Monthly Archives: March 2012

Mr. Elegance Personified: Daredevils Experienced Recruit #2

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Mahela Jayawardene:

Description:

When someone talks about Mahela first thing that strikes your mind is this guy knows what playing like class means. Jayawardene is one of the best the island country of Sri Lanka has ever produced and will ever produce his batting is sheer class and every stroke of his is sheer elegance. Scoring more than 10,000 runs in both ODI and Tests makes him one of the most prolific batsman in world cricket. With his batting he has not only earned the respect of the cricket world but demanded respect from every bowler he has ever faced.

Sri Lanka has been able to produce many great batsmen in the past including Aravinda de Silva, Arjuna Ranatunga, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Marvan Atapattu but what differentiates Mahela from all of them is his calmness which help to tackle toughest of the situation. Many times Mahela has batted down the order and recently as the opening batsman also, reason being be it any position on the batting lineup Mahela understands his own ability and knows how to mould himself to that particular position. Mahela is a man with a cool head and a tough shoulders to depend upon which i am surely must have been one of the 1000 reasons for appointing Mahela as Sri Lankan team captain.

In Delhi Daredevils Jayawardene will hold the role of deputy to swashbuckling Indian opener Virender Sehwag. And there couldn’t have been a better decision that the Daredevils backroom staff could take. Mahela can assist Sehwag whenever needed and in process maintain his cool when Sehwag decides to lose it. Surely Kerela Tuskers getting dissolved has been a blessing in disguise for the GMR group.

Favourite Stroke:

Smooth cover drive with less of feet movement and more of hand-eye coordination.

Facts:

>> Leading campaigner of HOPE cancer project.

>> He has a thing for Jennifer Garner (yes the Elektra chic)

>> Mahela is a big Roger Federer fan

>> Loves travelling obviously when you have travelling consultant as your wife thats what you have to enjoy.

Interesting video:

Jayawardene Six

Mr. Bold and Beautiful: Daredevils Experienced Recruit #1

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Kevin Pietersen:

Description:

I guess those two words aptly describes a player who is brash, fighter, talented and walking-talking fashion statement. I have called him bold because throughout his career that is exactly what Kevin Peter Pietersen has been. A man who could have been a player playing along with the likes of Kallis, Gibbs, Boucher or even Pollock decided to play with players like Vaughan, Strauss, Swann and Anderson because he quit South African cricket in protest of the racial-quota system governing the cricket board. I am sure something which South African cricket regrets till now. He is also a man who has boldly transformed himself from an offie who could bat a bit to a power hitter who can bowl a bit and field outrageously well.

I called ‘KP’ as he is known by his team mates a beautiful player in two aspect first being with the kind of talent this tall broad fellow has every innings oh his nothing less than a scenic beauty for his millions of fans around the world. He broke Sir Viv Richards record when he reached 1000 run mark in 21 ODI and is second best only to the great Sir Don Bradman in scoring maximum number of runs in his first 25 Tests. As I said his fielding is an eye candy for his followers best part being he can field at any position in the field. Second reason for me considering Pietersen as a beauty is his fashion statements that he makes while he is on the field and also while he is off the field. Be it his bleached Mohawk at initial stage of his career or the fluorescent bright Oakley shades he wears on the field. And while off the field its going to be a nice summer for the ladies in Delhi.

In a brief description he is a perfect combo of an English and South African player. I think this says a lot about this highly rated cricketer.

Favourite Stroke:

Reverse Switch-hit sweep (yes the same which he used to hit Murali out for a six)

Facts:

>> Kevin Pietersen is a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE)

>> Pietersen’s is also an avid football follower his favourite club being Chelsea.

>> Enjoys night life but never on the cost of cricket.

>> He has ECB logo tattooed on his left biceps.

>> Kevin is an Ambassador for Barnardos children’s charity.

Quotes:

“My hair doesn’t make me play cricket any differently!”

Interesting Video:

KP Blind Cricket

Daredevils Perfect Cocktail for Fightback

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After a dismal performance which led to the debacle of IPL 4, Delhi Daredevils are back with fire of vengeance and fightback in their heart. The two time semi-finalist from the heart of the country will be looking to put their names back into the league of top notch sides in IPL. Delhi has always been a side with great squad so what makes the difference this time around? What are the weapons in Daredevil’s arsenal this time which can make them a title-contender in IPL5?

