Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils, IPL 2009
Whose idea was it today to make so many changes?
I am afraid, Sachin would not come up with this Ronchi-Duminy opening and himself at number 4, especially with other fringe players being bowlers. This was the poorest bit of cricket planning, I must admit -as a Mumbai/Sachin admirer- that I have seen a long time. (even if Jayasuria was tired a bit and needed to be rested, one more batter was needed- and perhaps Takawale or Dhawan in for Rahane).
Let us look at the possible logic behind such changes:
1. Since Mumbai are at the bottom of the table (just above Kolkatta), they need something drastic? Wrong. Firstly, they were not 7th, since other teams above have played more matches. And most teams are about a 1 or 2 points ahead or behind after the halfway point.
2. Tendulkar and Jayasuria are letting them down?
Sure, they have not fired in 4 games, but in the context of 14 games, that is not just likely, but perhaps to be accounted for. Smith (Rajasthan Royals), Gautam Gambhir (Delhi), and most others- except Hayden (Chennai) and Gilchrist (Chargers) have been just as messed up. And even with Chennai/Chargers, the other opener is just as uncertain. In fact, Tendulkar and Jayasuria are just fine.
The fact of the matter is that in this format it is OK to be messed up a bit, since fringe players can somehow roll out clean hits, alternating it with rubbish shots, at any phase of play. Unfortunately, most big-brand Mumbai Indians batters are organized cricketers (even Bravo- clean hitter seems orthodox amidst the circus of T20).
3. Mumbai does not look like a winning or champion team? This also baseless, because every match they have played so far, someone has had to beat them (and they have lost two from winning positions- which also you can take in your stride, in this format).
Their problem has been that they have not explored the lucky and fluke shot factor very well. Luck is different from fluke. When you try something and it happens but not as well, you are lucky, but when you try something and what happens is totally different- it is a fluke)
Today, AB De Villers was all over the place against the spinners, padding those which he could not reckon, inside edging, and then gloving one between leg-slip and the keeper. He had lots of luck and flukes, but then followed it up with clean shots against Sachin's bowling.
Anyway, Mumbai need to win 3 or 4 from 5.
Not gone yet.
Watch out for my method/luck/fluke combo plan...
Saumil
9 May 2009
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