IPL 2024 Opening Weekend: Let the Festivities Begin!

[00:00:00] Hello and welcome to this week's episode of The Edges amp and Sledges Cricket Podcast,

[00:00:13] the first of our IPL 2024 edition since the matches have started. I'm your host Ashwin

[00:00:19] I'm joined by Varun Bhairan Bhairan, how you doing? I know you repeatedly say this is

[00:00:22] your favorite time of the year. Has it started materializing that way already? At the

[00:00:27] almost end of weekend one? It feels like that so you can see I'm also smiling because

[00:00:31] I love your feedback last year that we don't smile at the intro and for anyone listening

[00:00:36] that's basically when you're watching rather that's basically because we laugh so much

[00:00:41] before that it's a really busy year. Anyway, I am feeling great when you know it's

[00:00:48] you know when the IPL starts you're almost looking for those 50-60 days everyone around

[00:00:53] you is kind of nagging you saying that we know this is going to happen for the next 15

[00:00:57] days but you are actually excited and although the IPL to me started off not that hot but

[00:01:03] like the Saturday second game thing started to heat up and so now everything is in motion

[00:01:08] so it feels like business as usual. Yeah, and so very quick public service announcement

[00:01:12] we are recording this as we typically will for the rest of the season in between the two

[00:01:16] games on Sunday. So Sunday's double header so at the time of recording this we have only

[00:01:20] seen four games which means the goodrather versus Mumbai game has not happened yet. By

[00:01:24] the time you listen to this it would have so obviously it's going to be a little less relevant

[00:01:28] but we're going to talk about the first four games that was eight of the teams that played

[00:01:32] but we will talk about it and it's not till the Saturday game but I have to open by asking

[00:01:36] you about the return of the capital, the Dele Capital Skipper and not just because

[00:01:41] we're Dele Fans to be clear I think any Indian fan any fan of the sport after what he went

[00:01:46] through to see Rishabh Panth walk back on the field standing ovation. I mean if you're

[00:01:51] David Warner and you get out then the crowd goes nuts. It's not a great moment right?

[00:01:56] Yeah, it's funny but yeah I tuned in early I get like Star Sports footage and I was basically

[00:02:06] watching and they had images of his accident that images of him hospitalized and the whole

[00:02:12] build up was just about this and it was great that he got a standing ovation because he's

[00:02:17] come back from something that's hard. Now the thing is he's looking fitter, he's looking excited so

[00:02:23] I think that part is exciting to me where I think we need to be realistic is that you know and

[00:02:31] this is we are the Shabhans fans but before the accident there were always questions about his

[00:02:39] selection for limited overs cricket so there was never doubt that he's going to be in squads but

[00:02:43] would he be in playing 11th and so I think with this upcoming World Cup I just hope he doesn't put

[00:02:49] too much pressure on himself because it's okay to not get selected, it's okay to just make a

[00:02:52] comeback. Think about the tests in Australia at the end of this year, think about the World Test

[00:02:57] Championship final which we have a good chance of getting in and just let your body get to that

[00:03:02] level, but I just feel like being captain Delhi we spoke about it last episode not being the

[00:03:10] strongest team. I just pray he's not putting too much pressure on himself. Yeah I think well said

[00:03:16] right? I sort of think about it from the perspective that he exactly the same, he was never a

[00:03:22] star, a short fire starter for India in T20s maybe even ODIs yes but not definitely not in T20s now

[00:03:28] I hope he can get there but seeing him in IPL in his IPL kit back in Delhi colors, I mean

[00:03:34] that's just something something special about that and by the way for those anybody who missed it

[00:03:38] he didn't we could keep the entire 20 overs too so from a fitness standpoint I think it was maybe

[00:03:43] four or five weeks though they said Punt will be back but won't keep and all the Delhi doesn't seem

[00:03:47] to have a shortage of keepers that was really really great to see but we will come to that game.

[00:03:52] Why don't we start by talking about this season opener? I thought you were going to say speaking

[00:03:57] of keepers and then you should do. Actually we haven't really talked about it have we?

[00:04:02] Yeah in my head there've been four IPL games this happened six seven weeks six seven days ago

[00:04:10] I forgot that on the show we haven't actually talked about the very big announcement

[00:04:14] from the team, the yellow team and the man who is been at the helm since day one of the IPL yeah

[00:04:20] right? I mean except for one season of the game just started there was some

[00:04:27] yeah and of course and of course the two seasons didn't play so that's all the whole different

[00:04:32] discussion but he was like captain of the earth team. Yeah I mean I was honing his step down

[00:04:38] his captain of the Chennai Super Kings Varun we are now kind of sitting here it's like I think

[00:04:42] I saw a poster an article about it that said both both the great like at the time it happened

[00:04:48] the India captains, Rohit on Mumbai, Nani for CSK have been put aside they've been

[00:04:57] the side-to-side or have stepped aside however you want to say it without even a press conference

[00:05:02] what was it was interesting to you were you surprised by that and by the way I feel like you're waiting

[00:05:06] for me to shout out that you called out that Rudraj would be the success. And remember you

[00:05:11] looked at me like I was like I think DJ like yeah yeah yeah yeah what is the thoughts on that overall

