The cricketing world will come to a standstill for nearly two months when top stars travel to India for their annual T20 jamboree. It’s the Indian Premier League season after all, so everything else simply has to wait.
The tournament begins on March 23 in the IPL stronghold of Chennai. The yellow of Chennai Super Kings will be on screens across the world and in the minds of cricket fans of all nationalities. Maybe it’s the presence of top players, or the high-scoring games, or the annoying jingle or all of the above; the IPL simply draws you in.
However, this year it won’t be the prize at the end that will be foremost in the minds of the top players. It is what lies just beyond the IPL that will have a huge bearing on the 12th season of the tournament. You see, the IPL will end some time in May – the dates for the latter part of the tournament are not out as of yet due to delay in announcement of Indian elections. That same month, the 2019 World Cup begins. And therein lies the problem.
New Zealand players have been allowed by their board to play the entire duration of the league. West Indies stars will also be available for the tournament. But that’s not the case with others.
Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman has not been given clearance by his board to play in the IPL as they want to preserve him for the World Cup. Australian players have reportedly been asked by Cricket Australia to return for a preparatory camp by May 2. English players need to be back home by April 25, while South African players have a deadline of May 10, Bangladesh of April 15 and Sri Lanka of May 6.
The workload of India players like Mohammed Shami and Virat Kohli will be closely monitored.
Not the ideal scenario for the biggest show in cricket. Forget about foreign players, even top Indian names have been directed by captain Virat Kohli to make sure that they take care of their fitness and avoid burnout. Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar hinted at managing his workload in the second half of the tournament. Reports suggest the Indian team is particularly worried about the workload of Jasprit Bumrah and now fellow quick Mohammed Shami, along with Kohli. Keeping them fighting fit for the World Cup is their top priority.
But try telling that to the franchises. Team owners who have spent millions are now facing the prospect of not only having the best international players unavailable during the business end of the tournament but even the main Indian names requiring careful handling.
Mumbai Indians – for example – are captained by Rohit Sharma and have Bumrah and Hardik Pandya in their line-up; basically the spine of the World Cup team. Can the Indian management expect Mumbai to forego their IPL ambitions, or even keep it aside for a while? Does this mean teams without main World Cup players will be better off?
THE TEAMS
The player exodus is expected around May. But there is a month and a bit to go until that time. At least a couple of teams should be out of contention by then, so there will be enough on the line throughout.
As is the case whenever they are part of the proceedings, CSK will be the team to beat. The Yellow Brigade made an emotional return to the league last year following a two-year suspension in the spot fixing and betting scandal. It culminated in the thumping win for Chennai in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
It was an overwhelming win for Chennai and skipper MS Dhoni, who batted like a man possessed, amassing 455 runs from 16 games. He hadn’t played with such freedom for a long time and hasn’t since.
This season will be even more special as it is most likely to see the finale of Dhoni’s international career at the 2019 World Cup.
Delhi Daredevils are now the Delhi Capitals after a change in ownership and leadership. Royal Challengers Bangalore will once again hope India skipper Kohli manages what hasn’t materialised over 11 seasons – a title win.
Chris Gayle will have a point to prove. Image: BCCI/SPORTZPICS
This season could see the IPL swansong of some stalwarts of the game. Icons like Imran Tahir (39) and Yuvraj Singh (37) and even Lasith Malinga (35) are teetering towards the end of their T20 use-by date. It looked like Chris Gayle didn’t have it in him anymore but his tremendous ODI performances against England show he still has a few T20 years left in him. The Jamaican great will be keen to have one final flourish, if this year does turn out to be the last one for him.
PREDICTION
While franchises will want to make it all about the trophy at the end of the nearly two-month long league, the focus of many fans would have already shifted to the World Cup by the time the final arrives. Whoever wins the title this year will barely have a week or so to pack all the celebrations in before the bigger games begin.
