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Showing posts with label Chennai Superkings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chennai Superkings. Show all posts
Raina (with some blessings) vs. Kohli
This wasn't a mere IPL game, there was a context to it, and I was awake to it - it struck me when the CSK chase appeared asleep. Suresh Raina seemed much older, even restrained, far more determined than his already exaggerated high standards in the IPL – it was then that it hit me, this wasn’t just two teams playing, this match had a subplot, Raina vs. Kohli.
Going by the lot on offer, one of these two (add Gambhir for good measure) must have very serious captaincy aspirations.
Is that what drove Kohli today, or for that matter, what drove him over the last year and a half? Is that what MSD was able to communicate to Raina during the World Cup knockouts? Something that lingered on, and surfaced again, today, at the sight of Kohli’s innings.
This IPL match was special, not because of the last over finish, but because of this new rivalry in Indian cricket.
Wonder what the Windies one-dayers will hold for the two – there will be no Dhoni, and the contest will be between Kohli, Raina, Rohit Sharma, and Yusuf Pathan. And as always, the new senior statesman of one day cricket, Yuvraj Singh.
Whistle Blower
My team has lost a crucial match recently and are about to play a virtual quarter final match against a team at their home ground.
In the previous match my batsmen struggled to cope with the surface and posted a below par score and were completely outplayed by the opposition (The average 1st inning score over 6 matches in this tournament at the venue has been 130).
For the above said virtual quarter final match the home team has a very formidable record at their home venue and have even beaten the best team of the tournament as well quite easily ( Average 1st inning score over 5 matches in this tournament at the venue has been 131)
My team’s best chance to win the game is to play on a flat wicket as the opposition doesn’t have the fire power to match my team in such conditions.
I am heading the organisation that runs the tournament as well where I can influence many decisions and can get away with it as there is no transparency.
My team is the defending champion and not making the top 3 of the tournament will have a huge revenue loss for me and not making the top 4 would be seen as an under achievement for my team as well.
Next on My agenda: Shifting a couple of playoff games from the home ground of the best team in the tournament which will make life a lot easier for my team.
Yours truly:
NS
and D*F IPL
New IPL model for the national squad
The Champions League finals were supposed to be the last match played by the current CSK squad as a team. Come fresh auctions and most players cannot be retained. Clearly this is not pleasing some influential people who are demanding a longer run for the reigning IPL and ACLT champions. There’s been talk of fielding a CSK XI as the India XI against Australia.
Instead of four foreigners, it’s been proposed that four players of Indian origin from other IPL teams will be accommodated. Not hard to tell who these four will be – Sachin, Bhajji, Sehwag, Dravid. The final XI could be: Sehwag, Vijay, Dravid, Sachin, Raina, Srikkanth, Dhoni, Ashwin, Bhajji, Balaji, Jakati. As usual, there’s been a strong push for more than four foreigners (read as non CSK players) – seeing as CSK’s bowling’s a little thin, Zaks could add much needed flab to the attack.
Ashwin’s interview with a selector
Selector: Congrats on the Golden Ball, but can you bat?
Ashwin: Yes I can bat, I have two first class hundreds…
Selector: That’s first class cricket, everyone has runs in first class cricket, how have you fared in internationals…
Ashwin: I’ve played one one-dayer, made 38…
Selector: Only one one dayer, that’s not much to go by…you know we’re looking for a bowling allrounder…like Bhajji…and Bhajji is already in the team
Ashiwn: OK
Selector: So please talk to me when you have played more internationals and we will consider you for selection then…
Ashwin: How will I do that?
Selector: On the sheer weight of your performances, you will come knocking on our door..
Ashwin: I’m first a bowler
Selector: That’s what, everyone is a bowler these days…you have to work on your batting…look at Piyush Chawla…he top scored today against Australia…an international side…you speak with him and yeah, Bhajji…you know Bhajji has worked on his batting at the cost of his bowling…he is that selfless a player…when you improve your batting, ok, understand…
(Phone rings)
Selector nods away as he speaks to his colleague
Selector (continues speaking to Ashwin): Areh, why didn’t you tell me, you have taken 13 wickets in internationals in T20 Champions League…you have very good international experience…and your IPL numbers are good too…very good…you will be in the team very soon..but don’t forget your batting, ok beta, thanks for coming beta..
Team Building Exercises for Chennai Super Kings
CSK and India Cements owner, N Srinivasan hops into the hall in an India Cements sack, followed by Kris Srikkanth and the resident CSK astrologer, also in their cement sacks.