[00:05:19] situation before we get to the cricket I forgot we had not worry. No so I guess let's talk about

[00:05:23] the captaincy change and the broader picture the captaincy change look it's always a shock like

[00:05:27] you can only expect these things from the hooney I was expecting middle of the season kind of

[00:05:32] I'm handing over the names when I did when I did see his long hair I just did kind of get a sense

[00:05:39] that he's going as he came into the game right the same look the same I mean the solve nonsense stop

[00:05:45] but yes I didn't think of that but yeah it's not it's surprising but it's not surprising I think they

[00:05:54] need to give Rudraj time on the field with the hooney now what does that mean the hooney is coming back

[00:05:59] next year now it feels like lower likelihood right but will he be in the dugout 100% so

[00:06:06] yeah so that's to rest the first point now interestingly as the match we'll talk about it but as

[00:06:11] the match went along the players from csk wanted to do a review they were actually going up to

[00:06:17] Dhoni and Dhoni like yeah say that guy there and it's not me so um but but overall yeah I think

[00:06:25] I think interesting moves now coming to the broader picture I mean yeah Kohli is not captain Rohit

[00:06:28] is not captain Dhoni is not captain is changing of the guard you're gonna see bigger names you're

[00:06:33] gonna see newer names and that's just how it works I think it's acceptance to say that I want to play

[00:06:40] and play for long rather than be captain and and be thrown out in some sense so yeah yes it's

[00:06:47] the changing of the guard I think it's interesting I think that Kohli and then Kohli stepped aside

[00:06:53] Rohit was super seated if you will and then Dhoni very clearly Dhoni is not I don't know I don't

[00:06:59] know that really really what happens behind the scenes but I would bet money then he he's not

[00:07:03] gonna get pushed aside by the csk management Dhoni makes the call and he made the call to say

[00:07:07] I don't know whether he made the decision to want to release it so close to the IPL because he didn't

[00:07:11] want all the build up to be about him or you know just decide hey we're gonna do it I'm still gonna keep

[00:07:16] he still looked great behind the stumps there was one at one point he missed uh something fairly simple

[00:07:23] and he was really angry at himself it wasn't a wicked it wasn't a drop catcher anything but like

[00:07:26] clean take it wasn't clean and he was angry at himself so he still sets that bar high but yeah

[00:07:31] bar on the changing of the guard is interesting because Shres Ayur who is captain KKR was the first

[00:07:37] of the current crop of captains to captain IPL which was only interesting and yeah he's the most

[00:07:42] experienced IPL captain I mean that is just a wild realization right because everybody from

[00:07:49] Shikhar to Rishab to Rahul came and or got the captain's existence after so it's gonna be tough I

[00:07:55] think you know DJ will appreciate me saying but it's gonna be tough it looks gonna be a tough day

[00:07:59] when the only does hang up his boots but we also you do know it's coming but when it happens it is

[00:08:04] still a shock to the system but he got to kick off the IPL and bar on there's a lot of discussion

[00:08:11] about how players generally seem to do better under CSK than anyone else and I think on the other

[00:08:17] extreme there's players who seem to be who do worse under Delhi than anywhere else all these

[00:08:22] daily players to have our end of seasons with Delhi and move on and just as thinking when I was

[00:08:27] watching Russell but I was thinking Russell was playing for Delhi yeah I mean come up man it's just

[00:08:32] just something else do you want to run us through do you have the score card open and bang

[00:08:36] you're in a padding first yeah yeah I think we won't go into detail but I think basically what you're

[00:08:41] expecting are it Koli and Faf coming out Faf definitely scoring at a higher rate I think more

[00:08:47] pressure on him with Koli and the other end as Koli is coming off a long break and I think

[00:08:52] Faf it eight boundaries man that I thought that was I thought he was looking in good touch it was one

[00:08:57] of those moments for me where I just had and I had this happened to be multiple times of the weekend

[00:09:01] where I said as much as changes every IPL year so much this is the same yeah just so much this is

[00:09:08] the same I mean I have to place see I'm trying to look back at he's 39 years old I think the last

[00:09:14] time he played he's been okay he's been playing in the South Africa the T20s but yeah yeah man I just

[00:09:22] he just came out I looked the same as he did last year and he works on it right he works on

[00:09:26] himself so I think so so Faf got a good start 35 23 Koli now man 21 of 20 like there's undoubtedly

[00:09:33] going to be some pressure on Koli for this T20 World Cup and some friends and I were doing the math

[00:09:39] basically it almost feels like if Koli plays Rinku Singh can't play right and I think

[00:09:45] that is hard because you don't have a keeper and let's not go into the T20 World Cup squad but basically

[00:09:51] there's going to be pressure on Koli I think they've already came out and said that they're going

[00:09:54] to reconsider a Rohit theme stuff come on this is all rumors right but Rohit seems to have come out

[00:09:58] and said I want him in the team at any cost so 21 of 20 okay it's the first match but people are

[00:10:05] going to be watching him very closely most of his role is the guy you were talking about clearly

[00:10:10] when he said see people go to CSK and do well there's some magic formula I mean he was in

[00:10:15] daily last year and did nothing memorable yeah and I don't think he was a starter just that

[00:10:19] Patirana is not available I think he's injured if I'm here and so he just comes in and picks up

