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Showing posts with label Delhi Capitals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delhi Capitals. Show all posts
Dhoni after CSK.
A triple-role with Delhi Capitals? Or a coaching stint at 'Ranchi Sunrisers'?
Every season, the one question that does the rounds is: is this his last season? Last year, MS Dhoni gave every indication that he wanted to play at his CSK home ground, Chepauk, and then take a call on his IPL career.
Dhoni’s call has been answered by every stadium in India. Every stadium has been a sea of yellow. A CSK fortress. No matter where, it's been Mahi’s home ground. The high point of every CSK match has been when MSD's come out to bat. Ad breaks ceased. Both Star and Jio have been largely aligned on this.
It may have been for just a few deliveries, towards the end of every CSK innings but MSD has come out swinging each time – striking at nearly 200, Dhoni’s daredevilry with the bat has left all gasping for more. After 12 matches, even though MSD has faced a mere 50 deliveries, he has scored 98 runs, with 10 sixes. Dhoni out in the middle has been an event.
It hasn't been uncommon for even those not watching the match, to turn it on. It hasn't been uncommon for those who were turned on elsewhere, to turn to the match. It's been the Dhoni factor. Mobiles switched on, TVs tuned into, viewership peaking. Everyone have sensed, this season is all about Dhoni’s withdrawal.
The eternal question has been, what will CSK be after Dhoni stops playing? Everyone expected that he would remain with the franchise in some capacity, most probably as a mentor, much like Tendulkar is with Mumbai Indians.
Apparently it could be quite to the contrary. It has been learnt that Dhoni hopes to take on something more challenging – a leadership role at a hopeless franchise, either Delhi Capitals or Sunrisers Hyderabad. Both teams are languishing at the bottom, with a handful of games remaining. Dhoni wishes to see, by the end of the season, which of the two teams is more useless.
In their two matches against each other, DC and SRH have won one match a piece. The margin of defeat has been similar, 7 and 9 runs. Both teams chasing had 4 wickets in the bank, played their overs out, and tested the patience of their handful of fans.
Asked if this is true, Dhoni remained non-committal but did say, “Even useless teams have some use. I remember when I was at the Pune franchise (Rising Pune Supergiants), I did feel they had some use – when I returned to CSK, it was with new vigour. I’m not saying I will be taking on a leadership role with either of the teams but I’m not ruling it out either. One must keep looking at fresh challenges.
"Sometimes I feel that we at CSK, with Flem as coach and me there too, are a well-oiled machine. We need to challenge ourselves. That’s why, if you remember, we made Jadeja the captain in between. The rest, y’kno, everyone saw. Some will remember the issues with Raina too, what seemed like a non-issue but really, it’s how you decide to look at matters and take them in your own hands”
The Delhi management said they’d love to have Dhoni in any role: “Ideally we’d like to have him captain, coach and mentor our team as we are missing persons in all three roles. It has been a painful experience for us and we are looking to rename the franchise again. We also are looking at Dhoni to suggest a new name or if he’s fine with us using his name, something like Dhoni’s Delhi – we feel it has a ring to it but finally it is what Dhoni is comfortable with. We are also comfortable to change our jersey to yellow as that is something he is used to. It is still early days and I do not want to make any comments as such so please don’t quote me”
The Hyderabad franchise claimed ever since things had been going south for them, Dhoni was on their mind. “Dhoni’s association with the south is well documented. He is revered in Chennai. Also, the shift from yellow to orange (SRH’s colours) will be quite seamless. I know, DC is keen to have him on board but I do feel, MSD and Hyderabad are a natural fit. I have heard that Delhi is wooing him with a change in name, we will pull out all stops too. We are even prepared to call ourselves Ranchi Sunrisers to make him feel at home”.
When contacted regarding the comments of the DC and SRH management, Dhoni kept it brief, “Nothing to add”.
Just then, Dhoni’s phone rang with the tune 'Main pal do pal ka shayar hu.’
(However plausible this may sound, this is a work of fiction)
First published at cricket.com
Can Kohli-Gambhir spat inspire Delhi Capitals?
