Yep, especially considering Finch has retired, Warner is basically in pseudo retirement - there really is/was another spot for an explosive opener. I guess the games continuously evolving and openers/batters like Abisbek/JFM are the future. Maybe this is a tournament too soon for them.
IPL 2024
- Thread starter AshRK
- Start date
I would have taken Smith and McGurk instead of Warner and Nathan Ellis. This is Mitch Marsh's first big tournament as captain and having Smith there for his experience I believe would be a huge advantage.At least the Aussies left Steve Smith out
Yeah, Head and JFM would’ve been a scary opening pair
Yeah, I guess they figured with Cummins and Warner around, plus Maxwell, there’s more than enough experience around, especially in the shorter format of the game. But yeah, I’m guessing this is warners white ball send off as well. Agreed re Ellis. I guess he’ll just play backup.
RCB bat first, i think we lose this one
Ha! Kohli survives a catching chance on 0. Tough one, but should've been taken.
Kohli dropped twice - on 0 & again on 10. Patidar dropped on 0 & again at another point. Both going on to punish the Punjab now.
Kohli especially making them pay. Great innings minus those drops
Yep, costly drops. Patidar went on to score a quick 50 and now Kohli is on the verge of a 100!
Yup. No 100 unfortunately but some delicious shots played!
JINX.
Commentators curse (of sorts!). Great innings though, minus those drops.
RCB have really turned around their batting the last 6 games or so. If they'd started the tournament in the same vein, they may well have been in the top 4 already.
crazy how we’ve become desensitised to these massive scores during this years IPL. (Blame the SRH). This is a massive score but after last night, it almost feels like “par” 
@MDFC Manager on that note about RCB, what happened to Padikkal? He had a good season opening for RCB a year or two ago but then he was let go. And now he’s more often than not a sub, versus starting (wherever he’s playing right now).
@MDFC Manager on that note about RCB, what happened to Padikkal? He had a good season opening for RCB a year or two ago but then he was let go. And now he’s more often than not a sub, versus starting (wherever he’s playing right now).
Exactly, even as an RCB fan, it didn't really get my blood racing tonightcrazy how we’ve become desensitised to these massive scores during this years IPL. (Blame the SRH). This is a massive score but after last night, it almost feels like “par”
Yes I really rated him when he first came on, excellent timing and good to watch. Not sure what's happened recently, probably well suited to the T20 game...i think @zing can comment more
Yeah my vague recollection says he had a good year the year before he didn’t appear for the RCB again, which is strange.Exactly, even as an RCB fan, it didn't really get my blood racing tonight
Yes I really rated him when he first came on, excellent timing and good to watch. Not sure what's happened recently, probably well suited to the T20 game...i think @zing can comment more
Hope you guys manage to defend this score. There’s been some crazy chases in this years edition as well.
They're chasing this
A couple more wickets and they’ll crumble. Bairstow was a big one and of course RR would try and show up today, after not having done too much during this tournament.They're chasing this
How's he against spin? I don't recall
He’s alright, as you’re able to see right now. More power than anything. So even mishits tend to fly out of there
edit: as long as he doesn’t try his reverse sweep nonsense
Big wicket @MDFC Manager
Yes sir!
Still within range for Punjab
The form in the tournament is now...RCB 
Was completely unthinkable 3 weeks ago. Will still likely finish 5th/6th i think
Was completely unthinkable 3 weeks ago. Will still likely finish 5th/6th i thinkThink the 'anchor' role has just been found out in T20 because the strike rates have gone up -- partly flat pitches and partly players thinking they can actually afford to be fasterExactly, even as an RCB fan, it didn't really get my blood racing tonight
Yes I really rated him when he first came on, excellent timing and good to watch. Not sure what's happened recently, probably well suited to the T20 game...i think @zing can comment more
Ruturaj made lots of runs for us but I think even he is putting the team behind more often than he ought to - especially as he's opening with Rahane who has reverted to the mean.
The "orange cap" winner(most runs) has won the IPL only 3 times out of the 17 or whatever seasons of the IPL
Punjab are officially out now. Tbh, the team requires United level scrutiny in terms of decision making. It's both ironic but not the least bit shocking that our best player this season has been Shashank Singh who we signed by mistake. Spending a record fee for Sam Curran, who is one of the most infuriating players I've seen play for the franchise, is an Antony level mistake. Even yesterday, he conceded 50 runs in his 3 overs and was the turning point during our chase too. I always thought of him as a good striker of the ball but he has played at a strike rate of 115 this season. Absolutely shocking. At least we can get rid easily for Punjab. Going in with Dhawan as the captain and then him being dropped 4 games in just showcases the level of incompetence. Others like Livingstone and Jitesh had their previous years form completely drop off a cliff. The team needs a complete cultural overhaul. Hopefully we can identify a good captain, like SRH did with Cummins, and build a good, hungry team rather than washed up oldies like Dhawan and Bairstow whose playing style reflects their lack of motivation.
I was actually going to post something about Curran yesterday, about him being the most overrated and overpaid player in the IPL. But then I looked at Mitchell Starc's figures for this year and the price that was paid for him and let it go. However, with Starc, even though he's not had the best of seasons, you always feel he could come good at any time. With Curran, what you see is what you get and IMLTHO, he's nowhere near at the top level as a bowler, batsman, or all rounder. Huge mistake on PBKS part.
Livingstone has just fallen off a cliff. With every ball he faces, you're just waiting for him to get out.
Agreed re all the above. At least with Starc you also get the sense that all other pace bowlers are getting whacked (barring the mercurial Bumrah) this tournament and he is legitimately out of form, but there's just nothing with Curran. No idea how his stock got so highly elevated in the game. Livingstone will probably lose his England T20 starting spot as well (if he still had it) as he's been abysmal for a good while now - even when he played for my local MI CT team during the SA version of the "IPL" tournament.
Also, looks like we're set for another mammoth score here by the GT as both openers are striking at circa 200 and close to centuries. Highest partnership of this years IPL as well. 181-0 after 14.2. CSK will mostly likely lose out of the playoffs. Their forms also nosedived.
CSK getting pumped! Them losing will open up some possibilities for the team below. Exciting finish to the league stage coming up
The symmetry between the openers really is something, both 96 off 48 with 6 6’s
99 IPL hundreds, both Gill and Sudarshan on 96 Kohli missed out last night
Gill on strike though
Edit: it's Gill who does it
Kohli missed out last nightGill on strike though
Edit: it's Gill who does it
wonder how common it is for 2 players to get centuries in the same innings
Must be super rare in T20s
Can’t believe it’s common at all, even more so in T20 cricket. Both openers out now. If CSK can restrict them to under 230, it would have been a good effort at the end of the innings. Deshpande has been excellent.
Feels like so much more centuries have been scored during this edition, versus prior ones. Granted the earlier editions also had lesser teams of course, but I’d bet quite a few IPL batting records would have been broken by the end of this tournament.99 IPL hundreds, both Gill and Sudarshan on 96
Gill on strike though
Edit: it's Gill who does it
Super fightback CSK last 15 balls or so
Yes indeed! I think the total sixes record has been smashed to bits already, with games to go.
have to say these wide "DRS" are an unbelievable waste of time
I know it's all small margins but I reckon we'll all sleep easy and still be able to live if that one wide of 100 was incorrectly called
I know it's all small margins but I reckon we'll all sleep easy and still be able to live if that one wide of 100 was incorrectly called
legit think we're favs now going into the break
I wouldn't bet against it. Definitely 20 runs below what GT would have liked.