1. Balanced squad:

With an average of 25.5 years Delhi has a relatively young squad at the same time mid 20s are always a number of balanced age when you are young as well have apt amount of experience. Age is not the only aspect of making this team balanced but the right players for right requirements is what makes this team a dangerous competitor. For the opening pair Delhi has one of the most dangerous pair in the form of Sehwag and Warner but this was also the case when Gauti was still part of Delhi. I guess the biggest weapon of destruction for Daredevils is going to be their middle order trio of Pietersen, Jayawadene and Ross Taylor. These three names can send a chill down the spine of any bowler or opposition. Naman Ojha the wicket-keeper batsmen is an able performer at any position while the addition of Doug Bracewell & Andre Russell makes a stronger looking list of all-rounder along with experienced Irfan Pathan. Also Delhi’s bowling department looks like a very exciting zone with Aaron, Umesh Yadav and Morne Morkel leading the attack.

2. Thinking team:

Delhi Daredevil this time is a team full of past and present captains which adds to the thinking ability of the team and hence tackling of difficult situation an easy task. Sehwag along with being the captain of the Franchise is also the deputy to Dhoni in the national side. Mahela is present Sri Lankan national team captain and now the newly crowned vice-captain of Daredevils and he is not the only national captain in the side as he joined by New Zealand swashbuckling captain Ross Taylor. If we go on Kevin Pietersen has also had a brief stint as captain of England side. So with four captains in the side this idea surely sounds nice but can also be a major reason of clash of ideas. But if shown the right direction their experience and captaincy skills will not only help the whole squad but will help the franchise to scale new heights.

3. Fans make a team:

Delhi is always known as ‘Dil walo ki Dilli’ (Delhi is a place of people with amazing hearts) and when Dil is on Delhi Daredevils there is no looking back. After a little bit of hiccup during the last IPL when some fans might have chosen a route away from the illustrious Feroz Shah Kotla stadium this time a rejuvenated Daredevils franchise has taken it upon themselves to not only bring those lost fans back but to make whole of Delhi support their IPL franchise. Delhi Daredevils must have already gained many followers with the launch of four Superfans which easily represents ‘Who needs a famous celebrity when you can find stars among common people’. And this thought process might take Daredevils a long way as I truly believe a team is as big as the support it gets from their fans.

4. Gift of Experience:

No doubt the addition of Taylor, KP & Mahela has taken the experience quotient of Daredevils to a new level but players like Umesh Yadav & Varun Aaron who were uncapped players last time have now already made their debut with the senior team. Experience is something which a player utilises to mould his career, experience is what gives a face to a players career and experience is what the whole movie is made of when the player is in the stadium. So experience with national side is going to do Aaron & Yadav great good and hence it contributes to a better looking bowling attack.      

5. Other Artillery:

  • Players coming into IPL with rich vein of form on the international circuit. Players like KP, Mahela, Taylor, Umesh Yadav & Morkel are in the purple patch of their career. Many of you must be thinking i am shying away from talking about Sehwag frankly speaking I am not because he one kind of players who hits a purple patch in driest of the desserts. Or as TA Sekhar says “He is saving it for the IPL”
  • Eric Simons at the helm of backroom staff is a positive step towards a bigger picture. Simons has been closely involved with Indian national side and Delhi Daredevils in the past years which makes him a coach who wouldn’t need time to adjust to Indian conditions, Indian players or as a matter of fact to India. And his bowling expertise can do wonders to comparably young bowling attack.
  • Delhi Daredevils are taking interaction with the Delhites to a new level. Last year they opened the first and only IPL team to own a sports bar when they got a space at Indira Gandhi International airport. This time around along with the launch of Superfans, Daredevils have come up with a catchy theme song ‘Khele Front Foot Pe’, new interactive web-site, soon to launch Daredevils Superfans fashion line and many competitions for their fans which has left Delhi buzzing much before the IPL even started. I guess there is not going to be only a 29-30 member squad but a squad full of 17 million Delhites.

So as it can be seen there have been many changes in this Delhi Daredevils franchise and all seems to be for the good. Now its for us living in Delhi to come out of our lazy monotonous daily schedule to bring life to this year’s IPL and push & pull the Daredevils to the top the IPL exactly where Delhi belongs. Or as it is said its time ‘Hum Khele Front Foot Pe’.