La kodar gangi jaan hetu la koke dil Ki Shan hetu du laga jor du
laga jor du laga jor du macha shor Ek mahavi santan hetu na
deshiu na TER muyu. DLF, Indian Premier League Hello
and welcome to the PCCI podcast. This is Part 1 of the IPL
previews we've recorded with a bunch of folks.
Sarthak, Richa, Raghav and two young folks Arvind and Karan
from the Capitals Blood Twitter account along with Watsal to do
some episodes as well. In this episode, you'll be
hearing about 5 teams which is RCBCSK, Delhi Capitals, LSG and
SRH. Royal Challengers Mangalore have
made it to the finals 4 times and are the most recent
champions. They beat Kings 11 Punjab by six
runs, if the margin even matters, and got their first
title in 2025, much to the delight of their loyal faithful
all across the country, including Bangalore.
All of this was marred by the incident that took place the
next day where 11 RCB fans lost their lives right outside
Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.
And since then, there has been very little conversation from
RCB about this. And somehow, in this one year,
there have been enough. There's been enough back and
forth. And now the Chinaswamy Stadium
is being given the green light to host the games again.
To preview RCB, we have Richard with us.
And yeah, Richard, take it away. So RCB, yes, very successful
season. Their last season they were
clinical for the most part. Lots of players are informed.
It was a very good season. I think, yeah, for the, I'll
start off with what I think is their strongest suit, which is
their administrative structure. So it's not about the team so
much, it's about how well it's managed.
So they have Momo, but as the center, he's been performance
oriented. He started off as a school
teacher who went into data, data analytics.
And you know, he's he's really good as the director of cricket.
They have Freddy Wylde, who's one of the best analysts in the
game and also someone who Bobot likes to appoint.
Has Freddy moved to another team?
I think Freddy. No, I think Freddy is at.
Freddy's. Still at RCB, Yeah, yeah, yeah,
OK. I would be shocked if he leaves
because I feel like more brings him wherever he goes.
At least what I saw today was I think I saw that they released
some of their auction strategy discussions and Freddy was still
in there. I don't know if something.
Then I. Post that, yeah, they they have
Andy Flower, one of the most successful coaches in the world.
They have Omkar Zaharvi who is actually a bowling coach from
Mumbai and KKR who's an interesting bowling coach that
they've added I think in the last year, couple of years ago.
They have Malolan spin coach and.
People shouldn't forget Avishkar Salvi was called the Glenn
McGraw of India at one point in time.
Really, this is a different one. This is Omkar Salvi.
This is OK. This is the brother, then.
Yeah, I actually don't know if he's the brother, but maybe it's
yeah, maybe research key. I looked at the family members
and you know, but it could be true.
We can check it is they have Malone and was really good and
they have Dinesh Karthik. Of course, how can you forget
Dinesh Karthik with his commentary gems such as in this
player is like the neighbour's wife.
But yeah, I think I just want to start off with the bat.
There is one player that I'm not going to be talking about
because what he does on the field doesn't matter as much as
what he's been accused of off the field.
This is of course, Yashdal. I think he's also recently
married and he's planning to use his brand new wife as a shield
against these allegations. And we all know when a popular
person is involved that it becomes as much about public
opinion as it is about what's right and wrong.
And in the male dominated cesspool that is Indian cricket,
there will be a perception that now that he's married, his wife
feels fed him on the right path and we don't need to worry about
punishing him and it's fine and you know, whatever.
I don't even want to talk about her because she has not
technically done anything wrong. So RCB, I think it to their
credit, based on the videos that I have seen, have planned on not
playing him in this season. Like, this is what it looks like
they're hinting towards, but that they have not officially
released him is still a blot on the record.
And you know, of course, if they let him play and a mass
influence, you know, that helps him control public opinion
towards him. But yeah, this, the crimes are
too. They're too heinous, especially
the one against a minor. I also checked that there's two
women in RCB's administrative setup as well, beyond the fact
that they also have a women's team which often does
promotional events alongside. So I, I, I don't know.
I, I don't like it. I don't like that he's released,
but I will be, I yeah, I I just don't even know what to say.
What are your thoughts? Envy.
I, I mean, as we, as you were talking about it, I was trying
to see if he features in any of the latest videos, which is
currently playing on another screen and I don't see him yet,
which probably is a sign that they're not going to play play
him, which is I guess Step 2. We have skipped step one where
they need to take accountability, they need to
make a statement. It's not like, OK, like like
RCB, the stadium is the stadium and their office is probably 500
meters. That's the distance in that 500
meters. I think if I'm not wrong, there
are at least maybe 20 lawyers or 20 law firms, then I can at
least name a side of the maybe 20 VC forms that are there so
that that they didn't know that there's a lawyer available who
could draft the correct statement.
And, and take this forward is I have, I have no words.
I think this is, this is how they, this is how they do
everything right? Like, I mean, this is how
they've, they did that RCB cares thing where they announced
25,00,000 and, and that's where it ended.
I mean, there is no dignity or in depth in India.
And I mean, they had a chance to do something and we've discussed
this offline, Sartik and I sometimes.
But I think there comes a time where the leaders here, and in
this case it's Virat very, very clearly probably just doesn't
care about anything. Just takes to his social media
and and makes a statement, be it or be it like the 11 folks who
lost their lost their lives. And some of them were not even
RCB fans. They just tagged along with
friends to go and see that trophy ceremony or whatever it
was hastily organized. So, yeah.
And then we've covered that in, in, in, in, in more than a
couple of boards, I think with Sarta, with the Rutra, with
everybody. And it does not make for good
listening, but it made for important at least conversations
at that point in time, which I think very few people are are,
are going to have as the season progresses.
We are what, 10-12 minutes into this and we've not spoken about
their team or this IPL, this primarily because cricket is way
more, way more things happen outside of cricket that that
that people don't talk about. And just because they won the
title shouldn't take away from the fact that they they should
have been talking about these two things pretty much more
regularly. Yeah, I mean, less said the
better, I guess, about how they have treated this entire thing.
I would say go listen to our conversation with YBC girl who's
a fan of RCB and gives a fan's point of view and a fan's
perspective on what it means to support a team that.
Yeah. And that says nothing and
acknowledges nothing about this. Like it's a very, it's very
simple. You say, hey, we don't know if
he's guilty. We'll let the course of the
like, we let the law take it's course Until then, we think that
these allegations are, you know, serious enough that we have to
release them from the team. They kept him through their
auction last year. So they retained him in the
auction in spite of both of these cases being out by then.
