. Agarkar is one f the few that has the experience of playing in SA so he will be chosen. I will pick the other Indians after I pick the internationals.

Having Brendan McCullum for the whole time will be great for this team. Chris Gayle will be available for at least seven games this time which will be great. In the first part when the Aussies are missing you take Chris Gayle who has scored the only twenty20 in an international Twenty20.

I am going to assume that Brad Hodge is available so he should be picked. Ajantha Mendis rounds out the four international. His variety will come in handy. Only some of the international players have figured him out so he will still be a mystery to many.

Going back to the Indians you would have to take Shukla, Dinda, Aakash Chopra and Das. I was considering taking Murali Karthik but he is a spin bowler and they already picked Mendis. If the tournament was in India I would consider taking both but that’s not the case.

So the Batting line up would be this.

1. Chris Gayle

2. Brendon McCullum

3. Aakash Chopra

4. Sourav Ganguly

5. Brad Hodge

6. Debabrata Das

7. Ajit Agarkar

8. Ashok Dinda

9. Shukla

10. Ishant Sharma

11. Ajantha Mendis

Possible Changes

When Gayle leaves promote Ganguly to opener. When Hussey returns play him at two down. In a more seaming track take Mortaza and play him at 6 dropping Mendis. You could also take Murali Karthik as a spinner and drop Shukla.

Batting

The opening combo is damn good. Gayle and McCullum are amazing players and worth every penny. I hope Ganguly can stuff his ego and play these two as openers instead of himself. If he wants the best chance to win this has to be the way to go.

Aakash Chopra for those of you that aren’t aware played for India as an opener almost five years ago. His job then was to blunt the opening overs and he did a good job but he is not suited for this type of game. However there is no one else better than him which should be an embarrassment. The other players are even more unproven.

Ganguly is going to be relegated to his role as the fourth down like he did before for India. By the time he comes in hopefully he will be facing spin bowlers who he can play brilliantly against. The short bowl weakness can be masked here.

I wanted Brad Hodge here for some late impetus in the inning to finish strong. If there is a chase he seems to have a good head and might be able to steer the team to the finish line.

Das is a domestic player and is unproven. We have to see how he does here. Maybe he will be a surprise of the season.

Then it’s a long tail afterwards. People say Agarkar is an “all-rounder” but I will never consider him an “all-rounder” after a Test record with seven consecutive Test ducks. SEVEN.

Bowling

This is also full of question marks. Ishant Sharma is a year wiser and many years better than last year. Dinda was a worthwhile investment last year and might prove dividends this year. Mendis is a very good spinner and has enough variety to keep the batsmen guessing. His overs have to be the ones that change the game for team. Agarkar and Shukla will have done a good job if the can keep their economies below ten.  

Fielding

The wicket keeping is in good hands with McCullum. I don’t see many outstanding fielders here. They will be average. No one with a dead from point or cover which hurts in this format of the game.

Strengths:

They have four very good international players. If you can think of any more email me.

Weakness:

The team with the most turnover. Even though it is much less than last year's, they still have people coming and going. Ganguly is much older and much less of a fielder. There is also some leadership issues with fighting between Buchanan and Ganguly.

Most Important Player: Brendon McCullum/ Ajantha Mendis—four tight overs and a strong opening.

Expensive player riding the bench: Murali Karthik—425,000, why take him when you have Mendis?

Predictions:

Fighting for the last two spots this year. Too much confusion. Too little talent.