The Delhi Capitals’ camp wore a forlorn look. Everyone sat in their corner, glued to their mobiles. There was a RCB-LSG match on, but that did not matter. Once the match was done, something caught coach Ponting’s eye, as he whacked his hand, “You see that, mate” he said to nobody in particular. Nobody looked up. They had stopped taking Ponting’s pep talks seriously.
But then, Ponting repeated himself, with even more vigour, “Mate, stop what you’re doing, as a team, all the inspiration you need is out there” He pumped the volume. Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir were having a go at each other. Nothing new.
The bored players looked up uninterestedly; wary, that if they didn’t, they will be unceremoniously dropped from the DC squad, or worse still, made to play the next match. Young Indian players were aware, they could be forced to play anytime – it had nothing to do with performance or how they fared in the nets – in fact, it was quite the contrary. If you looked totally out of rhythm, or defiant, the punishment was to play – which explained how random the selections were.
Everyone had started referring to Ponting as Random Ricky. Shane Watson was being called Shame Watson. James Hopes was James Hopeless. Ajit Agarkar was called plain Duck. These names were an open secret and made Ponting unhappy. Not because of their mocking nature, but as he often said, “Mate, use a little imagination. Do you even know what Rishabh would call me? If you want to take the mickey, mate, you gotta learn from Rish…”
Mention of Pant would invariably make everyone sad. Some players had even requested to go improve their morale by visiting Pant in the National Cricket Academy so he could mock and inspire them. These requests had been denied.
Back to the Kohli-Gambhir spat. It had excited Ponting no end. DC owner, Parth Jindal asked everyone to take heed of what Ponting was saying. Which is when they did.
“Look at them. That’s the true spirit of Delhi, mate. You see them, even after the match is over, they’re having a go at each other. Those two guys out there, they’re true Delhi-ites. That never say die attitude. It’s not about winning or losing a game, but not giving an inch, mate”
A befuddled, David Warner looked up, “What you saying? You want us to fight with the opposition?”
“Exactly, mate.”
“But we can’t. You see that, don’t you?”
“That’s during the match. What about after the match?”
This is when, the ever-aware Axar Patel, piped up, “Areh, we will lose match fees also. My Guju brain will not allow that”
To which Warner adds, “Count me out too!”
Ponting is exasperated, he shrugs and looks at Warner, “Mate, making those vids really have softened you? Are you for real, mate? You think I’m gonna ask you to fight after the match. Are you an Aussie? When did you stop being one? Has the IPL sucked out every bit of that from you? Do you remember, how we Aussies fought on the field? Do you even know what the word SLEDGE means? Does anyone of you even know what we did in Sydney? You gotta win at all costs, but here it is we gotta lose at all costs”
Just then an oblivious Ganguly walks in exclaiming how good the biryani was. “Excellent biryani but I dropped some on my shirt, and had to take it off”
Parth Jindal intervenes, “Pant is on that Zoom call we had planned after the match. Ponting shrugs again.”
Pant appears on screen, “Hi boys, today was a good match for us, we did not lose”
Everyone cracks up.
Pant continues, “You have to look at small wins, boys. Matches we are not playing. They are an inspiration for us. We never lose in matches we are not playing. But I am also hearing that we are not playing in matches we are playing and that is why we are losing. Boys, please turn up at least for those matches. Right Ricky?
Guys, my recovery is coming off well. You see, I have not lost my sense of humour. But the defeats are making me very sad. I’m not saying this because the DC owner is there…”
Everyone cracks up, as does Jindal. Somehow, Pant’s levity has eased the mood. But Ponting is still looking sullen. He explains his concept of Delhi’s fighting spirit, and how DC can be inspired by the Kohli-Gambhir spat.
Pant seems lost, “I dunno Ricky. We all have different triggers. My trigger was Bhogle when he compared me to Virender Sehwag. Maybe we all have to use our triggers. But what you say is also right. But what did you say? Sorry, I have to go for physiotherapy”
The Zoom link snaps.
Everyone cracks up again, and for once, the DC camp is filled with applause.
It’s obvious, while the likes of Kohli and Gambhir use their Delhi aggression, Pant continues to win hearts with his Dilli-ka-Dil.
(However plausible this may sound, this is a work of fiction)
First published here at cricket.com
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