NEW DELHI (TIP)- The never-ending speculation surrounding Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s retirement, Virat Kohli’s 16-year drought, the second chance that life has offered Rishabh Pant and Rohit Sharma’s World Cup agony will make for intriguing sub-plots in the Indian Premier League (IPL) beginning on March 22. Known to do the unexpected, Dhoni stepped down as Chennai Super Kings’ captain on the eve of the IPL opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, handing over the reins to Ruturaj Gaikwad, a man he mentored for the leadership role. “We have been working hard to prepare leaders. We have been slow on life after MS Dhoni. But trusting the youngsters has paid off well for us. I have already had a word with the youngsters like Rutu about leadership and captaincy. It is a great opportunity for him to lead the team,” CSK coach Stephen Fleming said.
Delhi Capitals’ Pant, back from the brink after a life-threatening accident, will be desperate to show the world that he can still hit those one-handed sixes with elan.
Rohit will be the last person to show his scars hidden behind his typical Mumbaikar nonchalance as he gets down to enjoying his evening dates at the Wankhede albeit without the captain’s title. The partisan crowd would, nonetheless, look forward to his trademark pull shots.
For other captains, they need to win the on-field games but Hardik Pandya needs to win the dressing room too. There will be seniors with bruised egos, knowing that a shot at leadership has bypassed them. They could well be difficult to handle.
As for Kohli, he would be in pursuit of that elusive jewel in his crown. By his own admission, he has been longing for a big title and his own passionate approach to the game would be a key factor in deciding whether the RCB men manage to emulate the women this year. A bigger prize is also at stake for at least 10 to 12 other players, who will be vying for eight slots on the New York-bound flight that will take off at the end of May for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean.
There will be unbelievable comebacks by some; a few new stars will emerge; there will also be those usual rags-to-riches stories and all of it could unfold in a matter of four minutes, the time it takes to deliver one over.
Source: Agencies