[00:10:26] Koli and FAF like unbelievable Rajat Patirana comes in and my god that guy he's just having the

[00:10:34] worst luck of his life but out for zero again Maxwell was the was you know zero of one not

[00:10:43] not expected Maxwell is I don't know man he had to have a deepak Chahed delivery right yeah

[00:10:48] yeah so it wasn't cold but off-slaid he's blowing hotter like so and then basically Kamgu

[00:10:56] and also nothing did he here where Koli told Janija that he is Kossas Laney day because Kamgu

[00:11:01] Kamgu was struggling a little bit he was willing to go back in three three seconds so Koli was

[00:11:06] like just let him breathe like just give him a give him a that is amazing I missed that one that's

[00:11:10] but generally I'm not much to talk about Anur Shravad and Karthik I think important for

[00:11:15] Kalsim that they did well both striking at you know 190 and 150 almost and I think they I think

[00:11:23] they did a great job they got Rcb to what 173 which at least felt respectable right the minute

[00:11:28] you start hitting 175 of Ish you feel that you're in with the chance it would have been I think 174

[00:11:35] but on the last ball of the edicts swipe misted themselves don't eat clean gloves and underarm

[00:11:40] throw with the glove on gets to run out I mean just just really stuff right yeah and then I

[00:11:47] mean a pretty fairly clinical tears if you will right you want to you think about the early on

[00:11:54] typically at IPL's and I don't have the number so somebody can prove me wrong but generally

[00:11:57] in IPL's chasing teams bad do do fair better and early on that happens even more so because you

[00:12:03] don't exactly until you've played it all the on all the pitches etc you don't have a sense for

[00:12:06] what's a good safe target but yeah I mean fairly efficient right I thought it was interesting that

[00:12:12] guy Rathuraj opened with Ravindra with Rachinder Vindra who looked good out there I mean just was

[00:12:18] smashing it everywhere 3 4 3 6s and then fairly clinical Rahane looked pretty good so you know

[00:12:25] we'll wrap up the match and yeah if you look good that's the thing that's the thing about CSK

[00:12:30] it just happens right so let me ask you two questions then one are you in the camp of

[00:12:35] now that Danish Karthik looked decent bring him back with the T-2

[00:12:40] I think bringing him back like a T-2 I'm glad you said no I met that as a joke so I'm very happy

[00:12:45] you didn't say actually yeah we should consider and then I was very intrigued by Shavon Dubeh who

[00:12:51] actually seems like he had really good outing recently with India in T-2 in the T-24 man

[00:13:00] didn't even get to play the first thing I mean listen every team used to use the impacts of

[00:13:03] differently already in just four games in the IPL but CSK chose to use it on a to bring in an

[00:13:09] all-rounder as a batter for the second andnings and he thought something that I mean I guess they

[00:13:13] have enough bowling options that they would have brought him in earlier if they needed him

[00:13:17] yeah even even I was very very surprised by that now obviously in the open air thinking we

[00:13:22] should get you know to bowl and think about India and stuff like that so I get that but yes I was

[00:13:29] also very very surprised about that yeah very yeah sorry I was just they picked up Mitchell right

[00:13:35] and arguably Mitchell has this international experience so where do Shavon Dubeh would have battered

[00:13:42] I think he's gonna drop a spot I mean I think that's what we are seeing yeah that's interesting

[00:13:47] actually because they didn't even bowl Daryl Mitchell right so if you are saying if we needed a

[00:13:51] six a fifth the six bowling option they played they played exactly five then you would have gone

[00:13:55] to probably Daryl Mitchell first right some year is we we know can bowl a little bit so they had other

[00:13:59] options they probably didn't need Dubeh the bowler but I expect to see him coming to play later in

[00:14:04] this tournament so yeah and nice to see you know Dubeh with the bat finish it off Jadayjah

[00:14:11] looked good with the bat so I mean to your point not a lot to write how about thoughts on the

[00:14:15] Bangalore bowling lineup right like Sarah Ajj just looks like a completely different beast in

[00:14:21] India whites even in India blue then in then for Bangalore Cam Green I think would be a little bit

[00:14:27] of a bright spot but really nothing nothing too exciting from no there's nothing and there

[00:14:33] hasn't been anything exciting for the last 16 years so nothing to talk about all right let's move

[00:14:38] on that that kind of route you know all right the first of the double header on Saturday was Daryv

[00:14:43] Spanjabh for you have pretty publicly made I mean anything we say on this show is public now

[00:14:48] when you've pretty publicly made the declaration the deliver finish 10th this year let me start by

[00:14:53] just asking you about team selection and there's a lot to talk about from a deli standpoint

[00:14:59] but first Prithvi Shah I understand not playing am I understand there are things you probably see

[00:15:05] in training and the nets etc that we don't see but he was a retention remember this

[00:15:10] so you retained a player only to not even start him or didn't and then the second I mean we

[00:15:15] said we jokingly say we have a all format international baller for team India in Mukesh Kumar

[00:15:21] and he just he said on the bench too so any thoughts on those decisions

[00:15:26] so the Prithvi Shah decision I know a lot of people are angry but you've got to think about it for

[00:15:32] a second right there's something people are seeing in his attitude or form or fitness that is not

