No matter how good a player you are, you can never ever outrun a fan favourite. But how are these fan favourites created? Who are they? Why do they enjoy this unflinching support from the mass? Is it just about their performance on the field? Or does it have more to it?
In our nation(probably everywhere) we deal with rejections everyday. We deal with higher ups who keep bogging us down and keep avoiding the good we do. We lust for credit, for appreciation. And when we see a cricketer suffer the same kind of treatment, a cricketer who has done all the hard work, a cricketer who looks tenacious on the field, but is ignored by the authorities, we tend to relate with him through and through. And that is the best possible explanation for the Gambhir saga!
Also Read: Five surprising exclusions from India’s Champions Trophy squad
Gautam Gambhir’s exclusion and Shikhar Dhawan’s inclusion created a rage in the country last night as BCCI announced the 15 member squad. But what people overlooked was Shikhar Dhawan’s national team record(he has 9 centuries in 76 games, whereas Rohit Sharma has 10 in 153). Gautam Gambhir has certainly been in good form during the domestic season and in the IPL, but he shouldn’t have come in for Shikhar, not in the ODI format. Rahane could have been the one to make way, but sadly that didn’t happen either.
Also Read: Twitter loses its mind as Gambhir missed out on a Champions Trophy spot
And Dhawan came up with the best possible reply by scoring a match winning knock of 70 odd(he is second on the list of the highest run getters this season), on a day when he was probably the most scrutinised person in the country, which clearly shows the character of the man. Maybe he isn’t as flamboyant as Gambhir, maybe he isn’t a leader, but he is pretty effective at the top of the order in the ODI format. So let’s cut him some slack and support him all we can for the Champions Trophy.
SRH brushed aside Mumbai last night and gave themselves a renewed hope of making it to the playoffs. That stray point that they got against RCB is looking like a win right now, as Kings XI will now have to win all their games to have any chance of qualifying.
Also Read: Lalit Modi leaks MS Dhoni’s offer letter
Mumbai experimented a wee bit last night, and were handed a thorough drubbing. They would be hoping for quick return to normalcy before the business end of the tournament kicks off!
Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Kings XI Punjab need to have a one track mind now. They have to win all three games now to have any hope of making it to the playoffs. A little slip up and it all comes crashing down for them. But this is what defines champion sides, these moments, these little trysts with destiny. A fairytale could be in the making but first they need to get the job done tonight.
KKR would look to crush that Kings XI dream, as they too need to step up their game in order to qualify in the top 2. Hashim Amla and David Miller have left for international duty and Marcus Stoinis has bene ruled out due to a shoulder problem. For the KKR, today’s game could mean a return for Robin Uthappa, but that could cause a little shake up in the batting lineup of KKR. Let’s see how things pan out.
Let’s get to business now!
IPL Fantasy Tips on the next page:
IPL Fantasy League(Fantasy Tips for Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders)
Transfer out: David Warner, Siddharth Kaul
Transfer in: Glenn Maxwell, Manan Vohra
Now, I already have Martin Guptill, Gautam Gambhir, Axar Patel and Ankit Rajpoot in my side for this game.
Martin Guptill wasn’t amongst the runs in the last game, but when there’s a flat surface on offer, he isn’t far way from scoring a big one.
With Chris Lynn and Sunil Narine going big in the last game, it would make sense to bring them in, but the fact that KKR don’t play their next game for sometime now, makes me a little apprehensive. And with the paucity of transfers, if I had to make a transfer for this game, it would be one from the Kings XI side, as they have 3 quick games.
The only transfer that I’ll be making for this game is Glenn Maxwell, and that too only if Kings XI bat first, because while batting second, either he might have to little to do a or a little too much.
For the uncapped player, I’ll be getting in Manan Vohra, if Kings XI bat first, else T Natarajan.
Captain: Glenn Maxwell(if KXIP bat first)/Axar Patel(if KXIP bowl first)
Fandromeda Fantasy Tips on the next page:
Fandromeda(Fantasy Tips for Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders)
Transfer out: David Warner, Bhuvi, Nitish Rana
Transfer in: Gautam Gambhir, Sandeep Sharma, Glenn Maxwell
Now, I already have Chris Lynn, Martin Guptill and Axar Patel in my side for this game.
Keeping in mind the fixture list, the first player that I get in for this game is Glenn Maxwell. The fact that he has started to bowl a few overs too makes him a very interesting prospect, especially as KXIP have three games in the bag before the end of the league stage.
For the second transfer it’s a straight toss up between Sunil Narine and Sandep Sharma and despite Narine’s heroics in the last game, I am a little tilted towards Sandeep, as he could himself clean up Narine up front and also the fact that Kings XI play twice in three days.
Now, the third transfer is a more of a ‘cover all your bases’ transfer, and for that I’ll be drafting in Gautam Gambhir. He has been in terrific form this season, and maybe the CT snub can fire up the fiery customer a little more.
Batting Star: Martin Guptill/Chris Lynn(whoever bats second)
Bowling Star: Sandeep Sharma
