Like Sourav Ganguly,his fans too never quite give up. A typical Dada supporter,besides being naturally animated,easily excitable and fiercely faithful,is eternally optimistic. A few years back,when the world wrote off Ganguly,his loyalists stuck by him. They had a hysterical last laugh when their hero made a successful comeback. So much so that they still have a smirk on their faces when Ganguly gets mentioned in cricket debates.
But that expression changed a wee bit the other day when
And logic moved to the back burner as every sold or unsold new entry on the players roster was questioned. Meanwhile,the Ganguly gang,not losing hope,were expecting the franchise owner to pick their hero at the leftovers sale the next day. That was not to be,and rightly so. Indias most successful captain can only be the nucleus around which teams can be formed and not some random electron,added to the outside orbit as a second thought.
Ganguly lobbyists now want to see him as a mentor of some IPL team,preferably Kolkata. That would certainly be a climbdown. Mentors,like Anil Kumble,wear suits on auction day; they frame the skeleton of the squad,and advise owners on when to loosen their purse strings. A feeling of being unsold and unwanted wouldnt quite enhance the aura that one needs to be an influential figure in the dressing room.
Like the 38-year-old Ganguly,Brian Lara,41,didnt excite the owners. The former West Indian skippers 31 runs from six games during the Indian Cricket League in 2007 meant a stock that had fallen four years back had not quite picked up.
Trendspotters concluded that the snub to Ganguly and Lara meant those on the wrong side of the 30s had no role in IPL 4 a hurried mans hasty conclusion. Gautam Gambhir,29,might have got the highest price tag of $2.4 million at the auction; but it can be anybodys guess that Mumbai will pay much more to 38-year-old Sachin Tendulkar to retain him. And considering the multiple role 41-year-old Shane Warne plays for the Rajasthan Royals,it is very likely that he too might top Gambhir. Thirty-nine-year-old Adam Gilchrist might have been sold cheaply at the auction but he is likely to get a big bonus as he is to lead Kings XI Punjab. The same is true for the Sri Lankan veterans Kumara Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene,who too might end up being captains of their IPL sides. And since V.V.S. Laxman,Rahul Dravid and Muthiah Muralitharan will be seen in action during IPL 4,it is a clear indication that age isnt quite an issue with owners.
Indias 20-something cricketers getting fat paycheques is perceived as another IPL 4 mystery. But it too has an easy explanation: short supply,high demand. Since the inaugural season,youngsters have always been in demand. The present quantum leap is because of the two new franchises and the $9 million purse they brought with them. So the IPLs most consistent performer Rohit Sharmas tag of $2 million isnt unrealistic,nor is Saurabh Tiwarys contract of $1.6 million unreasonable. Even the big bucks for young pacers Umesh Yadav or Jaydev Unadkat are somewhat justified,considering the chances of these fringe players becoming big stars are high in the coming years.
But still: why was Irfan Pathan,who isnt even playing for Barodas Ranji side,given $1.9 million by the Delhi Daredevils? Those in the know say that it was a risk worth taking. The all-rounder might be injured and out of form at present,but the IPL has seen several cricketing careers taking U-turns. Both Shane Watson and Ashish Nehra became regulars in the national side after they proved their fitness and form during the IPL. Besides,the franchise can always use Pathans brand value. Ribbon-cutting,FM appearances and advertisements need famous faces.
Passing judgment on squad selection or calling the deep-pocketed owners at the auction sharks in suits have their pitfalls. Just go back to the first season,and the reaction that the Rajasthan Royals and the Deccan Chargers got after the inaugural auction. The Royals were seen as a rag-tag bunch of no-hopers led by a has-been while the Chargers were a dream T20 squad full of big hitters and wily bowlers. The highly unpredictable format saw the critics eat their words. Rajasthan finished at the top; the Chargers took the wooden spoon.
Besides,these are franchise teams and not the national squad. When an owner goes out to shop at an auction,he buys what he likes.
sandeep.dwivedi@expressindia.com
