PHOTO FEATURE
Follow Us2021 was a unique year for the IPL. The tournament has made the move from India to the UAE before. Heck, it has even made the move mid-season as well, in 2014. But for the first time there was a long break in between. A break of over four months.
After a halt in the first week of May due to the stifling second wave of Covid in India, the tournament returned to the gulf country in September. The break provided a new shade to the competition be it the personnel or the tactics. It changed the flow of the proceedings. It lent one of the teams in the bottom half of the table to render a comeback.
Despite poor form, Morgan finds reasons to smile
While the eyes were on Mumbai Indians to seal the fourth spot or one among Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals to be back in contention, it was Kolkata Knight Riders who rose like a phoenix, reaching the final from the seventh position in the table.
They fixed their approach, turned up with a plan and the conditions fell in their favor. They mastered the dynamics of playing in Sharjah, downing title contenders like Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians. Eoin Morgan’s crackle in the below picture, ahead of the toss in Kolkata’s second game of the second leg is akin to an evil laugh before going rampant. It has meme potential. It has a story in itself.
Everybody loves Iyer
Kolkata were the headlining act of the UAE leg and the man pivotal in scripting it was Venkatesh Iyer. He was an unknown name before the season resumption. He plays for Madhya Pradesh, an inglorious side in the domestic circuit. He has the experience of only 10 first-class games and 24 List-A matches. He was picked by the head coach Brendon McCullum who wanted to “change the man” but even he would not have expected the output the team received from Iyer.
He is the only batsman to score fifties at all three UAE venues this season. No batsman scored more runs than him in the Powerplay (212) in the second leg. He also delivered with the ball when required.
The performance aside, the calm demeanour was the most striking aspect about this modern-day youngster. His half century celebrations were not a jump in the air or a scream of passion but a mere thumbs up to the dug-out.
Iyer has an MBA in finance. With his academic accolades and body language, Iyer bears the outlook of a teacher’s favorite. But he is one of a kind. He is the one even the backbenchers of the class won’t hate.
Umran changes the culture in SRH
Unearthing Umran Malik from the shores of Jammu & Kashmir was the silver lining in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s disastrous campaign. An army of medium-pacers relying on variations, Hyderabad found someone bowling in the 150 kph range six seasons since their Dale Steyn years. In his first over in IPL cricket, he broke the all-time record of the fastest delivery by an Indian in the league. In his second match, he surpassed the likes of Lockie Ferguson and Anrich Nortje. He clocked 152.95 kph, which ultimately finished the second fastest delivery of the season.
Impressing everyone, both Iyer and Malik were asked to stay back in UAE and join the Indian team to help them in their preparation for the T20 World Cup.
Bharat's alpha act
Another youngster who shone was Bangalore’s Srikar Bharat. After making handful contributions in his first few opportunities, Bharat hit the headlines with a last ball six to clinch a thriller for his team against Delhi Capitals, on the last day of the league stage. SOME IMAGE!
Ice-cool Tripathi
There were a couple of more memorable last ball sixes in this edition. Rahul Tripathi’s penultimate ball six against Delhi in Qualifier 2 escaped Kolkata from the biggest choke in the IPL or the cricket’s history. Kolkata had lost six wickets for 7 runs from 23 balls in the lead up to the moment. The deficit was 6 off two balls when the ice-cool Tripathi thumped Ravichandran Ashwin for a maximum, taking Kolkata to the final. 
What a way to reach your maiden ton
Then there was Ruturaj Gaikwad’s masterclass. Ravindra Jadeja was at his absolute best in the death overs that put Gaikwad’s hundred in jeopardy. But the Orange Cap winner smashed the last ball of the innings for a six over mid-wicket to march from 95 to his maiden IPL ton.
Kartik completes Royals' heist
In another exciting last over finish, Punjab Kings could not find a Rahul Tripathi against Rajasthan Royals. Kartik Tyagi saved 4 runs in the last over, earmarking himself as the one for the future.
Harshal, the Mumbai nemesis
Having made his IPL debut in 2012, Harshal Patel had struggled to cement his spot in the IPL circuit for over eight seasons. This year, he was Bangalore’s main man with the ball. He picked the only hat-trick of the season, dismissing Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya. Chasing 165, Mumbai were bowled out for 111. Skipper Virat Kohli had to pull him by his jersey to get a hug after he completed his hat-trick, as he is about to do in the picture below. Harshal won the Most Valuable Player of the tournament award.
Did you really do that, Kieron?
The veterans were not behind as well. Pollard’s 34-ball 87* pulled off an improbable chase for Mumbai against Chennai Super Kings, the second highest in the annals of the league. No one could believe it really. We could all relate to Pandya in the below picture.
The masters deflate the conditions as well as the opposition
While Pollard’s was a single-handed effort, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell forged the best combined effort. It was batting at its peak from two of the most revered white-ball batsmen of this era. On a tricky Chepauk pitch, Maxwell scored 78 off 49 balls, walking out at 9 for two. De Villiers arrived later and thumped 76* off 34 balls. From 28 for two in five overs, Bangalore posted 204 for four, more than enough to beat Kolkata that evening.
40 years old, but still doing his thing
Talking about the veterans stepping up, how can one forget MS Dhoni. Even in his barren batting seasons, he finished a game for Chennai. That too in Qualifier 1. When most questioned his arrival ahead of Jadeja, Dhoni smashed 18* off six balls. It was short. It was sweet. It was nostalgic. HECK, it was impactful.
THE CH4MPIONS!!
Last but not the least, Chennai concluded the complete turnaround on October 15th. They were the first side to be knocked out in 2020. Dhoni assured they will come back strong. And there they were, champions for the fourth time.
We were amazed but not really surprised that Chennai Super Kings did it again.