So a lot of their approach has been just baffling.
Yeah, like OK, this is just vibes so and bad ones.
Basically just vibes. Yeah, bad vibes.
That's right. And I, and I, I mean, before you
go to a team like sorry, sorry, I mean, this is a team that's
very close to close to my heart purely from the reason that I
live in this city. And I've seen those fans suffer
for most of those 17 years. And yeah, I mean, it's just a
disservice to them as well. It's just a disservice to them
as well. But then again, I also want to
say the things that we talk about are the things that only
we talk about. This doesn't affect the
majority. They go about their lives just
just casually regularly and and they're not going to have these
conversations. They're like peak and I was
going to call the arena kill arena.
I mean, this is this is the general sentiment of this
country, though, that that just completely irritates me.
And I and I and I hope that there are more conversations
around this. Even if he doesn't play, there
has to be questions. There has to be like in the
first press conference uses some some journalists should be
asking, right. And it goes back to what Jared
has been saying. There are no beat journalists.
These teams don't have journalists attached to them.
Like I feel like this multibillion dollar property,
but they don't have this. They don't have one journalist
who's on the RCV beat. I mean, I know Sourav Somani and
Shashank are writing a book on it on RCB, but I could be useful
if somebody went ahead and asked the questions on the first press
conference. And I hope that happens.
And I hope that happens and it's not embargoed and and then also
not and and then there's like a gag order.
No, guys, we answered the question, but don't release that
and so on so forth. So yeah, all of that as well.
Yep. Now I think we can go to the
cricket. OK, Yeah, on that somber note, I
will start with Rajat Patidar, who is the captain of this team.
I'm actually a very big fan of Rajat Patidar.
He's mature. He's well respected, he's well
liked. He hasn't really made any
blunders as a captain. His form has not been super
great in the last season. Like I think he's he's been
fine. He's his average is like 24 and
his strike rate is 143. And some of that may be related
to his entry point and when he's come in and how how it might be
to score against them at that point.
But I see him in this team kind of the equivalent of like a Bay
leaf or Tejpatta. You know that you use when you
when you make rice, if you make it without a Tejpatta, it's,
it's fine. It's adequate when you add a
Tejpatta and you don't know what it is.
But if you make rice with a Bay leaf in the rice, it elevates
the aroma of the rice to a certain level, like it's, you
can't describe what it really brings.
And if you, if you eat a Bay leaf separately, trust me,
you're not going to get this. But he, he brings something
special to this team And he's, he's very calming, very nice
present. So I, I like it.
He's a spin gobbler traditionally, So him at #4 is,
but it's a it's a great position for him.
And you know, I love these kind of players who don't really play
much for the national team, but they only play at the IPL level.
There legends at that IPL level, but not at the national level.
You know, I have a really soft corner for players like these.
One thing he needs to keep an eye on is his form.
I think in his last 12 innings across formats, he hasn't
crossed 30, right? So sorry, he just crossed 31.
So this is this is a question he needs to be switched on and
ready to go in his form for the IPL.
So I don't know if that's going to be something you need to keep
in keep in mind. But yeah.
Do you have any thoughts about Rajat party there?
No, I think he's, he's also the MP captain, right?
He's also the MP captain. So I think MP had a fairly
decent season in the Ranji Trophy, I think if I remember
correctly. And and one of the things that
that helps Rajat party that now is, is also the addition of his
Madhya Pradesh teammate Venky Ayer, who's also joined the RCB
ranks. And I think I think people like
people like Rajat, right? Like I think captaincy might not
be natural to them, but they just grow into this.
And I think a title is as strong a boost as as anything.
And the other thing is that this is not a team that doesn't
prepare. We know that flower, Bobart,
Kartik and even Malolan, all of them are are going to put in the
hours behind the scenes and and, and probably set up some kind of
template that that helps this team go forward.
And the best part is that Virat might be the alpha, but I think
he's, he's OK to, let's say, play the role of, of, of that
opener who doesn't care about his wicket and is still scoring
runs. So I think he's, he's just very,
he's just very, very lucky to have this squad around him.
I'm not saying he's not important in this scheme of
things, but I'm saying that everybody in this team has a
role that's defined which which makes his job on the field much,
much easier. Yeah.
So Rajat is one of the leaders in the team.
The other leader, of course, is Kohli.
Like you can't deny that he's got a very strong presence and
he's definitely one of the leaders of this team.
Kohli had a great season last year.
Like he scored at his average was 54.7 which I thought was
incredibly high and he scored at 144.71.
That's. Great, it's actually lower than.
I thought. He scored 454 runs in the
season, but for an opener I think 144 is a little bit lower.
I think it's because they're not able to get him out and I don't
know what it is. Or maybe he's trying to be more
supportive towards all. 650 runs, 650 runs, 657 my.
Stats wrong. Oh that's true, I got my stats.
But the strike rate is still 144.
And I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah. 650 Oh yeah, that was a 650 run
season. Maybe it was a glitch in
cricinfo. Alright, yeah, So Kohli I think,
yeah, if he has a 650 run season again with a similar strike
rate, I think it's it it bodes well for RCP because their
openers are a big part of what is their stand.
Like Salt was really good. I think Salt strike rate was
like 1 seventies, 176 or something ridiculously crazy
like that. So that's that's pretty good.
Yeah, salt was 175. I just did a spot check, so I
just take back my words. I thought Kohli went at a much
higher rate last season. He didn't.
Amongst the top 22 run getters in the IPL last season, Kohli
has the lowest strike rate, but that's 657 runs.
So yeah, I think there was a switch last season as well where
I think he was going slow and then he made the switch around
around the middle of the IPL or something.
And then that's why it's 144. Otherwise it would have been
lesser probably. But yeah, feel free to let us
know. I don't know if you can comment
on this part, but yeah. Other than Kohli, I think an
underrated player. Weirdly underrated still for RCB
season is Krunal because Krunal was instrumental for their
season. Like he's critical for this
team. He's also done something
interesting at the first class enlisted level.
He's brought in Jitesh and Rasik.
Into his Baroda team as well. So he's brought in his RCB
players into his Baroda team. I think that shows that he's a
little bit more of a leader then we see a little bit more behind
the scenes. But he's definitely somebody
who's very important. And for some, he was like almost
the MVP of last year's season overall in the IPL for for RCB,
he definitely was extremely important.
He took 17 wickets, 17 wickets at 22.29.