[00:15:38] working now my personal belief is rikiponting has dropped him every season

[00:15:43] to give him that shock value and maybe set him straight and it's like kind of like you know with

[00:15:49] one of your children you just don't know how to solve for them and you keep trying to teach them a

[00:15:53] lesson it's almost like this time he's like I won't drop you midway I'm just gonna drop you

[00:15:59] at the start that's the only logic I can see to this maybe it sets him straight maybe not but

[00:16:05] let me say in this way I expect to see Prithvi Shah back fairly quickly and the second is Mukesh

[00:16:11] Kumar I was just stunned this guy's been this guy's playing test since other Africa

[00:16:16] yeah was it was it an injury I don't focus on Rishabh Pan I just had no idea what is

[00:16:22] what I'm gonna give you I don't believe so I think if you look at okay we wanted to play

[00:16:25] cool deep as an unquestionable spot actually I call it unquestionable spot then you're

[00:16:32] thinking about Sumit Kumar you want to give him a shot you've picked him up for a corrode in the

[00:16:35] off because he's an odd runner he theoretically can do both right so you want to give him that shot

[00:16:39] let's let's be clear I'm trying to justify he ended up giving one 19 runs it is over at a

[00:16:44] better he didn't look good with the ball but let's give let's be clear you give him a shot so

[00:16:48] then your question for me is among Khalil Ishaan and Mukesh Khalil has played for a debaher

[00:16:55] got it you slot him in maybe because he's lefty don't think the lifting the lefty I get it fine

[00:17:01] if you're picking between Ishaan and Mukesh Ishaan gives you some new ball over is Mukesh gives you

[00:17:05] the deathovers and you want to pick the deathover like it just makes no sense to me yeah and apparently

[00:17:11] I think Ishaan thrilled over his own feet or something I mean he was gone within a couple of

[00:17:15] a couple of hours right two of the week he did give the weekend so and he looked but he said yeah

[00:17:20] but anyway so yes coming back to Delhi selection I think your grossy location show back very very

[00:17:25] soon I think we were chatting about this if you look at Delhi's history in the last few years

[00:17:31] you lose game because you don't have a solid five and six to finish off the game now I can't

[00:17:37] remember too many times that Delhi's had four bats one right Warner Marsh

[00:17:41] Shayhob and Kristen Stubbs so positive move I was very very excited with this because I don't

[00:17:49] think the Delhi bowling is that bad barring so much Kumar who by the way I didn't know his last name

[00:17:53] but I took a guess at its Kumar I think I was looking at the some point because these matches started

[00:17:59] at five him for me but I think they were in if you look at the squads not the eleventh there was two

[00:18:03] comards two yadav two partales three sings and yeah just it was very there's Delhi Punjab

[00:18:10] matches a lot of not a last names here so as you just smack your mic again and yeah or listen

[00:18:15] it's going to get that let's keep going yeah and so I think the biggest challenge for me is that

[00:18:22] this is Shayhob's is Shayhob or Shayhob? Shayhob I think I just think of Jaihob as well

[00:18:28] so I really knew that must be brothers so Shayhob basically I think it's his first IPL game

[00:18:39] oh that's a good I think so I don't recall he has no experience on these Indian pitches

[00:18:45] and how to deal with the spin and then Kristen Stubbs again I don't know right now

[00:18:51] but I want to say he hasn't played that much IPL

[00:18:56] yeah so when you he was the big acquisition from Mumbai and then they also had

[00:19:00] they all bravest and this and then so he just basically didn't yeah he didn't exactly yeah

[00:19:04] so he's got some experience of non match time in India

[00:19:09] and I'm hoping that counts for something I'm willing to take a bet on Stubbs as a finisher

[00:19:14] and say even if it doesn't work putting that time but you've got two guys who are on the top of

[00:19:20] their game with Warner and Mars and two guys who have no experience of

[00:19:23] of and so what you what I'm hearing you say is one of hope or Stubbs makes way for Nakhya

[00:19:28] soon as you're young because I think I think you need that one bowler as well right so I

[00:19:32] think I would slot Shaw in drop Mars to three I remember I said he's the X-Factor I would keep

[00:19:39] up a month then maybe promote Aksha if we get fall and keep Stubbs for the end right because

[00:19:45] you're gonna want him to not play that much yeah and probably play over 16 to 20 so

[00:19:52] the last thing one says that Abhishek Poral basically that guy got impact clear at that point so

[00:19:59] and so just for context you never really want to use your impact player to bring in an extra

[00:20:03] batter in the same anything it is a good it is a good urgent use of it if you need to but yes I

[00:20:08] think at 128 for six or whatever it was when Tristan Stubbs got out they probably said all right let's

[00:20:13] strengthen the batting a little ideally you start with the extra batter and strengthen the bowling

[00:20:16] later but it is what it is and you're struggling that's the impact player part right yeah what a

[00:20:21] knock I'd paid what that's the knock I just changed the game 32 of 10 I haven't seen hitting

[00:20:27] like that from a daily batsman in years and years and years yeah and so to me also like making a

[00:20:35] case for not only being impact player when India's when Delhi's batting second but also maybe making

[00:20:42] a case to be in that playing in them right I mean we didn't talk about him but they saved the