Srikkanth: Wadducallit ImGoingHoppingMadInSacks…
Astrologer: Shhh Sri sir will hear you, shhh...Sri Sir…you’re enjoying hopping
Srinivasan: I have not digested my lunch only
Astrologer: For team morale sir, we must lead the ways
The CSK team is gathered in the hall, they start to get into their CSK India Cements' sacks.
Srikkanth is excited, he's just spotted his son, and makes an effort to run-hop to him in his sack…
Srikkanth: Wadducallit MySon…Anirudha
In his excitement, Srikkanth trips himself, and falls over in the sack; Anirudha embarrassed titters weakly at his mates…
Astrologer: Aaah there you are Mathew Hayden..I was telling Sri Sir that like you played lucky mascot in IPL you will play lucky in semis
Hayden: But I don’t wanna play, mate….ummm Hussey should play…
Srinivasan: Should we start the sack race…boys
Hayden: Can I hit the sack, mate…don't wanna play nuthin no more
Badrinath in sack, tries to get off the bench but falls..MSD reprimands him
MSD (to Badri): Areh, you don’t need an early start…you will come later
Badri sullen face sits back on the bench
Srikkanth can be seen pushing his son forward, while the son tries to shrug him off. Vijay tries to hop ahead – not hopping straight, he attempts to hop across the line and falls.
After Vijays early fall, MSD shouts at Badri to come off the bench…while the astrologer is still pushing Hayden. Murali is frowning, someone has made the 8 in his 800 t-shirt a zero. Raina puts on skates and gets into the sack. His fate, not to different from Vijay’s. Hussey meanwhile is half way across the hall, Badrinath has just started, Kemp can’t fit into a sack..
MSD (to Hayden): Where’s Morkel, Matt
Hayden: Ummm he hit the sack, mate..
MSD: No he didn’t, I don’t see him in the sack, mate
Hayden walks away, thought blurb over his head – “these Indians”, thought blurb over MSD’s head, “these Aussies”.
A sexy CSK groupie starts to flirt with MSD and asks him
Groupie: Know you’re married and all, but you wanna hit the sack with me...
MSD (bewildered, twitches and then winks): Areh? How does my being married stop me from playing in the sack with you
Groupie jumps with joy and nearly jumps MSD there…
MSD (as if looking into camera): Ub hoga usli mukabla!
Also Read: Bangalore Royal Challenger's Team Building exercises
NEW! Chennai Super Kings Whistle Podu Commercial
The Hotel Manager knocks hard at one of the CSK rooms, no reply. He then sticks his finger hard into the doorbell
Raina and Vijay swing open the door, whistling hard…the manager is shaken, stirred. There is manic whistling, an orgy of happiness, all being filmed – the new CSK commercial.
Manager: Er…I’m sorry to interrupt but…
Vijay: Yes so are we..go your way…go yaway…haha
The manager is pushed away, inside MSD is twitching, Badri is whistling on a bench, Jakati and Ashwin are whistling collectively, Hussey is whistling casually like a gent taking a dog for an evening walk, Kemp is whistling from the ceiling, Hayden tries to whistle but fails, Morkel tries too, when a sign appears - "Injured, cannot whistle", Murali is standing in front of a counter, whistling 800 times
From nowhere, Amitabh Bachchan appears in a long black coat
AB: Ub hogi asli party…Chennai Super Kings vs Whistle Podu
MSD who looks half dead, musters enough strength to stand up, feign a smile, and mutter…
MSD: Chennai Super Kings ka whistle podu..
Aishwarya Rai and Bachchan Jr appear, with Papa AB they start to whistle madly…MSD walks out. Badrinath goes up to him and asks...
Badri: Can I also come...
MSD: No, you come later...
IPL Teams with Supersubs
Dale Steyn might think the IPL was a paid holiday but it's time the IPL franchises found a way to earn the return on their overseas investments. It's time to bring back the supersub so that the owners don't throw money at cricketers who do nothing but carry drinks and give interviews during games. The crowds will get to see better cricket and that's always good for the game, isn't it?.
Imagine this: The Delhi Daredevils are bowling first. They have Tillakaratne Dilshan, AB de Villiers, Daniel Vettori and Dirk Nannes in the XI. Nannes takes 3/13 off his 4 overs. His night is over and in comes David Warner who scores a 50 off 34 balls. You've given a chance to Warner to display his ability. The crowd has seen some savage batting and goes home happy while the pseudo-nationalists are happy you've adhered to the 4 overseas players in the XI rule.