OK, now tell me because I've always seen Karnal as someone
who's more of a defensive bowler.
How the hell did he simultaneously become the
greatest defensive and attacking bowler of all time like in last
year's IPL? What the hell happened?
I have practically no clue, which is why we do broadcast
guys. So.
But I mean, jokes aside, I think one of the things with Cronal as
well is that he's a left arm spinner who isn't afraid to get
hit and he's not afraid to bowl at much faster pace than let's
say a traditional left arm spinner.
So he bowls a seam up, he bowls, let's say what is called bouncer
if required. And he's very, very good at
setting his own fields. So when I say he's not afraid of
getting hit, he also plans those long off and long on catch
wickets which have which came off in the in the final as well.
Lest we forget, I mean Chronal is being the man player of the
final twice in in the IP LS twice.
So so I think him coming off was was actually very, very, very,
very good because I remember this, his average at the
Chinnaswamy before he joined RCB was 73.
So, so I think a there is lot of planning and.
B Like Raipur? He might like Raipur.
Yeah, seriously. Again, I want to take another
segue. I want to take another segue
like teams like you've just won your first IPL in 18 years with
little or no home advantage or whatever you want to say.
But this is the place where everybody who comes in is, is,
is buzzing for you. It's a small ground.
You have attacking batters and you can you can definitely make
a good choice of playing at this ground only.
Why the fuck do you go to Raipur boss?
Like why are teams doing this? Like Rajasthan is going to
Guwahati by Guwahati, where is Jaipur?
Where is Guwahati? Like this kind of stupidity also
needs to end at some point in time.
Like, I mean, it's like, like I can understand that that that
MLB game starts in Korea or Japan, but that's the season
opener. That's one game out of 162.
No, there's no 162 games. Like one of like this one is
what? Yeah, this is one of one of 14.
This is like just rank stupidity to even like award games to
another city unless like you, they're paying you both.
Who be Raipur? Decide are you are you committed
to Bangalore or not like like commitment Bangalore identity
Raipur like I don't even like like go and play in Mysore or
Mangalore. They wanted DY.
Patil. They wanted DY.
Patil but that was before Chinnaswamy was approved, so I
think they were just scrambling. So I guess either way, just
don't leave your hometown like you like you paid whatever
hundreds of crores of rupees to buy the rights to that city.
That city is Bangalore. It's not Raipur like.
So yeah, coming back to Krunal, I think he may like Raipur.
It might be a good ground for him because what I've read
elementally, I don't really know too much about Raipur, but that
it does slow down as a match progresses.
So that may be something that he likes.
He's also able to bat like he had a high score of 73 last
year. So he's just a really great
person to have at #8 he's a match winner for them.
And this reminds me a lot of the RCP women's team, but they they
have like these people who can all just be match winners on
their day, and that's four or five of them.
And it's just fantastic. Yeah, we've not even mentioned
that RCB holds both the IPL and the WPL at this point in time.
Yes, that's, I mean that's got to speak to their
professionalism. And I know like more and more
that is not involved in the women's team, but he's come out
and specifically said that. But I feel like some of that
administration kind of runs off, that professionalism rubs off.
Yeah, on. OK, fine.
So that's, that's really good. The real star of last year in,
in my personal opinion, of course, was Josh Hazelwood, who
took 22 wickets at 17.54, an average of 17.54.
And from all the top bowlers in the IPL, he had the greatest
bowling impact per match. Yeah, from like all the top 20
bowlers in the league, the thing, and he's not just like an
opening bowler or that he's, I feel like they bowl him.
They give him one bowl, one over in the middle over.
Sometimes they use him very interestingly based on my
situations. And the only thing that they're
going to need to watch out for is that he hasn't played any
games since November and he's not there for the first few
games. Games.
The first couple of games, at least.
Yeah. Also, he Raipur doesn't do him
any good, right? He needs a little bit of bounce,
right? He needs a little bit of extra
bounce. He can extract a little bit
more. But you know, having bouncy
tracks for Hazelwood Wood is really plays into his strengths.
So if he's one of your best overall players, your MVPS,
you've you've got to maybe take care of that as you play him and
selecting, which means he's going to bowl instead of.
Romario Shepard is going to open the bowling for RCB.
Yes, Romario's. His economy is what concerns me.
It's like over 10. Or is it going to be?
10 dot something, he took six with Duffy Romario.
So Jacob Duffy I think is not a bad option for the opening
bowlers only for the opening overs I don't think he does as
well. Like Hazelwood is also the death
bowler, right, in many cases, like he bowls at the Ted.
So I don't think Jacob Duffy is good in that, but Jacob Duffy is
a good replacement for if you have injury is concerns.
But from Boovie or Hazelwood, you get a few more overs
upfront. But yeah, but yeah, they kind of
lose their bowling balance a little bit, their fast bowling
balance without Hazelwood. They have bought in some new
Indian, Indian talent. So one of the most interesting
buys that they had was Mangesh Yadav.
Yeah, so Mangesh Yadav went for 5,00,00,000 at an auction.
This is almost unheard of for a player who's not very high
profile, but Mangesh Yadav. Has mini auction, Mini auction.
That's true. That's true.
We'll be here. But 55,00,00,000 is a good, it's
a, it's a really good price. Good life changing money.
Life changing money, I'm very happy.
This guy, he he's left arm fast and he's a left arm back.
So he has a really good story. So his father is a truck driver
and, you know, he's come from really, you know, not not great
familial circumstances, but he's he's just 23 years old.
And his speed, last I checked in a few matches is like it can go
up to mid one 30s, which is not bad.
I feel like if he can push occasionally to go up to 140, if
they can, you know, build up his strength, he's not at his he's
still 23. So he has a little bit of time
to go, I think. Yeah.
RCB have had an obsession with left arm Pacers going going back
to Aniket Chaudhary who Virat had got to the RCB to help him
play Mitchell Stark better at one point in time.
And and like obsession with left arm paces is common through the
IPL. Like am I also have this
obsession with the with left arm paces across which we've
discussed. No Arjun this year.
No Arjun Tendulkar this year. Arjun, is that LSG?
Yeah, Arjun is talking to Rishabh Bandh on reels which I
don't understand but OK, somebody explain that to me.
This is good like I have no real so I'm happy.
Yeah. So I don't, I don't mind the
fast bowling Romario Shepherd. I think he he may have over
performed a little bit last year.
