With only 4 personnel changes from last year, 1 of which involves a replacement, SRH are the epitome of stability and continuity this year. Another interesting fact of SRH’s line-up is that only 2 players are purchased for the minimum base price of 20 lakhs.
The IPL is designed to NOT have calm waters for too long – there is a mega auction that happens after every 3 seasons, with one to happen before the
SRH have more or less the same squad as last year. But, for some reason, this squad looks a little weaker. It could be due to the conditions that are on offer in UAE as opposed to ones in Hyderabad (and Rest of India). Overall, the SRH side should be competitive but lack a little in the batting department, as is the case with quite a lot of teams, surprisingly.
It’s that time of the year but it is not really ‘that’ time of the year. Preparations for the T20 World Cup would have been in full swing right now. Instead we have players converging in UAE almost a month before the start of another IPL season. These are crazy times.
With 9 months of hindsight, it’s not only the trio who have had time to introspect. We, as the stakeholders of the game should have had introspected as well. Were we right in behaving the way we did or could we have handled our reactions in a better manner?
Post the ball-tampering saga, Australia has brought on the field what many would call a ‘good-boy’ image. While it would seem like a step in the right direction, one could also ask “Why do something to lower an intensity which brought many accolades?”