The Indian Premier League is back and so are the nail-biting finishes.
By Rudrankar Raha
Bengaluru, April 12, 2019
The 12th edition of the decorated league has just begun and Bengaluru is all geared up for the tournament.
Ever since the first edition of the madness called Indian Premier League was played in 2008, the tournament has witnessed everything. Be it close finishes, huge sixes, elegant fours, good death over bowling, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) founded tournament is a testament to some exciting display of cricket.
The gentleman’s game has seen a revolution take place over the years and IPL has been at the heart of this revolution.
With almost halfway through the IPL, it’s quite clear that CSK will be one of the teams to qualify for playoffs. Other teams like Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kings Xi Punjab, and Delhi Capitals are competing hard to get points.
West Indian Players are ruling the IPL this time as well. Be it Andre Russell with his all-around capabilities or Chris Gayle with his towering sixes, the Caribbean players have been at the top of their game. Talking about the pitch, CSK has been preparing bowler-friendly pitches and winning matches based on their bowling performances, that contradicts that IPL is a batsman’s game.
Kishan Nigam, who lives in Hebbal, said: “Going by Royal Challengers Bangalore’s form, I think it is going be another tough season for them.
Every new season RCB comes up with a new set of problems. For the past couple of years the problem was in the bowling department but this year their strength batting hasn’t been up to the mark. I think they should go for a change in leadership.”
Ashutosh Kumar from Koramangala said: “RCB needs to do their homework before going to auction as they never pick world class bowlers in an auction.”
The people of Bengaluru support Chennai Super Kings apart from RCB.
“I really love the passion and teamwork they display on the field. Fighting till the last ball, snatching victories from the jaws of defeat in death overs these are what makes CSK special. No wonder they have been champions thrice” added Nigam.
“Apart from RCB people support CSK because of MS Dhoni’s leadership skills and his ability to plan the game after weighing in all the factors,” said Ashutosh Kumar, who lives in Koramangala.
When asked if the level of excitement same as the first edition, Nigam said: “Definitely not. Judging by India’s love for cricket, I don’t think cricket’s popularity as a sport is going to decrease anytime soon but I would like to compare IPL with football leagues in the west, wherein teams, they compete in tier 2 and tier 3 leagues to play in tier 1 leagues. It would have been much more fun to witness that.”