I don't know if he can sustain that even though his bowling was
it was possible at times. But I don't I don't have too
many comments on I don't think he's going to be a match winner
with his bowling. And so they do have a couple
more bowlers for fast bowlers, but I haven't been able to find
too much about them. They have some someone called
Abhinandan Singh and yeah, Abhinandan Singh.
I haven't seen him too much. There's, there's Rasik Salaam.
So Rasik is interesting, but Rasik to me again, is a little
bit more of a defensive bowler. I don't, I don't see him as the
guy who's going to be, you can't replace Josh Hazelwood,
basically. So they're going to have to
rebalance. Basically score 280 every game.
Yeah. And then pray.
Exactly. Yeah, their spin department is
something very interesting for me.
So in terms of their spin, they have.
So they had Suyash Sharma last year, who I think is he's he's
decent. He bowled a little bit.
I think he a. Little bit of respect for Suyash
Sharma is back-to-back IPL champion 2024 with KKR, 2025
with RCB. Little bit of respect please.
Suyash Sharma's like again. Like my first thought that I
always have whenever somebody mentions Suyash Sharma is that
he's the guy you could probably find in a Kamari Yatra also.
So yeah, I, I think I, I like, I'm very, very concerned that
bowling is very, very low on any kind of wicket taking ability.
They will probably need prime movie back.
They will need those. Yeah, So there are two bowlers
that I like beyond Suyash Sharma because I'm not a huge Suyash
Sharma fan. Like I really don't know what
makes him take wickets or do well, but that may be my own
lack of understanding. But I really like Swapnil Singh.
So he's a slow left arm orthodox bowler.
I've seen him in a lot of in some RCB videos and he's a
little bit on the older side. Fascinating story, right?
Like I think he was in the IPL
in the OG 2008 season with Mumbai Indians and then got a
chance to play with Virat again in 2025.
I think he was there in the OG 2008 season.
I don't remember that, but yeah, I remember he was at Mumbai
Indians. As folks may know, I haven't
followed a lot of the early seasons of the IPL, but I, I
like Swapnil Singh and he's been teamed up with Satwik Deswal,
who's an 18 year old who's a slow left arm orthodox bowler as
well. I really like his action.
I love watching him in the few videos that I saw.
I, you know, I'm a huge, I'm a huge fan of, you know, being
able to use like a combination of like experienced and less
experienced spinners together. So I really hope that they get
to, they get to feature or at least get rotated in the early
parts of the tournament that are at Raipur.
So if they go spin heavy at Raipur, I think that may be a
way to sort of counterbalance the lack of, you know, Josh
Hazelwood in the Scott I I don't know if that's what that's how
RCB want to set up early on. There's a few other young Indian
players, you know, Vicki Ostwal and who else.
I think there was another all rounder, Ganesh Shahan.
Yeah, Ganesh Shahan plays well. He played well in the Under 19
trophy recently. So that's someone.
Who? But he's a little bit more of
an. And Rihan was part of the Under
19 World Cup winning. Squad Rihanna Malhotra was also
part of the under 19 yeah. So both of these are players who
are who can bat and bowl a bit or bowl and bat a bit.
They're kind of all rounder. So I don't, I don't mind their,
I don't mind their Indian domestic team here actually.
I kind of like it. But yeah, little bit you're
going to have to develop them a little bit and combine them with
more experienced players. They also have no one Tushara
who's the guy with the cool action.
So I don't know if he's still injured or not or if he's going
to get to play, but that, that'll be interesting, yeah.
Cool, what's the word? Where do they end up?
I think they're going to be title contenders again and it
depends on how consistent they are with their with their top
order because they're more batting heavy this year.
And if Hazelwood comes back and hits good form right away, that
will be that's probably their best chance to get ahead.
Like I think that's how they need to set up.
And I think the one thing that I don't understand with the team
is how they plan to set up with Venky Ayer, because Venky Ayer
doesn't make sense unless they plan to rotate him out with
Particle. Yeah, I mean.
They will see. They'll end up playing, they'll
end up playing him. I have a feeling they'll.
End up playing him because they like him.
Like I've heard they've really went for him in the auction and
they really like him, but he hit, he didn't bat very well
last year. He his average was low and his
strike rate was also a little just under 140.
Like I don't know what you're really getting.
And he didn't bowl a single ball last year, so.
I think does Bethel get a game? I think Bethel gets a game as
well, which means. Bethel gets a year.
Might not. Yeah, so Bethel.
Bethel was interesting. I feel like Bethel got very few
games last year, if at all. Did he get a single game?
No, no, He got some games because Salt was not.
Salt was injured, I think, in the middle, yeah.
I'm also really interested to see how Jitesh lines.
Where I like Jitesh I think. He's going.
To be the 12th player Impact Player.
Really. Or is he there?
Or is he? Not the of the tournament.
He's the keeper. 85 of 33 was like complete game changer.
Mind blowing, Yeah. Plus then his he was dropped by
the Indian team and you know, little bit unceremoniously and
it doesn't look. Like this is the keeper so he
also plays so Kohli, Salt, Particle, Bethel, Patidar,
Jitesh, Krunal, Shepherd, Buvi. Hazel Motor 6.
I mean patidar at 3 or 4, but again, if you if you move
particle anywhere from three, is he going to provide any kind of
output That is the other problem, right?
So so then and you. Can't only bat at 3:00.
And then then you need better down the order or you need like,
no better Tim David needs to play all of those things.
Yeah. Yeah, Tim David has to play.
Yeah, a fantastic season. Yeah, again, another segue. 14
games is not good enough, 14 games not like good enough for
teams to figure out their 11 and like it's just it's a little
tough on them. So I'm talking from an
empathetic sense key like nahi nahi banapare log bar bar apna
team. And and this we face in the WPL
at every time because again, shorter season teams are trying
to figure like all of those things.
So yeah, I mean, that's why I think it makes sense if let's
say they play a few games even before the IPL instead of like
making reels is what they do. I mean, something like a spring
training that that happens in in baseball where the games are
going on, games are going on daily.
Like I'm like glued to it because you're trying to figure
out your best 11, best 12, whatever, all of those things
are going on. So I think those things would
help. I mean, maybe just a couple of
friendly games before the season starts.
It just takes one team to do it. Like am I could just next year
just land up and say key guys, Navi Mumbai Mayaja, we'll play 2
games with two teams and then every team has a chance to do
this because all of them are. And, and this year especially,
they had a chance to do it because there's a proper 2 1/2,
three-week kind of a gap between the World Cup and the IPL.
