The current score-line of two-all is not the only thing that is close in what is proving to be an intriguing series. A tight schedule of seven ODI matches in only 18 days might appear to have brought the teams closer than normal.
Due to the logistics of moving 30 players, 12 support staff, three umpires, a match referee, the 52 highly-skilled members of the Nimbus television crew and a couple of old crusty commentators, the BCCI has chartered a plane to get everyone to the next venue in time.
From my comfortable seat, at the very back of the plane, I have watched with interest the interaction of the two teams who are currently locked in what is becoming a fierce competition to become the number one ranked ODI team in the world.
Both teams are at the front of the plane with Indians on the left and the Australians grouped on the right. In any other circumstance, bringing these two teams together anywhere other than the cricket field could be a dangerous experiment. The tight space of a plane could become a bloodthirsty wrestling ring with the players packed in close proximity of each other.
But, strange as it might appear to outsiders, laughs and jokes are shared between both teams on the plane and at the terminals, simply because the IPL has brought the players closer than ever before. The IPL has brought the cricket world much closer than ever before with players from around the globe joining Indian teams, creating a unique situation where players may be teammates one minute and archrivals the next.
{{/usCountry}}But, strange as it might appear to outsiders, laughs and jokes are shared between both teams on the plane and at the terminals, simply because the IPL has brought the players closer than ever before. The IPL has brought the cricket world much closer than ever before with players from around the globe joining Indian teams, creating a unique situation where players may be teammates one minute and archrivals the next.
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