Similarly, you could have Ricky Ponting replacing Ajantha Mendis for the Kolkata Knight Riders. Matthew Hayden can beat the opposition bowlers to a pulp before Muttiah Muralitharan spins a web around them. The Deccan Chargers would unleash Castro on those capitalists from Mumbai before Gibbs thrashes the "Indians" all over the park. Talk about innovation.
KhufiaBaaz: IPL responsible for Andrew Flintoff’s test retirement.
Not the BBC or the Times will tell you the real reason why Freddie Flintoff retired – it was to concentrate on his IPL career with the Chennai Super Kings. After a ‘rubbish’ performance with CSK this season, where Freddie bowled the most expensive spell, he was rightly devastated – it was either tests or IPL. Finally, IPL won! A huge relief for his millions of fans in the subcontinent. A small group of cricket fans in the UK mourned test cricket’s loss, but in the long run, Freddie knows, the IPL will take care of him, much better than anyone else.
B the moment of the match
Semifinal 2, Bangalore playing Chennai
I was watching the match at a pub owned by a Kannadiga, surrounded by redshirts who invariably see you as a Chennai supporter because you picked your phone and said "Seri naa appuram pesaren" (OK, I'll call you later, in Tamil).
If sitting at a venue where you were outnumbered 1 to 8 was worse, the abyss of the day came during over number 20 of Chennai.
Robin Uthappa finally catches one and overacts as usual, and you have a whole bunch of redshirts around you shouting "Go Robin Go".
Do they want him to go back to Coorg, leaving cricket alone ??, I wonder.
Save all these, B the moment of the match was reserved for the end of the match banter between the fans of both teams.
"What poetic justice !! Both the last placed teams of 2008 are in the finals of IPL 2, brilliant right ??"
It is not dude, please...
Don't even mention this statistics again.
I don't want a John Buchanan and Sharukh Khan to hear this and continue with their disastrous experiments.
Let Kolkata Knight Riders have a life at least the next year.
"We didn't really bowl well"
Expected no less from you MSD. If only you bowled, or if Parthiv Patel could bowl, open, keep and captain for you too. It doesn't matter you toss the batting order around, call the toss wrong, or that your batting goes for a toss - striking at less than 100, "we didn't really bowl well", gimme another.
Why Uthappa Caught Oram?
Because he came into the match after deciding that he will not salute or bow down after taking a a catch.
K's moment of the match: Chennai v Punjab
Yuvi's wicket has to be the moment of the match. Man, what's Raina eating nowadays. Can't wait to see him at the T20 world cup.
In fact, while watching this match I could not figure out who to support (even thought of discussing this with Naked). Am half-Punjabi so natural tendency was to go with Punjab and also there is this irritating person I know who supports Chennai Super Kings. I wanted him to bite the dust.
But finally decided to go with Chennai for 2 reasons. Firstly, there is an even more irritating person I know who supports Punjab. I wanted him to sulk. Secondly, had Punjab won, my Delhi would have had to play Chennai in the semis.
Am glad Chennai won. The ideal situation now would be that Deccan wins today by a slender margin against Bangalore and as a result Delhi plays an unpredictable Bangalore team in the semis while Deccan takes on Chennai.
you fool sree...
sree you are not only a stupid fool...but uninformed about history as well...
you just don't celebrate like that after dismissing the indian captain...
ask certain murli karthik...
Start of a Big Day
A big day in South Africa today.
The defending champions' run in the IPL could be all over.
Another big game between the two Kings - one Super and the other not. Semi Final spot on the line for Priety's Kings.
The Fake IPL Player getting ready to reveal his identity. Boy would his heart be pumping today. He's going to become a celebrity.
Hope no one shoots him.
Its a huge day and I'm up early to follow it!
NC moment of what match was that
Cable TV returns with two overs to go, frankly with a KKR game that’s all you need. Last ball win, what an anti climax. Saha could've done better- left the wide one from Raina alone, taken the game into the super over, and laid those demons to rest once and for all. And for good measure they could have given Mendis the ball.
B the moment of the day
What did I say on twitter this afternoon ??
That shall "B the moment of the day" or rather days to come till KKR & the FIP comeback next season.
Bye Bye Buchanan & co (hopefully some sense prevails next season, Mr. SRK) !!
PS: Take one good look at all those brilliant ideas from the "Fountain of Ideas" himself
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