So, yeah, I mean, hopefully they they're able to do this.
And, and it's less taxing on the management as well, because
pretty much nothing you see in Nets is like it's not a game
situation, right? So, so that's, that's another
thing. Anyway, thought for another day.
Which brings me to the most important question.
Which TV show character is? RCB So RCB is Ted Mosby from How
I Met Your Mother. OK, So Ted Mosby, he's an
emotionally, emotionally available man, almost a Unicorn
at this point of time. He's just, you know, he tries so
hard. He does so well for, you know,
all of the women he dates and. Things still somehow go wrong
for him. And yeah, he's just like,
annoyingly righteous. Like, this is an annoyingly good
team. And they are.
They're just, they don't need to.
They don't need to do a lot to be successful.
And I think if they can figure out their bowling strategy
without Hazelwood, they're going to be title contenders.
I mean, I've I'm pretty stunned. This is like a throwback.
So is is IPL Tracy who Ted Mosby eventually gets in 2025 after
like some 18 seasons of How I Met Your Mother?
Or is IPL Robin Shabartski? That is the important question.
But I think I we should. Leave that hanging.
You know what, Robin? Yeah, that's true.
It could go either way. Yeah.
We leave it to the listeners to go back in and watch How I Met
Your Mother. Though I must share How I Met
Your Mother is probably great till about season 5 episode 8
and at season 5 episode 9 is where it just goes downhill.
So I think till season 5 episode 8 you can watch it.
That is my commitment to this final question.
With that, we wrap up the review of Royal Challengers Bangalore.
None. The next team that we are
previewing is CSK, the Chennai Super Kings.
The Chennai Super Kings have five titles.
They won it in 2010, 2011, 2018, 20/21/2023 and they've been to
10 finals. In fact, I think last year was
the first time that in two consecutive finals, Ms. Dhoni
wasn't there talking about last year.
Last year was also CSK's worst year.
I think in the IPL they finished 10th.
They were also the first team to be eliminated from the IPL.
And I think this year is just another year where MSD has
decided not to retire. And to discuss more about CSK,
we have Sarthak. All right, cool.
So let me take you to CSK versus Punjab Kings in the year 2024.
It's a home game for CSK. They're batting first and they
haven't scored enough counts. It's luggage pitch Punjab Kings
at Boulder and it's the 20th to Archdeep is bowling to Colony.
The ball pings of Dhoni's bad Dhoni.
The ball skies up and someone drops the catch.
On the opposite end is Darryl Mitchell who makes a run that
OK, now that the catch is dropped we can maybe steal a
single and there are a couple of balls left. 3-4 balls left in
the over. Mitchell runs the entire length
of the pitch and Tony sends him back that no I'm not taking any
singles in this over. I am not giving you the strike
because this is the last over. 30,000 people are at the stadium
and they have come to watch me. And it might sound like I'm
exaggerating, but I was at the stadium.
I saw the plausibility of that run and the way this Tony just
denied him strike. Dhoni denied strike to a batter
who at that point was averaging near 50 in all three formats and
was in great form. And that kind of is to me, a
illustration of the farce that CSK has become the last 2-3
years. And it's not been helped by the
willing franchise because the franchise seems to be in on it.
They want it and they're happy with it.
It's not been helped by a fan base that comes to watch at the
stadium and do the franchise's bidding online.
And it must be said that this is not a broad brush on the entire
CSK fan base. I spent nine years in Chennai
and I know a lot of CSK fans who've been attending every home
game since the first year. They detest what's happening so
a certain section of the fan base wants to see color and it's
turned into a point where CSK fans cheer their own wickets
because that means the 1 you would get to the crease earlier.
So this entire far, it had become this complete farce which
also manifested last year with the Rutu Raj guy caught injury,
Dhoni becoming captain and the way the franchise reacted, the
way their fans reacted, the way the ex players on the commentary
box reacted. So I was at the at the game when
Ms. became captain again. This is the CSKKKR game in 2025.
This is at the Chip Park. And you know how tosses are
tosses. Essentially Hardy gave you like
first. And these are the two changes.
We look forward to the game. But somehow Dhoni went on a
monologue at the toss and I saw two genuine adults crying next
to me. They could not hear a thing, but
they were just crying at that toss.
I mean, the game was a Farson at another level altogether.
Because I think Dhoni came after Khalil came to bat or something.
Or or knew. If it was orchestrated, I think
somebody asked Steven Fleming because CSK were obviously
tanking and somebody else. Fleming Hey man, you have a
wicket keeper. Who?
Has to bat some somewhere and he's in the team as a batter.
Where is he going to bat? And Fleming just said that he'll
figure out when he has to bat. We just painted a terrible
picture. And the reason we mentioned this
is in 2023 and there was a mega option, that was your chance to
reset the team and become CSK 2, which it became.
We saw the first shards of CSK 2.0 midway last season when they
went for Ayush Mantry and when they doubled down on DeWalt
Revis. They played Noor every game,
then they signed Prashanth Veer who's 20 and which brings us to
this year. And I think this year is the
first time we will see CSK have a balance of tomorrow's players
or players who are work in progress, A lot of players who
are work in progress, a lot of players who have experience and
very few of yesterday's player which was the model of CSK 1.2,
which you should. You have to give them their
flowers that they made, that they made the finals every other
year and 10 finals and all that and so many titles.
But it has gone past its best by date.
And in today's in the CSK that we play this season, you are not
going to find players who are so old that they only play this
competition barring the uncapped player that is barring 1
uncapped India player. Other than him, everyone else is
at a good point of their T20 careers, which which is a good
thing. Which is a good thing it's.
Been a long time coming. So what are their like key
strength areas so to speak? Or, or do you want to talk about
the auction or? The offseason or the offseason,
what do you have? I think I'll let you take the
offseason, but I think the first friend that I have and we can go
off that is and all Indian top order.
So you're looking at Sanju Rutraj and Ayush Matreya as your
top three. If you then play Prashanth B or
Sarfaraz at 4:00, that's top 4 all Indian.
If you play Dubey at 4:00, that's Dubey at 4:00.
And if you then assume Dhoni, we will play, that's your 5 all
Indian batters and you then have the what did essentially means.
The reason it's important is it gives you the luxury to play
overseas player as your bowlers and as your all rounders.
And I think that's a good strength and it would carry this
one small weakness. Please go ahead.
Yeah, sorry. Don't you think they'll play
like Brevis somewhere in the top four or they will?
