There’s a lot at stake for Ricky Thomas Ponting in the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League. He’s taken charge as coach for the first time in his career and one gets the feeling that he will make each moment count in his new avatar at Mumbai Indians.
If there was one trait that defined the Tasmanian-born Sydney-sider during his playing days and kept him at the top of the heap as a batsman and the captain of one of the best cricket teams in the world, it was aggression.
His aggression was not verbal but the kind that made him play top quality innings. As a captain he frequently questioned decisions made by the men in white coats with a quiet but forceful intent. That attitude of his percolated to his team members, enabling him to lead his team to three World Cup victories.
In the short time he has been at the helm of Mumbai Indians, one can see the same effect in his captain Rohit Sharma. At an IPL officials’ conclave, the young Mumbaikar reportedly urged the umpires not to intervene when players express themselves and have a go at one another as long as they remain within the rules.
Aggression and the ability to playing mind games are traits that have to be imbibed by cricketers in the modern era and one is going to see a lot of these over the next two months. It is always good for the team’s cause when the captain and coach believe in the same diktat and speak the same language.
The right combinations
Mumbai Indians know they open on Wednesday against a champion side, Kolkata Knight Riders, on their home ground, the ‘cricket bowl’ of India – Eden Gardens. They must also be well aware of the crowd support that their opponents will get, especially when whipped into frenzy by India’s top matinee idol.
They will be accosted by another aggressive leader, Gautam Gambhir, who is licking his wounds having been out of the country’s team in all formats of the game. Then there is Sunil Narine, the mystical spinner whose action was cleared at the last moment, and big Morne Morkel, who is known for his expertise while bowling in the death overs.
In this match and in the weeks to follow Mumbai Indians openers will show exactly how prepared they are to take on the challenges thrown by all teams.
The players picked by the team managers during the IPL auction goes to show their planning and design to retain the crown they had won in 2013. They did not splurge their allowance but prudently managed it to cherry-pick players who would fill the gaps and make the team complete in all departments.
Ponting’s acid test (as with all teams playing the IPL) would be to get their combination right – the correct mix of local and foreign players who will gel together and start winning games. It does take time for teams to get their act together and start striking together as a single unit. In Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Aaron Finch and Corey Anderson, Mumbai Indians have strikers who can tame any attack.
The bowling attack, led by Lasith Malinga and Josh Hazelwood, can be a handful if on fire. In Mitchell McClenaghan and Aiden Blizzard they have raw unexposed talent that can be a handful if one goes by their performances in the Twenty20 leagues played recently down under.
As the lights start to dim at the Eden Gardens at the end of the tournament opener, one will know how prepared Ponting’s Mumbai Indians are to take on the might of the rest of the teams playing the IPL.
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If there was one trait that defined the Tasmanian-born Sydney-sider during his playing days and kept him at the top of the heap as a batsman and the captain of one of the best cricket teams in the world, it was aggression.
His aggression was not verbal but the kind that made him play top quality innings. As a captain he frequently questioned decisions made by the men in white coats with a quiet but forceful intent. That attitude of his percolated to his team members, enabling him to lead his team to three World Cup victories.
In the short time he has been at the helm of Mumbai Indians, one can see the same effect in his captain Rohit Sharma. At an IPL officials’ conclave, the young Mumbaikar reportedly urged the umpires not to intervene when players express themselves and have a go at one another as long as they remain within the rules.
Aggression and the ability to playing mind games are traits that have to be imbibed by cricketers in the modern era and one is going to see a lot of these over the next two months. It is always good for the team’s cause when the captain and coach believe in the same diktat and speak the same language.
The right combinations
Mumbai Indians know they open on Wednesday against a champion side, Kolkata Knight Riders, on their home ground, the ‘cricket bowl’ of India – Eden Gardens. They must also be well aware of the crowd support that their opponents will get, especially when whipped into frenzy by India’s top matinee idol.
They will be accosted by another aggressive leader, Gautam Gambhir, who is licking his wounds having been out of the country’s team in all formats of the game. Then there is Sunil Narine, the mystical spinner whose action was cleared at the last moment, and big Morne Morkel, who is known for his expertise while bowling in the death overs.
In this match and in the weeks to follow Mumbai Indians openers will show exactly how prepared they are to take on the challenges thrown by all teams.
The players picked by the team managers during the IPL auction goes to show their planning and design to retain the crown they had won in 2013. They did not splurge their allowance but prudently managed it to cherry-pick players who would fill the gaps and make the team complete in all departments.
Ponting’s acid test (as with all teams playing the IPL) would be to get their combination right – the correct mix of local and foreign players who will gel together and start winning games. It does take time for teams to get their act together and start striking together as a single unit. In Sharma, Kieron Pollard, Aaron Finch and Corey Anderson, Mumbai Indians have strikers who can tame any attack.
The bowling attack, led by Lasith Malinga and Josh Hazelwood, can be a handful if on fire. In Mitchell McClenaghan and Aiden Blizzard they have raw unexposed talent that can be a handful if one goes by their performances in the Twenty20 leagues played recently down under.
As the lights start to dim at the Eden Gardens at the end of the tournament opener, one will know how prepared Ponting’s Mumbai Indians are to take on the might of the rest of the teams playing the IPL.
