IPL 2020 in UAE: Player review with Chirag Suri - Episode 4
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00:00We've all spoken about the mighty Chennai Super Kings for more than 13 years now being a dominant feature.
00:06They're like the Real Madrid's, they're like the Barcelona's of the IPL.
00:11We've never seen them below the top 2 or top 3, so seeing them at the bottom of the table, you know, it's in fact shocking.
00:17Hello, good day. This is Gautam Bhattacharya. We are back again with another episode of our IPL 2020 in the UAE, a player review with Chirag Suri.
00:36With me, I've got my colleague Shyam Krishna. We are back again after yet another eventful week in the IPL as we all know.
00:43I think the topic which has been bothering everybody, it has been discussed, it has been written about is, you know, the fall of the mighty power that's Chennai Super Kings.
00:53Till about 2018, when they won the league, it was that, you know, the dad's army doing wonders. Suddenly, the dad's army is looking jetted. It is looking out of ideas.
01:04The other day, when MS Dhoni said that I didn't see that kind of spark in any young player to blot them ahead of the experienced ones.
01:12That has also invited a fair bit of criticism. What is your take about, you know, the situation, the spot of bother that Chennai find themselves in?
01:19I mean, so much so that they're saying that it looks like the campaign is over for us.
01:24Obviously, we've all spoken about the mighty Chennai Super Kings for more than 13 years now being a dominant feature.
01:31They're like the Real Madrids. They're like the Barcelonas of the IPL. You know, we've never seen them below the top 2 or top 3.
01:38So, seeing them at the bottom of the table, you know, it's in fact shocking. None of us would have written Chennai off.
01:44As much as we knew that they were having problems. You know, Raina leaving. Harbhajan not coming. No replacements announced.
01:51It's not only the players. You've got to really speak to the management as well. You know, what's going on.
01:56There was no such replacement announced, you know, with Raina leaving. There was no news of a big Indian player being signed.
02:03There was a mid-transfer window. Nobody has been active in that. So, there are questions.
02:08Have they been, you know, adaptive or have they been flexible in their plans?
02:13Yes, they are a franchise who believe in playing those 12-13 players. You know, they have the least changes possible.
02:19You know, if every season you see the number of changes a team makes, Chennai makes the fewest changes.
02:24So, yes, they are reliant on those 13-14 and they back them for the whole season.
02:28But you know, when things are not going right, you are in new conditions. You are not playing at the Chepauk in Chennai or things like that.
02:35These are different conditions. You are playing in Dubai. It's a different ground. Dushasha, it's a different ground.
02:39You need experience. But at the same time, these are warm conditions. We spoke about it.
02:44As the tournament went on, you know, you could see those tired legs. You know, the Watsons, the Dhonis.
02:50Now, Jadhav has been out of the XI. So, you are definitely seeing that this team wasn't fit clearly to be in this set-up, in this IPL.
03:02They definitely needed to balance the side-out more. I feel the management will definitely look to it.
03:07Hopefully, the mega-auction is next year and there are definitely points they need to cover.
03:13I am sure whether Dhoni stays on or the team has revolved around Dhoni, we don't know yet.
03:19But I definitely feel that Dhoni is a guy. He is looking super-fit.
03:24There was a couple of games where he batted and he took a couple of twos. And yes, the heat got to him.
03:30And for the first time, we saw Dhoni really panting and being on the side of the pitch.
03:35So, these are signs of, yes, he is ageing. But at the same time, these guys can turn it around very quickly.
03:43A lot of things to ponder on for the Chennai Super Kings. Unfortunate for the fans. So much expectation.
03:48Mixed feelings. But at the same time, I would like to say that there are always teams who have been working hard.
03:57They have put the better side together, I feel. And they are getting the results now.
04:01As a cricketer, you see, it is one thing… I will not say that greatness is a shelf-life or anything like that.
04:08But as a cricketer, if you are out of competitive cricket and that too at 38, 39, for nearly one and a half years,
04:16and then you think that you can come back, knock a few balls… So do think a bit of…
04:21Whatever… Of course, the last five months, any form of cricket was not possible.
04:27But did it also have its role to play? The lack of match-practice. Did it have a role to play with MS in particular?
04:35Definitely. I think going without competitive cricket… It's okay to practice in the nets and all these kind of things.
04:42But you need the competitive match-practice to have the edge. You have to be believing in yourself.
04:47You can say that MS can do it without practicing and he will be fine.
04:52And over the years, to be honest, he has done that and he showed us. But I guess it's a bit of both.
04:57Lack of practice, lack of competitive cricket being a way. Obviously, these five, six months, you are seeing the like of Ben Stokes as well coming.
05:06And he is looking a bit rusty at the moment. So it definitely takes time to be in the right.
05:10It's not only about physically being there. It's not about technically being there. It's also about mentally being there.
05:16I think it's just been a little bit difficult for him to get adapted to this sort of pace.
05:23Especially, we have seen some of the fast bowlers do really well against him.