They will. But essentially, their batting
is back with Indian options and because India is a good product
producer of bat battles and hitters now, it's a good thing
that they're able to keep post lots for all variations of
bowlers and all rounders. That's why it's a good strength.
The weakness is that none of their battles bowl.
Ayush doesn't bowl. He can roll his arm over but
doesn't really bowl much. Rutras doesn't bowl.
Samson is a wicket keeper. Sarfaraz doesn't bowl.
Dhoni doesn't bowl and I understand I was bowled a little
at the Under 19 World Cup, but I don't think he's the kind of
bowler Dhoni he will readily go for or Uttaraj will readily just
trust immediately to roll his arm over a few times.
So who's the captain? Is it still Dhoni or Uttaraj?
This is like asking is the sun hot even as it's raining in
Bangalore? So.
But I do think there's a twist coming man.
I think there is a possibility where then you join me in a year
or two says I wouldn't mind being captain.
I have leadership credentials. I have I'm a proven captain and
a double World Cup winner at that and a double World Cup
winner now nearly untouchable in Indian cricket.
He's he's a big name now exactly.
And he's not that old. He's worth 3130.
So he's he's fine. He's he's got another 4-5 years
in his tank at least. So I wouldn't be surprised if
that comes up. But I think for now, officially
it's Rutraj until he breaks his hand again.
Rutraj, we don't wish that. Only just kidding.
Perfect. Yeah, I think I think that will
happen at some point where Samson is like, hey, man, we we
we would. I would like to give this a
crack. Also, yes, you pointed out
offline, not just the batters don't bowl, the bowlers don't
bat. So Noor Ellis, Akhil Hussain,
Matt Henry. I don't know why I call him Matt
Andrey I I just got too much football.
Nude Ellis Akhil Matt Henry Khalil Gurjapneet Mukesh
Raulcher. They do not bat.
Matt Henry can just stick around for a bit, and maybe to an
extent Akhil can. Now the others can.
So their tail starts very early. They will effectively have to
play Matt Short at 8:00. They are hamstrung into doing
doing that because I can't imagine a batting order
finishing at 7:00 and 7:00 being Dhoni, because that will
effectively mean Dhoni on many days we'll have to play 2030
balls. Man, this is so strange because
like one of the things and you have to give your flowers to CSK
and Dhoni for it is the fact that even in even in those
seasons where they were called like the old uncles and all of
that, their batting was deep. Batting, bowling, both be so
many options. They could and This is why I
started early. CSK Model 1 had great merits.
You don't make 10 finals without being a good team man.
They were a superb team. They had their plans in place.
Such epoch pitch played to their strengths, their auctions.
They knew exactly what to do. They rarely failed with players
with big big big auction buys. They never failed with big
auction. They might fail with shawl,
small option bike and you can turn around and show me the
number of games Shane Watson failed in and I will show you
the Eliminator and the final. He nailed it in.
So it works both ways in the sense that yes, he failed in a
month. Once again for Shane Watson at
38, he still killed it when it really mattered.
So no CSK, one superb game, one of the big guns is now gone.
Jadeja is gone. I am cautious of saying they'll
miss him terribly because I don't know if he was still a
great T20 cricketer, but he added balance.
He added a serious balance at the number 78 position.
He could bat above 20. He could bat 7 if need be.
So I guess Max short will bat 720, will bat 8 if the if it
comes to that. But yeah, I think CST one grade
and what we saw with the auction with now the team with they're
very clear investment into youth and really young players.
Like Prashanthvi is 20, Ayushma 3 is 19, he's going to turn 20.
Devolves is 2122. No, it is 2122.
So that's seriously young for CST standard.
So yeah, it's CST 2.0. And because there is a major
option next year, I would not be surprised if this is fair
earlier. Yeah, I think which is a good
segue to get into the like, who are their players to watch Sanju
Samson, man. Like so we were there at that
India, Zimbabwe, Yeah, he's return.
We were there. He's return to Chepauk and he
didn't score. Yeah, very, a very crucial 24.
He said the tone Abhishek was struggling and but the crowd,
but the crowd was like, OK, this is our boy.
This is our last time in Chennai.
And I think I think that's going to go a long way especially.
I mean, Chennai generally does a good job of over hyping people.
Yeah. And they back three stars.
They don't back out once they go in, they go in.
Yeah, yeah. I mean, do you do you reckon
there will be some Sanju jerseys or 100%?
Will it? No 100%.
I was there for the India England T20 game in 25, I want
to say for the three match T20 series that happened it at home
and one of the games was that Chepauk where Tilak played a
wonderful. Now Sanju opened with Abhishek
and the the crowd really was buzzing.
So no, I I think there will be Sanju jerseys like they were
always Juddu jerseys and Raina jerseys.
It is not just 7. For a last couple of years it
had only been 7, but I think Sanju will have Jersey.
Sanju is now big name. And also Jadeja moves back to
Rajasthan Royals, lest people forget.
Back home. Yeah, back home, so to speak.
My only other thing about this was, OK, I've forgotten, lost my
train of thought. If I remember, I'll come back to
this. So aside of Samsung, any other
players that that you that you really are looking forward to
like I'm I'm Matthew. I'm a fan of.
I am. I'm fairly excited if they play
Urvil Patel. Also, there is a possibility
that they play Ruturaj at 3 now. But yeah, yeah, but.
And their first choice. So Rutra 3, DeWalt Bravis 4,
Dubai five. Yeah.
Now where does Alpharas play? Because please understand, up
until 5:00 they have one bowling option.
Yeah. And if you take then Dhoni 6 as
a placeholder for the wicket keeper spot, no.
No, I guess it. I guess it's. 6 So then you you.
The option then becomes Prashant Sweet because Prashant Sweet can
bowl a little. I am thinking it has to be Jabba
kind of which you are definitely going for my job.
I just remembered what I wanted to share is that in the 2025 IPL
review, we had said that Sanju Samson will be traded by the
Rajasthan Royals. And we were told this podcast
probably doesn't know what they're talking about.
I would just say, OK, that's predictions, where do they end
up playoff? They're making the playoffs.
They're a strong team. What do you think?
I think they make the playoffs this season.
I think two seasons in a row them not making the playoffs
would be a reminder of 2016 and 17 when they were not there.
At all. What else, Guy?
No reason. Pardon, Fish, Pardon.
Fish also, I think like picking my neck out.
