Enakshi takes a hard look at the ongoing IPL matches and argues in favour of all-rounders, who are scarce, now. An exclusive for Different Truths.
A smooth sea never made a skilled ship. An easy life never made a man any stronger. Skills are not inherited; they are developed based on one’s interest, focus and determination. The Indian Premier League (IPL) has become a common interest for many because each one of us is home-bound. Over the years, the teams have changed, several new faces have become a part of the teams and even the names of the teams have changed.
While it is exciting to see our favourite players batting, it is equally exhilarating to see the bowlers doing a wonderful job as well. I also cannot deny the joy that I feel when I see new performers doing a better job than the senior players, for this gives me hope that the right talent is being given a fair chance. With almost 50 matches already over, I have made an observation that makes complete sense to me – none of the teams have a strong confluence of all-rounders and that is something that hampers their performance if the top batting order fails miserably.
I also cannot deny the joy that I feel when I see new performers doing a better job than the senior players, for this gives me hope that the right talent is being given a fair chance.
Proving my observation wrong, Harshal Patel just won my heart in the last match that he played against Punjab Kings. He managed to score 31off 13 battling with immense pressure as the top batting line-up had failed miserably. Knocking off sixes and fours and keeping a high strike rate, Patel’s innings helped RCB maintain their overall run-rate. On the contrary, other bowlers like Shahbaz, Jamieson and Sams did not add any significant number of runs to the grand total.
It was saddening to know that the general mentality of Indian cricketers is to focus on one of the skills – either bowling or batting or wicket keeping.
It was saddening to know that the general mentality of Indian cricketers is to focus on one of the skills – either bowling or batting or wicket keeping. If we take a sneak-peak into the past, we have names like Kapil Dev, Vinod Mankad and Ravindra Jadeja who have proved that honing other skills benefits the team during the time of crisis. And Harshal Patel, the top contender for Purple Cap, joined the gang after he performed brilliantly in the match the other day.
Harshal hails from Gujarat. He could have chosen a comfortable life in the US with his family, but he chose to pursue his passion and stayed back in India. His quest and his journey are praiseworthy. This new face gathered all my attention during this season of IPL because I realised how important it is for the Indian team to train their bowlers and make them efficient in batting too. Sometimes, when odds are not in our favour, the lower order batting line-up can really surprise us in a good way. This will have a two-way effect – the bowlers won’t have to embarrass themselves after being bowled out for no runs and their contribution to the score will ease the pressure off the shoulders of the main batsmen.
As for Harshal, he should be given a chance to face the bowl a little early.
As for Harshal, he should be given a chance to face the bowl a little early. This will give this young man a chance to hone his batting skills while still having a hands-on experience of bowling at various angles.
I am not a Cricket expert; I am just a Cricket fan who believes that there is talent in the players, and it needs to be identified and honed. When players like Harshal and Jadeja prove that their persistence and perseverance is unmatchable, I wonder why brilliant bowlers like Chahal, Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar do not stir an inch. At the same time, it would be wrong to say that the batsmen only need to focus on their batting skills.
Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Sunil Gavaskar have experimented with bowling and reaped benefits too.
Whether it was Sachin who often ended up taking significant wickets when asked to bowl or Dravid who rose to the expectations when wicket keeping was a concern, these players have proved how imperative it is to learn the skills on the other end of the spectrum too. Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and Sunil Gavaskar have experimented with bowling and reaped benefits too. They have proved that it is just the mind that stops us from exploring all avenues. But if the will is strong enough, we can do wonders.
Kudos to Harshal for bringing back life to an oddly monotonous game the other night and a hopeful prayer for the others who can still add to the glory of the Indian Cricket Team!
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