05:26Talking about the fast bowlers, I will come to Shyam here. With two-thirds of the IPL being done with, do you wonder that where was Lockie Ferguson and where was Jos Hazalut?
05:36I mean, what were they doing? Couldn't they have come earlier?
05:40I mean, if you ask me, Hazalut should have played at least more than the number of games he should have.
05:47He actually played the second game for Chennai. And he bowled quite well.
05:51What happened was, he was no longer in the mix simply because of the 4-over-6 player quota.
05:57That is what. Once Dwayne Bravo came in, Hazalut would find his space.
06:03You would understand because Dwayne Bravo is a proven performer at the depth and also a handy batsman.
06:09So, there is no way he could have distraught Bravo.
06:13Again, if you look at how Hazalut came back into the team is again when Bravo got injured.
06:19Hazalut's presence is completely dependent on a lack of availability of a foreign player.
06:25They couldn't have possibly dropped Sam Curran because he is young. He is a left-hander.
06:30He can bat in any position. He brings the X-factor there. So, Sam cannot be distraught.
06:36I am sure Dhoni would have loved to play him. But the thing is, they couldn't find a slot for him.
06:41Lockie Ferguson was a huge surprise to me. And for the life of me, I just can't imagine why KKR haven't completely forgot about him.
06:49Because the way he has come back and shown has been… A man who can bowl 140 clicks.
06:55Not just that. The sheer variation he brings in is amazing.
06:58And also, if you look at how Jofra Archer or Rabada or Nogueira or Bumrah or Pattinson…
07:07All these fast bowlers, they have done incredibly well up front, especially in the power plays.
07:12So, at least that should have given KKR and Chennai Super Kings the idea that fast bowlers could be very useful in the power play.
07:19There is this point of debate about the way Shubman Gill had been batting.
07:25So, I will come back to Chirag on that. Because Chirag is an opener and he knows a trick or two about it.
07:31See, Shubman is one of the brightest Indian batting talents that we can have at the moment.
07:36He has played for India. And he could be the next customer if there is any opportunity in the test batting line.
07:44He has scored 311 runs so far. But his strike rate is something which is causing an element of concern.
07:52In fact, to the extent that Virender Sehwag, a guy who doesn't mince his words…
07:57He said in Crick Bus the other day that either you get more runs in the power play or you come down the order.
08:04Chirag, how do you think Shubman should… Should he look for a greater element of risks?
08:11Or what should be his approach to get out of this?
08:14Look, absolutely. Shubman, you can't even doubt it. KKR was even contemplating to make him captain this year.
08:21Because this is the future. I see him even captaining the KKR side in maybe even India in the coming years.
08:26Because of the talent and the time he has, you can see he is playing the fast bowlers very comfortably in the power play.
08:32Yes, there is a concern with the boundaries hitting and maybe rotating the strike in the power play.
08:38He is playing a few dot balls and his strike rates are 15 balls, 20 balls.
08:42But a guy like this, if he gets going, say after batting 30-40 balls, he will definitely get above 50-60 runs.
08:51So, his strike rate will be that 130-140. So, it's okay at an extent when you are playing on wickets where you have to score 160-170.
08:58Because you need someone to have that role who takes the game deep.
09:02And gives those batsmen who are coming in, the big hitters, just the few overs and go express yourself.
09:08You have wickets in hand and you go enjoy yourself. So, if that is his role, if that is what he is told to do,
09:13I am pretty sure if the other guys had fired around him, if he has been given this role and if the other guys fired around him,
09:22it wouldn't have been such a concern. KKR would have won more games.
09:25But the fact of the matter is that the partnership is not happening. The opening partnership, they are struggling a little bit.
09:30When it comes to having the big shots, yes, he still has to evolve his game.
09:37We have seen him technically correct. In the past, like you said, we might even see him in the test arena.
09:45But now, you are not talking about him being in the T20 side or the one-day side.
09:48So, is that a way he wants to go? Because people start talking that maybe he is going to be considered as a test cricketer.
09:55But I feel he has the shots to not only play test cricket but also one-day cricket and also T20 cricket.
10:01This is the potential and the calibre he has. So, it's just about a matter of time of finding those boundary options.
10:07And once you start finding that range, the areas and the bowlers you want to target.
10:14I feel if he bats at 140-150 strike rate as well, when he scores big, I think that should be fine.
10:21There is always going to be guys like Sehwag. They are into commentary and they want to create a buzz on Crick Buzz.
10:27But they will always say these kind of things. I think a guy like Shubman has to take it in one ear and put it out the other.
10:34There is always going to be guys talking whether you are doing well or bad. I don't think it's going to bother him too much.
10:41There is a distinction in the table right now. You have got Delhi, Mumbai, RCB and KKR in the top four and the other four there.
10:51But what's happening is, suddenly, the gaps seem to be closing with each win.
10:55For the top four, if you look at MI, Delhi and RCB, after that, the fourth team can be anybody.
11:04I mean, why? Even the third team can be anybody for that matter.
11:07Suddenly, Kings XI Punjab are looking a little more organised side about the way they are bowling.