I think Dhoni has a good season. I think Dhoni, Dhoni, Dhoni is
naturally going to have a good season because see the other
thing about Dhoni, I mean, and and you have to think about how
just him being there changes the bowlers, lengths.
Bowlers try harder. Bowlers try.
Harder ridiculous presence and and which is why, I mean, it's
one thing it's very easy for us to say and it's been there's a
lot of sense in saying that boss, you have to as a team now
look at easy a positive influence or not.
But what you're saying, I couldn't agree more.
He adds so much from behind the wicket in terms of guiding the
bowlers. No one knows their angles as a
keeper. There has not been a keeper who
knows. That even as a batter, my main
complaint isn't that he's coming at.
My main complaint is that he's batting too late.
Like, I think his knees are gone, his knees are gone.
He can't otherwise, obviously, why would he not bat?
I mean that nobody knows. Boss No, no he would he not bat.
Nobody knows his knees are gone. Which is why because there is a
major auction next year and CSK have shown the sign for the
first time last year that OK, we can't keep repeating the same
thing. We have to fix it and they fixed
it mid season, which is a very hard thing to do.
They got lucky that Matrey was available.
I think Brevis was available but they and they won't get lucky
like this all the time. So they will fix it next season.
They will refresh their team and they will seeing a.
Definite playoff team. I'm giving a scenario to all the
Dhoni fans that there is a lot of ridicule that is thrown at
Dhoni for getting out to Yes they are in the 2024 season
which allowed the RCB team then to get into the 2024 playoffs
and that was at RCB at the Chinnaswamy.
The final this year is at the Chinaswamy.
I mean, there is a, there is a, there is a strong possibility
was like, yeah, like, I mean, it is known like my feelings for
this is like Arsenal, Arsenal winning the league at this is
like Arsenal winning the league at White Hartley.
I mean, I they once won it at Old Trafford.
They won. David, I'm just saying like, I
like the. I like the.
Fact that all of this is is that it's entirely possible, CSK
entirely possible. It's entirely possible they are
playing the final. Which brings me to the main
question that we have for each of these teams in this IPL
preview. Which TV show character does
this team represent? And I And as a conoisier of pop
culture, I demand a serious answer with a very very serious
explanation and rationale behind your pic.
Can I go movie? No, I need ATV.
Show can I, can I pardon, can I plead ignorance?
Reason being I don't watch those many TV shows.
My Seinfeld, Kalawa, my coat come back.
Now I've watched like your Coras and Sacred Games and Black
Mirrors and this and that, but I haven't watched the big ones, so
I'm very lost. Please, you take it, say it.
I did not prepare for this, I was supposed to just host it.
But I widely feel Chennai has Ramadeep Singh aura.
No, no, it's. ATV show character yekam clarity
Dina Zaruriya what are OK let's let's jam.
What are the characteristics of CSK?
You're looking at Old, old hand, very solid, used to a lot of
success, changing their ways and embracing youth.
I'll be a Soprano. I had succession who I you will
know. I haven't watched any of this.
I think one of the characters in The Sopranos is something that
I, that I think is close to CSK, and that's an old character
that's actually Polly Walnuts. So Polly Walnuts is old but
never seems to age. He's absolutely crazy under
pressure. He somehow survives.
And the fans love Polly Walnuts for pretty much the entire
duration of the of the show. So I guess yeah.
Polly Walnuts is the TV show character that represents CSK at
least. Bara Tera Chauda.
So this is a journey Ki pandra saal Mein panch IPL title char
IPL title che IPL title kasi jitra or abhi Lok bolte Mumbai
Chennai most successful mahi Rohit.
Brilliant, undeniably brilliant. Both of them.
Mark my words, the Salbat bowling a mahi.
Rohit Rishabh, you are listening to the PCCI podcast and now we
have the. One of the newest entrants to
the IPL, the Lucknow Super Giants, owned by the RPSG group
and headed by doctor Sanjeev Goenka, who has the main
character in energy. The club is Yeah, people
shouldn't forget this is the second stint to owning teams in
the IPL. The famously he he famously took
Pune Pune Warrior's name like RPSG Pune RPSG Rising Pune Super
Giants. Correct.
I mean SG is part of the team because he's Sanjeev Goenka SG.
So it was there in RPSG also and he took them to the finals in
2017 which they lost by one run to Mumbai Indians.
Yeah, I think. He he did the what Srinivasan
couldn't do like Sad Dhoni as captain.
I think Dhoni takes the decisions in CSK.
I don't think Srinivasan has any authority over CSK as well.
Even from even from BCCI, right we we couldn't like Mohinder
Amarnath had to walk. Yeah, Mohinder Amarnath had to
walk. But anyways, I I mean, we know
like Srinivasan in general has no authority cuz if you look at
his family members also right like they are just cricket
enthusiasts. So yeah, to pick such a yeah of
course cricket enthusiast for. The fun of the.
Game. Yeah, yeah, fun of the game, but
I say casually dugout my wedding actually team meetings may be
Srinivasan no power yet no power.
Which brings us back to to Doctor Sanjeev Goenka's LSGI
think I'm going to call them Doctor Sanjeev Goenka's LSG all
season other men Kyorbi IPL episode kya Tobi Unko Dr.
Sanjeev Goenka's LSG he belonged upset because kya character like
Ethan Jada like so yeah yeah Justin Langer Bharat Arun
Rishabh pan sabko apna office main bhulake photo session photo
session. And I think, I think the
beautiful detail that I saw is like, because, because as a
salesperson, one of the things you have to do is to, and then
they'll give you a pass to enter their office.
And, and so, so, so a lot of times you Don the lanyard which
has the logo of whichever company you visited.
So I, I remember, yeah, Kuch Kuch, my name Pele Auction ke
Baadi or whatever, he had one meeting.
And and in that all of these guys, Bharat Parun, Eliebna,
Justin Langer, Rishabh Pand, everybody had to wear those
visitor pass to the LS, to the RPSG office in Calcutta or
Mumbai, wherever. Yeah, this is peak Calcutta
Marwadi businessman. Yeah, Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah, you can.
You will have to Google or you have to know one Calcutta
Marwadi businessman to know what is happening with LSG ownership.
Enough of talk, enough talk about the LSG Marwadi ownership,
but now to talk about the team we have.
What sell again? What sell?