[00:20:47] number five spot for Ricky Bui who just didn't look comfortable out there at all so unless Pondting

[00:20:52] was saving a spot for him because of the name I don't know if I don't know if we'll have more

[00:20:57] rickies in this team at some point between Pondting but I yeah I mean a lot of work to do and obviously

[00:21:03] we don't want to change this over and only talk about Delhi but just to go to the match it didn't

[00:21:07] start too badly if you will right yeah not off to a pretty quick start Warner and Marsh is a decent

[00:21:11] opening pair so I hope looked decent he played that three role that Coley Coley sort of plays Rahul

[00:21:18] plays it as an opener Samson plays it for Rajasthan he played that role not batting two fans but

[00:21:22] that is okay when you have firepower but then Risha looked okay but Risha was probably a little

[00:21:28] more aggressive than I wanted him to be and I think if he's going to start playing that that role

[00:21:33] at three or four then you don't need both him in home can you save the overseas slot being in a

[00:21:37] phrase of McGurk or somebody to go ballistic at the end yeah and then yeah actually actually just

[00:21:43] consistent but nobody got off right after we got a lot of decent 20s other than

[00:21:46] Porell nobody got off 174 when you made a hundred and four I think you said the sad thing about

[00:21:52] this is that it makes your laziness 200 bits yeah when Porell made 32 of 10 you said okay that means

[00:21:57] it's one like this is no near enough no near enough runs and I'm sure that right good good to see

[00:22:04] check her back out he actually looked very fluid for a little bit before a nice ball clip the top of

[00:22:09] the stump from a shant which was just vintage to see Delhi voyish ad swirling to Delhi voyish

[00:22:13] shaker and clipping the stumps but then really Sam karan batting at four didn't bowl which was

[00:22:19] very interesting to me or he bought one over sorry it didn't bowl much um bad at four and yeah

[00:22:24] made it happen I mean honestly to be clear they won with four balls just pair Punjab almost bottle

[00:22:30] however Delhi just bottled at worst like Tristan Stubbed the drop to simple catch David

[00:22:34] Warner dropped the catch near the end I mean just not not a good day for Delhi in the field overall

[00:22:40] but great to see Risha back and we maybe try to focus more on that yeah I'm just very just one quick

[00:22:45] point I think teams like Punjab and there's another team we'll talk about later I think they're

[00:22:49] getting their batting order right Karan went four is to me was a genius movie yesterday like

[00:22:57] we've not seen him bat at four like a Dhoni would have batted him at three or four um so for Punjab

[00:23:03] to do it I give them a lot of credit for that and you've pushed Livingston down right whereas Livingston

[00:23:09] was the guy who was going to be at four last year yeah Karan was consolidated gave them the

[00:23:14] gave them enough flexible and he knows when to accelerate so yeah very well done or why don't we take

[00:23:19] a very quick break we'll come back and talk about the next two games don't go anywhere you're

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[00:25:02] hundred percent sure what that does but everybody on youtube says it so I feel like we have to say

[00:25:06] so we do it but please do why don't all right we're in the third game of the IPL like you said

[00:25:12] second game of Saturday this is where it started to heat up right csk both first two games were good

[00:25:18] both teams chasing one nothing too crazy both teams fighting first didn't put up too

[00:25:22] aggressive a total it was fine kkr versus the sun rises either but so why don't I'd leave it to you

[00:25:29] first to talk a little bit about team selection for the sunrise that if you're new to this show

[00:25:35] you don't you won't know why I'm laughing if you've been watching for a little bit you'll know why

[00:25:39] or take care I mean every time I get to do the preview of sunrise and it's become a funny thing now

[00:25:45] and there's some years I say they're not gonna do well and they don't do well and there's some

[00:25:50] years I say that you know Travis has it's not gonna open or start and he did it and so the comments

[00:25:57] I got were just phenomenal and I think it's just important to remember that while we're saying this

[00:26:03] in a little bit of just we're trying to cover 200 plus players in like under an hour and so

[00:26:10] Travis head while he is important we talked about him a lot at the auction and really believed

[00:26:17] and I think all three of us did that he's not gonna start because you've got a core in Markham

[00:26:21] and class and and honestly even if back like if there's one of these not another give it to class

[00:26:27] and then even back comments right the form he's I think that got validated this way yeah just

[00:26:33] seriously so anyway but all jokes aside I think you know as I did do have a good team and

[00:26:38] and then he will you may see Travis head come in but we always knew that this is how it's going to

[00:26:43] start and so no surprises there they picked Markham class and Jansen and of course Captain Cummins

[00:26:50] and so KKR's batting first you know Phil Salt walks out which I was like in the fantasy that we

[00:26:59] were playing former Delhi player yeah former Delhi player and was doing well end of the last season

[00:27:05] did very well for England I think two centuries back to back or something and I got them off

[00:27:10] a great start assuming Narayan opened and I was like so disappointed with that and then I was thinking

[00:27:16] maybe that's the Gotham Gumbhi factor right because he did that pretty consistently when Gumbhi was

[00:27:22] when I read up to it that said they will be 2050 everything has changed as in he'll Narayan

[00:27:27] will still walk out open for kids so crazy what's your logic you've got very clear who's done well