11:12And with Gale coming in, there is that gravitas. Though he is coming in at number three, there is that gravitas in the batting line-up suddenly.
11:20The Rajasthan Royals, as we know, the big four still hasn't fired.
11:23It was in the last two games that we have seen Steve Smith trying to anchor the innings in the way we have seen him doing.
11:29And Josh Butler is of course extraordinary.
11:32So, this Kings XI Punjab and RR are looking to be the two teams who can still give it a push for that number four slot.
11:41What's your take on that? And do you think there is going to be any further upheaval in the selection of those top four?
11:50We had discussed this in our halfway stage as well. We were quite confident with Delhi, Mumbai and RCB all wanted and KKR.
11:58These were my top four. And right now, they are the top four. So, I am quite a happy campaigner at the moment.
12:02I am enjoying these four teams doing well. Yes, I would love a Kings XI Punjab to get involved in the mix.
12:07But they have obviously got three wins in a row now. So, they have got the momentum shifting.
12:13And if you have the momentum towards this back-end, the business part of this tournament, it really helps.
12:18We have seen it before. We have seen teams five, six, even seven.
12:22And last few games, they come back and they make a place in that top four. So, don't count anybody yet.
12:27But I feel, Mumbai and Delhi, they are far ahead. I think you can just tell they are far superior teams.
12:33Yes, on a very good day, teams are going to beat them. But they are just such well-balanced, good-informed players.
12:39I think they are going to be hard to beat, whatever condition it may be.
12:43Shyam, what's your take? Do you see any surprises? We are not talking about the top three.
12:47But for the fourth or maybe for the third, do you see any surprises as we go along?
12:51I would think so. At least for the fourth slot. Like Chidam said, even third or so could be different.
12:56But at the moment, it looks settled. But the thing is, I think the fourth slot, there will be a huge scramble.
13:01And you can't rule out somebody like Kings XI coming back.
13:04Because if you look at the matches which they have lost, they have lost two narrow matches.
13:10At least two games which they have lost very narrowly.
13:12And there were other matches, like the one against Kolkata, where they turned a winning position into a losing position.
13:20They even lost matches which they should have won.
13:23So it's just a matter of bringing all the elements together. They couldn't get it together.
13:27And like you rightly said, bringing Gayle, I think, changed a lot of things.
13:32I would still think Rajasthan is in with a chance.
13:35Simply because two of the teams they have taken out is Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals.
13:40These are two teams which are capable of winning this IPL.
13:43And they have taken them out. So I would say Kings XI Punjab is the dark horse here.
13:49I see a lot of writers, commentators, everybody is saying this is the greatest IPL ever.
13:55In terms of thrilling matches, close encounters, topsy-turvy results and things like that.
14:01What do you guys think about it? Is it the best IPL ever?
14:03It definitely is close to being the best ever IPL.
14:07I think in terms of the matches that are being played, yes, we are missing the crowds and all that.
14:12If you are looking at the whole entire picture.
14:14But in terms of the matches being played, we have never seen such things happen before.
14:18Double super-overs and things like that. I think it's unheard of.
14:21Things that we can't even think about.
14:23The excitement levels are out through the roof.
14:25You know, the TRPs and all these IPL.
14:28I think they don't need crowds to have these games exciting.
14:32Watch the game at home. It's a thrilling atmosphere, man.
14:35Everybody is enjoying them. You know, the ratings are through the roof.
14:37I think if anybody, the BCCI is going to thank the UAE for hosting this IPL over here and making it all happen.
14:44What we have seen, you know, quite a few public memory shot.
14:48I mean, there surely had been lot of interesting additions back in India.
14:51But the X-factor that we found out was the way your top baseballers have fired in this tournament, number one.
15:01In batting, to be very honest, I mean, we are still to see that kind of, you know,
15:10somebody emerging out of it, out of the woodwork, who can, you know, steal the thunder from Abbey de Villiers, from Virat Kohli, from Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul.
15:21That's one thing, I mean, where I felt that we still fell a little short.
15:26Except maybe Devdutt Palikar to some extent.
15:29And of course, you know, the emergence of this flip-back catches and the saves that we have seen.
15:35I mean, the wow factor behind those had been so much that, you know, people are kind of…
15:42Once a match is over, they are still recovering with a Mayank Agarwal save or a Nicholas Puran save.
15:48So, with that, it's the overall impact. I think that's my take from this.
15:53Final word from Chirag. Today, KKR vs RCB in Abu Dhabi.
15:58Who is your pick today?
15:59Both teams are finding form at the right time.
16:01And it's going to be a good competition.
16:03And this is a very crucial game for both, right?
16:05Like we said, you know, the points table is very tight.
16:07And KKR and RCB, you know, this is a super crucial game for both the sides.
16:12You know, the way it's been going, the excitement levels, both have been involved in some really close finishes.
16:17And the team that really holds the edge, you know, I feel KKR coming off that lucky Ferguson, superb win.
16:24I am going to back KKR for this one.
16:26Thanks Chirag. Thanks Shyam for joining us.
16:29And here's looking forward with lots more to talk to next week.