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The Indian Premier League is back. You think it’s a wasteful hangover of the World Cup? Or are you a fanatic who needs his/her daily cricket fix?
The Indian Premier League is back. You think it’s a wasteful hangover of the World Cup? Or are you a fanatic who needs his/her daily cricket fix? Asad Ali and Aasheesh Sharma debate it over mugs of beer.
Excerpts from a spirited conversation:
Asad: So what’s new? Don’t tell me the IPL, because it isn’t!!
Aasheesh: Expansive shots, inventive bowlers, imaginative captaincy and a raucous audience. What’s not to like?
Asad: Expansive? Maybe the ground is! A scoop over leg slip is dubbed “improvisation” and first rate Test bowlers are massacred in the name of the IPL!
Aasheesh: In the good ol’ days, my favourite shot was the leg glance. Some players still play it well. And those cheerleaders behind fine leg are a nice little digression!
Asad: I doubt how many do a proper leg glance in the IPL, unless of course they’re glancing at the digression!
Aasheesh: Also, see how Tim Southee and James Faulkner instantly buried their World Cup enmity in their Rajasthan Royals jerseys.
Asad: Making truckloads of money from this format in their countries would’ve been impossible! But how can you tolerate the ‘extraa’ elements?
Aasheesh: Meaning?
Asad: Navjot Sidhu’s aphorisms and Gaurav Kapoor’s attempts at anchoring!!
Aasheesh: If you expect Richie Benaud and Tony Cozier to commentate in T20, you’re being really optimistic.
Asad: To be honest, I liked the first IPL. Maybe because I was supporting KKR!
Aasheesh: Agreed! Like they say in the United States, every American president makes his predecessor look good.
Let’s drink to that!
From HT Brunch, April 19
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