[00:27:35] for you there and it just it doesn't make sense but anyway Salt was you know the shining star 54 of 40

[00:27:43] Narayan got run out very lazy typical I mean he did even try to get better he was just like if you

[00:27:48] hit it you hit it man like go for it yeah I just have it once let me ask you how how old do you think

[00:27:53] Narayan is 36 35 that's pretty good based on how he didn't go back with Narayan how long he's been

[00:28:01] deploying I was like he must be 39 right like if you ask me that will mean not say 39 but yeah but

[00:28:06] I would I would have immediately received his order very well keep going yeah and vegetation

[00:28:10] I year didn't do almost called him Venkateshwar and I year again yeah you've done it on the show before

[00:28:15] Venkateshwar and I year what did I say you just call him Venkateshwar instead of Venkateshwar so recently

[00:28:20] it just feels natural there is his other I year brother also did nothing and got out of the second

[00:28:29] to Tina Rajan my best name we have T. That's look great but T. That's looked so good with the

[00:28:35] money picked up three I mean yeah T. That's got more than back comments I picked Bovi in my fantasy

[00:28:41] team and he went for runs and T. That's just looked solid by the way Bovi hasn't aged a day in

[00:28:47] the last like 16 years all right for anybody who's keeping tabs on how long in an IPO season till

[00:28:53] Harun comments on Bovi's looks we should we should go for it but anyway but yeah so nothing to write

[00:28:59] home about and again like KK has been the trend with KK for so long it just comes down to Rin Kusin

[00:29:06] and Russell there's this guy Raman Deepu who I haven't heard of he did a good job he's

[00:29:11] going to 200 I think he started that momentum right and for the first time Rin Kusin actually had

[00:29:16] no pressure because oh my god on his Raman Deep by the way played two years ago for Mumbai

[00:29:23] and if you think you'll remember he had a couple of great knocks for Mumbai but any

[00:29:28] insistent no no I think he played four or five he played four or five games but he this is his first

[00:29:32] time he's playing with KK but yeah yeah and 100 Russell my god like we've been reading all about it

[00:29:38] his miss hits go for six anything he was touching was flying over the boundary anything that he was

[00:29:44] middling was flying out of the stadium pretty much I he plays towards three of these innings and

[00:29:52] two or three out of 14 games he does this to do it in the first is just special right at home

[00:29:58] in Calcutta he just took the game away I mean Rin Kusin who is an exclusive batsman

[00:30:05] just hit 23 Russell hit 64 of 25 and that just says it there I 208 for seven now

[00:30:15] oh yeah when that set batter got out well salt it was 119 for six in in the 40 at the end of the

[00:30:20] 14th over so Russell came out with 36 balls to spare I'm going to do this in that on the 19 1991 runs

[00:30:27] yeah basically 89 yeah you said 89 first yeah and how you calculating sir Thala is wrong no

[00:30:33] there was correct yeah yeah I just unbelievable unbelievable finish yeah yeah and and just change

[00:30:41] the basically just change the game now the challenge when you when somebody hits 287 and 20 with

[00:30:45] that kind of thing is that you're always wondering is this enough yeah it's eaten right small grounds

[00:30:52] you're thinking they've been lots of 200 plus matches before and I thought it was very interesting my

[00:30:59] uncle and Abyssa came out to open for the Sunrizers my uncle pretty good any thought by the way who

[00:31:04] I just have heard he's now been fine 60% of his match feed did you see I don't know it was so silly

[00:31:11] like my uncle's one of the nice dudes on the other in fact regardless of who it is

[00:31:15] but I just have a dude I thought happening live yeah and I was just and he did get into class it

[00:31:22] and I was like buddy this guy has just hit you out of the park your whole team out of the park

[00:31:27] I don't know I should say good baller but that is just not a good one I mean he's okay he's done

[00:31:31] well one game right like doesn't make him a good baller he's rolled well in one game but even if you're

[00:31:37] playing against debut runs you don't do that like unless there's some deep rooted history that

[00:31:42] class and then how should I have but then he didn't did multiple guys so he's the odds I think it's

[00:31:47] just him it was really weird I'm glad he got fined for it no but knowing Gambini's gonna say do more

[00:31:52] I'll pay your fine but it was horrific it was just horrific to watch yeah but what a what an

[00:31:59] interesting see saw this hearings was right it started reasonably solid but then they were losing

[00:32:05] wickets at quick succession and when Tripati and Mark from both got out from making 2018 Abdul Samad

[00:32:11] came in played decent gave some decent company and then got out you're thinking okay I think

[00:32:17] that I saw the saw the numbers I don't know the one front of me when it was 60 off 18 odd needed

[00:32:23] it was 90 95% in favor of kick air running the match in these the win probability guys

[00:32:29] and then 100 class and under unleashed his onslaught just unleashed on everybody and he got it down

[00:32:35] to seven of five right it was seven of five needed burn at you just think 60 out 18 from seven

[00:32:42] of five again math on the fly means he made 53 in those 13 balls right and then an including by

[00:32:50] the way that 19th over 24.7 crores 25 runs and that 26 runs of that over middle stark I mean

[00:33:00] listen if you would just pay 24.7 crores it got for given 53 runs for no we consider your

[00:33:05] family it's just a cautious I knew this was gonna happen I think of course he it's costing them

