FREE HIT - An IPL 2020 talk show with Boria Majumdar: Former India wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta
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00:00Are you scared? I mean, with all these 13 cases from the CSK team, what you are hearing around you, you will be in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, are you scared or like every other league, EPL, La Liga, Serie A, every league at the start had a hiccup?
00:17Hello and welcome to another episode of Free Hit with me, Borea Majumdar here on Gulf News. And today my guest is someone who is almost family. I mean, he and I talk every day. We discuss every possible critical issue under the sun as if we are the problem solvers of this world, in a sense, and IPL is no different.
00:42So, let's get to know him a little bit more. He is one of India's leading commentators, who will be in the UAE. You will hear him regularly as part of the host broadcaster's commentary. Former India wicketkeeper, currently one of India's leading voices. Welcome on the show, Deep Das Gupta.
00:57Thank you so much. I am flattered, Borea, again. As usual, every time you are there, introducing me.
01:03Are you scared? I mean, with all these 13 cases from the CSK team, what you are hearing around you, you will be in Dubai, Abu Dhabi. Are you scared or like every other league, EPL, La Liga, Serie A, every league at the start had a hiccup? You enter into your bio bubble, things ease out, things fall in place. So, this is one more of such because the world has learned to deal with the virus. What's your take?
01:28Well, I'm not scared, to be honest, because I think we've gone beyond that stage now. I think, yeah, the first month or so, it was scary. But I think now we've all realized that life has to go on. Yes, we will have to be very, very careful, very cautious and take precautions accordingly. I won't term it as being scared, but yeah, cautious, definitely, yes.
01:48Do you think this might impact the Chennai Super Kings in any way? I mean, for me, there is still a hell lot of time left. And these are all strong people. I mean, they are athletes. You can expect and assume that they will all be okay. And I don't actually see this impacting Chennai Super Kings going ahead in the tournament. What about you?
02:08Neither do I. Because, see, end of the day, it's been quite rough on everyone. I mean, nobody out there, apart from people who are playing CPL and international cricket before coming to IPL, I mean, no one has actually played cricket for the last four, five months. So, in terms of preparation-wise, I think everyone's on the same platform, except barring the few that I mentioned. And looking at CPL, if you look at the side which has been unbeaten so far and kind of unbeatable, is the most experienced side, which is the Trinbago.
02:37Their experience, I mean, if you look at their experience, got a 2,400-plus game experience in that dugout. That's how I look at CSK as well. I think experience will play a huge part, which CSK has enough of it in that dressing room. But I think Suresh Raina kind of not being part of the CSK this year, that will have a bigger effect than the 13 people who've been found positive.
03:01What about MS Dhoni? We are reading in the newspapers, etc. How important does MS Dhoni's role become in this problem? And how are you looking at that, Deep? I mean, how important is MS Dhoni and how do you think he will deal with this?
03:14I'm sure he will find a way. I mean, that's what he's done all his career. He's found a way to the solution. And his ways are unique. So, that's what it is. And as far as CSK is concerned, listen, CSK stands for what MS Dhoni stands for. I mean, CSK, it's his baby. It's his child. I think he will find a way.
03:36He will again, like I said, has been such an important part of CSK. And he's been kind of CSK himself. He will always be an important part of CSK, especially more this year. Because this year is going to be very, very different from the other years where, as I mentioned, I mean, from preparation perspective. So, you have to be mentally extremely strong this season to get the best out of people or to get the best out of yourself.
03:59And from that perspective, I think we know how good MS Dhoni is as far as getting 100% out of the players.
04:06Do you think this will give other teams a bit of an advantage, Deep, going into the start of the competition that they will have more practice time, they've had a relatively hiccup-free preparation compared to the Chennai Super Kings, etc.?
04:18Well, yes, that would be an advantage but very marginal, I would say. I mean, obviously, I mean, two, three days extra practice. It's like sitting for an exam, right? On the day of exams, you'd always think maybe another couple of days and I would have been better prepared. It's like that. Preparation is never enough. Even if you are 100%, you'll always have that back of your head, you know, maybe another couple of days.
04:37That would be some kind of an advantage. Extra few days of practice. No two ways about it. But that's where I think also experience will play a huge role. And if you look at that CSK side, one thing that they really, really have is experience there. And I think that's going to be the key as far as CSK is concerned.
04:52Virat Kohli was sort of giving this interview and he said that even after five months, six months when he went into the nets, he was more than happy with the way the ball flowed.
05:02Your thoughts on that? I mean, that photograph of his cover drive looked literally perfect, right? So, your thoughts on what Virat said and how challenging you thought this might be, but the way it has shipped up.
05:14It is going to be challenging, but you've got to start with baby steps, right? It is actually kind of restarting or putting, I mean, you know, pressing the reset button because you can't straightaway be 100%. So, you know, every day would be, you know, kind of you start with baby steps.
05:30As Virat mentioned in that interview itself that, you know, he actually timed it better than he actually thought. I believe Kale Rahul has mentioned somewhere that he was actually scared. Will he be able to bat or not?
