Because Bowlers are just Failed Batsmen…..
12 thoughts (11 + impact) at the random point of a boundary-shifting (literally & figuratively) IPL 2024
1. “A full-back is just a failed winger” so intoned Jamie Carragher once – this statement makes sense watching how batters have elevated hitting to a new level reducing bowlers to almost glorified bowling machines. But then who likes bowling – as a kid, we would all line up to ensure that we got batting. Bowling was a distant 2nd and fielding was a reluctant option even at the best of times (which kind of explains why we were so much behind some of the other teams when it came to fielding standards for a long time)
2. 287, 277, 272, 266… these are all decent 50 over scores but IPL 2024 has ensured that 250+ plus totals have been breached with the same frequency that our political leaders breach the model code of conduct. 8 of the top 10 highest IPL team totals have been achieved this season including a remarkable chase of 262 demolished with 8 balls to spare. But then why are we even surprised – the IPL was marketed as an entertainment tool and entertainment in this case naturally runs galore, boundaries galore, and ads galore (not) and not wicket-taking and mid 150-170s score. Basically, moving the game more towards the bat rather than the ball.
3. Flat road of pitches has very obviously helped. The Impact Player rule (what a stupid rule – more about it later) is also a factor. All of that has just opened up the thinking (or the non-thinking) for betters. It has mostly been a refined and brutal version of “See ball, Hit ball” sans fear.
4. During the inaugural seasons of the IPL, there was this rule on players from catchment areas/ U19s who mandatorily had to be part of the team/ squad. It’s a rule that has quietly slid down the radar like who is heading the Wrestling Federation of India. The thinking behind that rule being that it would help India develop a batch of ready, hardened players. Unintentionally though, there is an emerging set of uncapped Indian batters who are fearless enough to take up the best of the best. These are low-profile players who have spent enough time honing and sharpening T20 specific skillsets domestically. Abhishek Sharma, Shashank Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Nitish Kumar Reddy to name a few. (The fantastic 81 All Out podcast also calls this out saying the strike rate of uncapped Indian batter is possibly the highest among all IPLs)
5. The attitude embraced by these uncapped Indian batters is in stark contrast to the more established Indian batters, especially given they technically bat where they want i.e. opening the innings – Despite the luxury of opening, most have chosen to anchor their way/ get out early while scoring just enough to justify a case. Funnily and tragically enough, these established players are the ones going for the T20 WC and not the exciting ones – it requires a mind-set change. The multiformat established players are unable to move away from valuing their wicket while T20 demands the opposite.
6. The Impact Player rule has made the game exciting but long-term it is a problem area for India. As it is, India struggles to find proper all-rounders. Anyone who even touts to bowl a bit, and bat a bit gets immediately hailed as the next coming of Kapil Dev – that pretty much has been the state for the hunt of the Indian all-rounder. This Impact Player rule essentially eliminates the need for developing all-rounders. You have players like Dube who can show their worth with the bat but don’t turn their arm over for even a couple of overs due to this rule and this is hampering their development as well as the national team. The late 90s/ early 00s had a bunch of Indian batters who could be relied upon to turn their arm over and if it was their lucky day, could even nab a few. Sachin, Sehwag, Ganguly, Yuvi could all provide backup if the main bowlers got hit (and it happened a lot). But one look at India’s top order for the T20 WC, no one bowls. Even Rohit Sharma, who has to his credit an IPL hattrick, hasn’t bowled in forever.
7. Given all this, I am fairly pessimistic of India’s chances in the upcoming WC. Given the expected slow nature of pitches in Windies and US (drop in pitches), the team doesn’t have enough six hitters nor do they have enough batters in form to make the deep run. I expect another scenario where we score a perfectly middling 170 odd and think its respectable only to get bulldozed away by the opposing team openers in 15-16 overs. Chasing, especially in the K/O phase is pretty much the only way India is going to make a deep run this WC
8. Intent used to be this word that the likes of Kohli & Shastri used to beat the solid/ unfancied players with – maybe it's time that the definition of intent is looked up, especially for the T20 format. The eternal debate on Kohli continues – against pace, especially opening, he has been super aggressive from the get-go. The moment spin is introduced, the challenge starts, his strike rate dips and he struggles to force the pace. A significant concern given the pitches expected
9. Even more worryingly for India is the whole Mumbai Indians circus – Rohit Sharma, the Indian team captain was rather unceremoniously replaced by Hardik Pandya who will have to play under Rohit Sharma when back in the Indian team (as it is, Hardik Pandya playing for India is a rarity) – Things are just simmering with the other 2 key India players with SKY & Bumrah not happy given their aspirations and seniority within the MI setup.
10. Indian batting is top-heavy as has always been the case. The concerning part is once we get past the top order, the lack of explosiveness in batting is baffling Pandya himself has become a shadow of the hitter that he was and Jadeja has always been Jadeja. The lower order, no matter the permutation and combination, can barely hold the bat, let alone hit sixes.
11. Likely Indian XI for the WC – Rohit, Jaiswal, Kohli, SKY, Pant, Hardik, Dube, Jadeja, Kuldeep, Bumrah, Arshdeep – This possibly is the best starting lineup for India but then this requires Hardik/ Dube to bowl 4 overs without any backup. The lack of an out-and-out wicket-taker apart from Kuldeep is also worrying. Teams are going to play out Bumrah. Jadeja & Arshdeep are defensive options at best
12. One of those moments that stick in your mind from childhood is the Gary Kasparov vs Deep Blue game- the ultimate Human vs Computer Chess Game – what the doomsayers proclaimed as the day computers were going to take over the world. Maybe the change in cricket is to replace bowlers with bowling machines fitted with AI and then make it a batter vs AI game in that regards