[00:33:10] 6 to 9 legs per ball depending on whether they make the finals that's actually amazing somebody

[00:33:16] to the right yeah to last last over class and starts off it was 13 needed off the last over

[00:33:22] hits a six seven of five I should throw that you just by the way just want to say you just

[00:33:27] felt like class and felt this is done right I just saw that in his head you're just think he just

[00:33:32] checked out for that split second anyway no you're probably right because then single shabas gets

[00:33:39] Marco Jansen comes and takes single class and gets out was five needed off two which again you feel

[00:33:45] you feel for him he's played that absolute jam of an atnings 63 of 28 balls before you got out

[00:33:53] and then there's something poetic about which talked about the one expensive Aussie there's

[00:33:56] something poetic about the new skipper Pat Kevin's walks in with five needed off one ball and obviously

[00:34:02] can't make contact with the ball I mean it would have been nice if they got four got a super

[00:34:06] over you don't know if he was thinking too much about trying to have to slug it for six it's never

[00:34:10] easy for anybody to come in that late and and hate but but Cummins has done heroics like this before

[00:34:15] obviously didn't didn't happen today or in yesterday's game but what a finish right I feel sort of

[00:34:22] needed one of those to kick started yeah exactly and then game three that's not bad like that's a

[00:34:27] pretty good record to have it happen in game three because then you just kind of feel that you're

[00:34:32] going to see a lot more of this yeah I mean it was great full credit that's why I started by saying

[00:34:39] IPL 2024 new captains lots of change new jerseys by the way not a fan of our CV has gotten

[00:34:46] added in blue I mean basically you watched this for it that somebody who's not an IPL fan and

[00:34:50] yours like every team has some amount of blue on it because of India and it's just hard to tell

[00:34:55] who's who honestly but yeah the more things changed about this in same class and came in with

[00:35:00] good form Russell hitting runs now right opening and making it not making runs it just

[00:35:05] it's kind of amazing how this happens because recently and as I get to that the final game we're

[00:35:09] going to cover it is Rajasthan versus like now and we have talked about I feel like we flagged

[00:35:13] it before it became a public step we've talked I think three four years ago about how Samsung

[00:35:18] always starts the IPL super strong I mean that was the last episode too yeah I said it I think

[00:35:24] it 21 and then again we talked about it in 22 and now the stats are coming on you always start

[00:35:30] and always at the end of game one why is Samsung not a World Cup? How does this get us a better

[00:35:33] space for you? It's just amazing but yeah Rajasthan we had it first made a 193 just well started decent

[00:35:43] didn't make much the bottle got out Rianne Parag looked great actually for a little bit but

[00:35:48] obviously the highlight was Sandra Samsung made 82 or 52 he did it 66 there were some he probably

[00:35:54] got something back about the way he paced his earnings didn't necessarily build at the rate he

[00:35:58] needed to but still you got your team to 193 overall pretty good and then Varad you want to talk

[00:36:03] us through this chase first off let's start with Quentin de Cocktoot to open with I saw him putting

[00:36:12] on his helmet standing outside the the boundary perimeter and I said no no no no no why do you

[00:36:19] have not be happening because for the last three months the narrative that he has put out there

[00:36:27] is that he wants to bat in the middle order to improve his chances of playing for India

[00:36:35] and the next thing you know Kerala who walks out to open and I just like I don't know I felt a

[00:36:41] bit sick when I saw that because I said you had all this could will being built up because people

[00:36:46] giving you so much credit for sacrificing to change your game and let look at number four on

[00:36:52] and number one I don't pay the play the same way right so he was getting a lot of credit for that

[00:36:57] and I was just shocked I especially in the game you're chasing 190 I think you should not have

[00:37:04] opened or don't tell people you're coming down the order it's just very confusing I haven't had

[00:37:10] time but I would love to read what he said in the commentary that kind of post match yeah I mean

[00:37:15] and again we're recording this right after it ended so we haven't fully digested I mean the game

[00:37:19] ended up seeming closer than or being closer than the scorecard will reflect right I think

[00:37:24] particle didn't you know and by the way Trent Bolt again the more things change the more they stay

[00:37:29] the same Trent Bolt first match with the IPL comes in gets too early wicked it couldn't decoct in the

[00:37:34] first over and particle in his third in the his second the third over the game I mean something's

[00:37:40] just a classic IPL but then I wish but only who was good also got out Nandar burger ended up

[00:37:46] bowling really really nicely came in as the impact sub which is also another interesting one by

[00:37:50] the way Raj sent only started with three overseas players and they used their sub as a fourth which

[00:37:55] again smart use of it the pakuda came in as Lucknow's impact sub and looked very good for very short

[00:38:02] period but looked very good there and I started thinking when he got out I was like okay

[00:38:07] four down what's gonna happen here then you realize poor and walks out at six,

[00:38:11] toinus at seven, pandia at eight I mean this team has some depth

[00:38:16] Nicky Peel looked pretty good I mean do you sit here and say if Rahul wasn't basically a

[00:38:21] runner ball for his first 20-25 balls they would have had a better shot now I mean I'm

[00:38:25] always saying that all is nothing changes so much is seen yet nothing changes

