The IPL has reached the halfway stage and I have no doubt that it has become one of the biggest sporting properties in the world of business, dwarfing even the World Cup. I will not be surprised if advertisers hedge 80 per cent or even more of their cricketing budget on the IPL.
Talking about the tournament, four young Indians have caught my attention. RP Singh is an obvious name. He languished for a better part of last year — having played his last Test against South Africa in April 2008 — and has had no role to play in India’s one-day campaign for over six months. But in this edition of the IPL, he is a bowler reborn. Gone are his injury worries and self-doubts. He is one of the reasons why Deccan Chargers are on top of the table. The purple cap is a just reward.
Pragyan Ojha has been no less impressive. Consider the joy of Deccan Chargers who have both RP and Ojha in their ranks! Ojha is fifth on the bowling table but the best among spinners in this IPL. The left-arm spinner hasn’t been collared by anyone in this competition. Most of his wickets are top-order bats.
Rohit Sharma is another cricketer reborn. The Mumbaikar didn’t have a fifty in his last 16 ODIs and got to bat just once in New Zealand. He now has a half-century and a hat-trick to boot here. And in case you haven’t noticed, he is also from Deccan Chargers!
{{/usCountry}}Rohit Sharma is another cricketer reborn. The Mumbaikar didn’t have a fifty in his last 16 ODIs and got to bat just once in New Zealand. He now has a half-century and a hat-trick to boot here. And in case you haven’t noticed, he is also from Deccan Chargers!
{{/usCountry}}Suresh Raina would be my fourth choice though he is not a comeback kid in the strict sense. TCM