IPL 6 - A little different for the old warriors of Indian cricket

The IPL is in full swing and to be honest, it has set the tone to be the best edition held over the last six years. This IPL has been different, distinctly different. Though the tournament started off with its usual dose of controversy, this IPL has actually managed to stay away from non-cricketing headlines in the first week. There has been a visible elevation in the standard of cricket and unknown and forgotten Indian faces have decided to send a reminder to the Indian selectors.

The Indian selectors, under Sandeep Patil, however, have had a decent run of late. Often in Indian cricket, the five stooges in the selection committee are referred to as “jokers” and tagged as mindless and biased judges. They have often faced the wrath of the fans and serve as their punching bag every time the Men in Blue fail to live up to the expectations. This year though, the five wise men have had it easy on them. Of course, the demolition of the Aussies has helped, but the real reason has been a sign of intent from them. After the failure against England in the home series, Sandeep Patil and his colleagues have swung for the fences and have delivered quite a substantial blow. They have sent a clear signal to the players that the blue uniform is not to be taken for granted and there are better options waiting in the wings.

The best attribute of this selection committee has been their direct approach. They talk less, act more and have been lethal. They have gone about their business quietly (and effectively) and have not created a stir in the media. They have stayed away from “Shuddup Boss!” moments but have not minced their words. They haven’t ‘rested’ any player till now, but have dropped them. They showed the door to Gautam Gambhir before the Aussies arrived, and now have cut off the names of three more superstars from the probables list for the Champions Trophy. While Zaheer Khan is still plagued by his injuries, Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh have faced the axe due to some pathetic performances.

It was inevitable. Zaheer Khan can be considered a tad unlucky, but Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh had it coming. They have been on the hit-list for some time now and the rise of Ashwin, Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan sealed the deal for them. Though Gambhir sneaked into the probables list, the chances of him making it to the final eleven look bleak. Not only has he got Vijay and Dhawan to contend with, the presence of Ajinkya Rahane and Unmukt Chand makes it quite a difficult proposition for the Knight Riders captain.

However, one should laud the selectors for resting their faith in the youngsters. They clearly have an eye on Mission 2015 and have taken it on themselves to trim off the extra fat from the Indian unit. Not only have they been precise, they have, very cleverly, put the ball in the players’ court. By announcing the probables within the first week of the IPL, they have thrown a challenge to both, the ones they’ve picked and the ones they’ve omitted - perform and get selected! A few veterans have already recognised the signs and have upped the ante. Amit Mishra, Dinesh Karthik and Vinay Kumar have hit the ground running while the young guns are also set to stake their claim.

Though the newbies and the forgotten ones have already locked horns in the battle, Sehwag, Harbhajan and Zaheer Khan are still under the radar. Though Harbhajan Singh has featured for Mumbai Indians, Zaheer Khan and Sehwag haven’t donned their franchise jerseys yet. While Sehwag is out with a back spasm, Zaheer Khan is still nursing his calf injury which he suffered during one of the Ranji encounters. When will we see them in action? There’s no clear answer to that but the sooner, the better. If Delhi’s batting is a train wreck, Bangalore can’t depend on Vinay Kumar to bail them out every single time.

Not only for their franchises, this time the Indian superstars also have a personal battle to fight. These three have been India’s marquee players for over a decade now and under Sourav Ganguly, they dazzled the world with their performances. Sehwag is still one of the most feared batsmen around the world, Harbhajan Singh can still rip through sides while Zaheer Khan has elevated himself to a level where the world calls him “the Professor of swing”. There has never been any doubts about their skill because they know their art and belong to an elite cricketing group. However, the apprehensions now, are mostly about their fitness, temperament, tenacity and intent.

“Do you still have it in you?” – the question is loud and clear. Will they be able to make a comeback? Maybe in the whites, but will we see them wearing the Indian blue jersey again? We should, because they are still among the finest craftsmen in the game and this IPL presents them with an opportunity to display their mettle to fight against the ones with the younger legs and better reflexes. A few years back, a man in his late 30s did it and did it with elan. Can these three follow the man who made them? Can Sehwag, Zaheer and Harbhajan take this opportunity to silence their critics and revive the careers?

The motto of the IPL is ‘Where Talent meets Opportunity’ and the Indian selectors have taken full advantage of it. They have given everyone a fair opportunity. Will the veterans earn their places back or will the youngsters put an end to their career? The bell has rung, the fight has started and it promises to be an interesting one.

IPL has always been about Bollywood, the cheerleaders, the parties and the controversies. But this time, it’s just a little different!