[00:38:30] Rahul is not for a winnest team matches by doing exactly what he has done and saying

[00:38:34] strike right is over-nated yes it might people what you're not realizing is when you're 20 of 20

[00:38:41] and then you've lost time in the game right and once again if you can accelerate to the end

[00:38:47] and win the match do what you want but if you're gonna get out you've lost time for the other

[00:38:52] batter so Nicky Peel looked good another one I wanted to call out is like Sam Karan for

[00:38:58] Rian Paragat for I used to be the only one for these are not guys who bad at it for so clearly

[00:39:03] watch this pace right there's some trend happening with the number four where you're clearly

[00:39:07] putting in guys who will back will and know how to consolidate but also all three of these guys

[00:39:14] have been known to bat at six or seven in the past to accelerate this coding so just a very

[00:39:21] interesting balance yeah it is interesting and it's always great to see how strategies evolve

[00:39:25] and again things like the impacts we didn't talk about it much but have you seen or of course

[00:39:31] you've seen but any thoughts on the two bouncers now allowed in an overrule it feels like there's

[00:39:36] significantly more short pull short pulse happening some some obviously by bowlers who don't have

[00:39:41] the pace to make their thought that I'm not gonna name it yeah but there's some bowlers who don't

[00:39:45] have the pace to make their short pulse threatening and they're getting smashed but it's how

[00:39:48] interesting a rule change like this just changes strategy to right yeah and I think

[00:39:53] they're gonna see used at the end of the lot you're gonna see a lot of slow ball bounces if

[00:39:58] that bad sets yeah but it's such a hard delivery so only the very select specialist yeah and so

[00:40:05] I think you're gonna see that more and more I think people who are suspect of the short ball

[00:40:11] are gonna see it more and more and generally I don't see a downside to it I think it's good I

[00:40:17] think it's good for the game yeah so interesting interesting first weekend I mean like you said it's

[00:40:23] I would like now I find it hard to look at a scorecard on its face value and one guy made 58 one

[00:40:28] made 64 and you fought them for all the other guys who couldn't score but when you watch a game

[00:40:33] there's so much more context and there's so much more about the pressure that gets built up from

[00:40:38] Kailar out not not accelerating sooner but not a hugely surprisingly result I think Rajasthan was

[00:40:43] probably the favorite going into that game didn't necessarily expect it off of the back of

[00:40:49] Asandra Samson special but actually we probably should have right they that's how the early games

[00:40:53] in the IPL always go but on any other major surprises for you or any any delights excitement

[00:40:59] I think you know her herifications if that's a word or things that were horrifying from the opening

[00:41:03] weekend of the IPL as we wrap no I think we covered everything I think I'm good yeah so as we record

[00:41:11] this the good draw versus Mumbai game has started the battle of Shuman Gil as the new good

[00:41:18] draw skipper versus Harajik Pandya having to lead a team with Raj Sharma in it I mean it's gonna be

[00:41:24] it's gonna be massive guys we didn't even talk about it there's so many things to talk about but

[00:41:29] the fantasy league situation with the official IPL's website has been an absolute debacle I know

[00:41:36] frustrated you four days that's already dead like we just refresh refresh refresh refresh refresh I

[00:41:43] mean it's disappointing honestly like as fans of the game it's shocking right like so many of us rely

[00:41:48] on fantasy league to just have skin in the game a little more than when your team is playing you and

[00:41:53] I would watch the games we have this podcast we love this sport but for the average fan you the

[00:41:58] IPL should have known after 15 years of running at how important those things are so honestly very

[00:42:02] disappointed I think they have a new a new fantasy sponsor and they weren't able to get

[00:42:06] there together in time the edge of the sledges team figures away at the we are playing fantasy

[00:42:11] cricket if you haven't joined us yet there's this site I'll give them a shout out even though

[00:42:14] they're not a sponsor anything called fan either fans in here or fans in here or I don't know how

[00:42:19] they intend for it to be pronounced but it's like the country tense in here with an effort at the

[00:42:22] beginning and yet join us where on Twitter it on Twitter we'll put in the show notes as well our

[00:42:27] fans hitting just come play with us we're having a great time I'm not doing so good obviously I

[00:42:31] chose not to pick steps and even though I know better I haven't started well I didn't have

[00:42:39] Russell somebody had already captain him and so it's just but it's a great time it adds a lot of

[00:42:44] fun value so starting next week onwards we'll share more details and scores and how people are

[00:42:48] doing etc burn that's been that's a wrap it's always fun to go through by the time we get here

[00:42:53] next we'll have nine games or something to cover so it'll be a little more chaotic but the opening

[00:42:58] is always a little fun as I have just observed as Matalla Omar Zai has walked in about it for

[00:43:04] for the goodrati so maybe you are on to something that number four I mean he's not a traditional 40

[00:43:10] hasn't even bladding this first IPL game ever so there's something to do with it all right

[00:43:16] hit us up at one-to-one hand Twitter Facebook Instagram we're on YouTube we're trying to grow our

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[00:43:30] we will be back next week to talk more about the IPL and obviously have some more fun and engage

[00:43:36] and we'll be a mix of guests in the two of us and three of us etc over the course of the season so keep

[00:43:41] playing IPL fantasy this has been the Edison 30 screen podcast signing off