05:40You will have those apprehensions, but over a period of time, maybe let's say five, seven days, because all these guys have had enough miles under their belt. They've been there, they've done it. It's just that when you put yourself back into those situations, everything comes back.
05:54When you're not there, you have those apprehensions. But once you're there, you know how things are done. You've done it all your life. It's just a matter of a week, five days, you know, getting into the nets, hitting or bowling or whatever. And people should be fine.
06:05If I ask you about this move to the Emirates, will you say that this will help teams that have better spinners? Because the nature of the wickets, the conditions that you will get on offer, will this sort of come as an advantage to a CSK or a Delhi with, you know, more quality spinners, number of spinners, etc. Your thoughts on that?
06:24I would completely agree with you on that. There are certain surfaces. For example, Abu Dhabi, there is one strip which has good bounce. But let's not forget, we're talking about 50-plus games, three venues, right? Every venue is going to have 21 games. I think, especially Abu Dhabi and Dubai will have 21 games.
06:43And 21 games, you can very well imagine how the pitchers will behave in the second half or the business end of the tournament. They will be tired. There's no two ways about it. They will be tired. And that's where, you know, advantage to the spinners comes in. As you mentioned, teams like CSK or Delhi will have… Because they have more spinning options. And especially CSK, I mean, they kind of depend on their spinners to a great extent.
07:07Not just bowlers, even batters. I mean, if you look at teams with batsmen who are better against spinners, will again have that advantage.
07:15There are certain players who are always in sort of more the cynosure of attention, Deep, going into a competition. What about Akhil Rahul? He's eyeing a test comeback. What about Shreya Shahir, who's eyeing a middle-order place in the test squad?
07:28Going forward, you know, India goes to Australia straight after the IPL. How are you looking at some of these players and the challenges they are facing?
07:36As you mentioned, people like Shreya Shahir, Akhil Rahul, they've got a point to prove here. There's no two ways. I know we're talking about different format. We're talking about red-ball cricket while we're talking about T20 right now.
07:46But the thing is, a person in form is a person in form, irrespective of which format he's playing. I mean, runs are runs. It will be a good indicator, I mean, what kind of form these all players are.
07:57I mean, starting from KL to Shreyas to everyone for that matter. You know, Ajinkya, all these players. I mean, you'll have a fair idea of what kind of form they are in. Because that's the only cricket he's going to play before the Australia series.
08:10So, for the selectors, this is what they have. Performances of these players in T20, in IPL. And also, I mean, to a great extent, how they're looking. Not necessarily always the quantum or the number of runs somebody scores or wickets they've taken.
08:24But also how they've looked doing that. So, I think that is also going to be important.
08:28Final couple of questions before I let you go deep. One is a personal one. Because this commentary will be a very different challenge for you yourself. How are you looking at this?
08:36Like all the cricketers, I mean, before you step onto the field, you're apprehensive. You're like, oh my god, I haven't done this for a while. How it is going to be, this whole social distancing thing.
08:46You know, we generally used to share the same mind. So, obviously, that will not happen. So, there'll be a few changes in the whole process. That's going to be interesting.
08:56And yeah, a little apprehensive in the sense because I haven't done commentary on the venue in a while.
09:01Like the players, I mean, the first day is going to be a little… I'm sure, I mean, we've done enough of this. So, maybe first stint or maybe couple of stints and then you're back to normal.
09:11And the final one, I mean, IPL, good for cricket. Because, you know, from a fraternity perspective, we need sport back.
09:17We've seen some European leagues, some form of cricket. But this tournament will galvanize the Indian sporting world like none before. Your thoughts on the IPL happening?
09:27It's great news, right? And we've discussed this before, Gaurav. I think it will be very myopic to look at IPL just from the cricketer's perspective or just from a sporting perspective.
09:37And also from a cricket or IPL perspective. Just look at it from a sporting event. So, technically, this is the restart of sporting events.
09:46Starting with IPL, starting with cricket. I'm sure other sports will follow suit and soon we'll have other sporting events in India.
09:54And that's what it is all about. I mean, because we can't be looking at sports just from a sporting perspective. A lot of people's livelihood depend on it.
10:03It's an economic event. I mean, after IPL, there'll be ISL, the football league. It's not just about the cricketers. The amount of money which is spent in IPL, only 50%.
10:13At max, 60% goes to cricketers or ex-cricketers in terms of commentators and all. The rest of it, and I would say maybe even more than 50%, goes on to the other industries.
10:24Like the airline industry, the hospitality industry, the event industry or even the broadcasting industry. So, I think we've got to look at all sporting events from a very economic perspective and not just a mere sporting event.
10:38Absolutely correct, Deep. I'll let it go at that. I mean, all I will say is it's been a pleasure as usual. I mean, there's so much to talk about with you as always.
10:46We will reconnect on free hit on Gulf News once again when you're in the midst of commentary and hopefully it'll be a good start and a good stint for you.
10:53Wish you all the best. Wish the IPL all the best and have a great one. Thank you.
10:58Thank you so much.