Take it away. So LSG are again with the
unbalanced team they they have again, I mean, I think it's a
trend in the IPL that everybody, everybody just packed their team
with, you know, openers and like very, very heavy hitting top
water batsman. I think that is something that I
can see in every team. So even they have that with
Marsh, Mitchell Marsh. I mean, I'm not sure how pretty
is again, I mean, that's that's the thing that we'll have to
watch and Markram as well. He's off late.
He's gotten into the bashing
business as well. And he he he looked really good
in the World Cup. So I expect him to do well.
Of course they have they have a decent they have a decent core
as well beneath that with punt and Puran.
I mean, can't ask for better with Puran.
Puran is just along with Classen and I think along with Lesson,
he's been one of the best T20 batsman for the past 2-3 years.
So he's done, he's done really well throughout like for 2-3
years. But if you go beneath that then
that's where the problem starts. I don't see too much proven
quality. I mean they have, they have
some, they have some, they have some young players.
I mean, I'm not too sure about how they're doing.
They paid a lot of money for Mukul Chaudhary, I believe.
So yeah, let's let's see how he does his record in listed and P
20s Look. So I'm I'm not too sure about
that. Then then the all rounders, they
have Shabaz and Abdul Samad again meddling ITL players who
have a not a very high ceiling, but again, not a very low floor
as well. So that's good.
The bowling is something that worries me about LSGA lot.
Again, Mike Yadav is The X Factor.
And if he plays, I think if he plays 10 games out of 14, I
think that will be an achievement for him.
And and if he still sustains the pace that he showed like two
seasons back then that will be something that that will just
propel LSD off the table. But their spin department is
where. And that's that's the thing that
really surprised me considering they're playing in Lucknow,
which is traditionally a spirit friendly surface.
They only have Hassaranga who's and the Gwesh, I guess.
So like Hassaranga is the only one and he's flattered to
deceive in the IPL so far. I mean, barring red one good
season with ACV, I've not really seen Hassaranga do very well.
And again, he's got a lot of injury issues as well.
So overall it's a bit of an unbalanced team.
I feel they have good top, top heavy batsman and good opening
bowlers. But after that it gets a bit
light. That's that's, that's nice.
They also have Manimaran Siddharth right who was famously
used to take RCBS to play against Virat and he got Virat's
wicket also. I remember this from the 2024
season if I remember correctly and he is playing for the Delhi
Capitals then but but I remember him taking Virat's wicket
because he was bowling to both Virat and Faf.
And I have some memory vague memory of that.
But this this still retain bad Dhoni, Ayush Badhoni.
I mean again, it's the same problem.
I mean, it's like for how many years?
OK, I mean, let's just let's just take a let's just take a
shot at this. Rishabh Pant started playing the
IPL in 2016, if I'm not wrong, or 2015, 2016, 19.
OK, Since yes, every season, every season, you, you and I at
least have said he needs to open the wedding.
And even this year, he needs to open the wedding, but he will
not. And I think that's that's where
the game is gone. Yeah, like again, I will, I will
add the games gone clip here if I if I, if I even feel like
editing key. I I think he himself doesn't
want to like open or he doesn't feel that he needs to open.
I mean, that's the only explanation I can give or only
only thing that makes sense because how how has he not
figured it out? Like that's that's his ticket
to, you know, getting a permanent place in the White
Bowl team. If he opens, he's better.
He's better than maybe Abhishek is.
Maybe Abhishek is better than him.
But apart from that, everyone else, you know, for me at least
fails in comparison to Rishabh Pant.
If he if he's on song, he can do it in whether on a tricky wicket
in South Africa where he can smash people around, he can do
it everywhere. I feel.
So I'm not too sure why. I'm I'm irritated that he has
not opened like like it's right there isn't why aren't like, I
don't know, I think maybe we are just stupid or otherwise, like
all the all the analysts have have tried it and have failed
and and he's probably also in his mind convinced himself
because man like. And there are so many examples
exactly. It's not like it's very new
thing like Gilchrist is right there.
I mean like where there have been so many.
Gilchrist QDK, Gilchrist QDK, Yeah, Gilchrist QDK is also
there, siphered. Butler Yeah.
I mean, so literally. The proof is there in the
pudding, and still you can't see it.
I don't understand it and the thing and the issue with him is
the issue with him is as well. I think that the like in in the
in a Test match, usually what happens right is the field is
the field is slightly inside when he's coming in, people are
looking to attack and get him out and that is where he places
attacking shots. Well, that's the same situation
is going to place in the popular.
It just makes sense in every which way and we just I don't
know what what the thinking behind that is.
I mean I. I have.
I have, I think, I think people have.
I think with this season, with this World Cup that just got
over, it's very evident that there is no place in the top
two. It's quite evident that with
Samson and Abhishek are going to open for the foreseeable future.
Yeah, I mean at least the next World Cup at the bare minimum.
I mean, I don't think anybody is going to question that.
So I so I guess probably that will now further ensure that
this guy doesn't open. Yes, and like and the other
problem is. I mean, it doesn't matter but
but yeah, I think this is a loss to cricket.
I would, I don't care if Indian cricket lost to cricket.
That somebody like Rishabh Pant does not open the vatic.
Yeah, it's absolutely criminal. I will say criminal.
Absolutely. I mean, I really don't get it
how they haven't figured it out yet.
But apart from that, I mean, Marsh, Marsh and Makram again
are a good, good opening pair. I mean, they should do well over
a season if prepared together. And let's see, I don't know how
they're going to split Pant and Puran, like who's going to come.
I think maybe they'll maybe they'll juggle it around a bit
apart from that scale. Nietzsche.
Yeah, I'm not too sure. I mean, maybe maybe they like
English is they have English. English is not going to be there
for most of the tournament. He's just there for like 10-12
days or something like that. That's that's what I know.
And apart from that, I think Shabazz can bat, Summit can bat
and IE the Dhoni, these are the options they might go for.
So I mean, yeah, doesn't inspire a lot of confidence, but you
never know. I mean, I'm, I'm not sure about
the how they did the how they tried in the domestics, but on
previous IPL experiences, I mean, they've just been OK
because their new ball bowling is good.
Their new ball bowling is pretty good.
I would say especially my place with my Shami is a goodbye for
them. I think Shami will will do
decently well for them. They've they've still kept
Mohsin Khan. If Mohsin Khan is split, I'm
very, very excited to see Mohsin Khan again.
Yeah, yeah, he was. I remember like Dubai, he did
very well. Dubai he did very well.
Like when the IPL was in Dubai, I think he did very well.
And then two seasons back also he did very well and the left
arm angle and the late swing that he gets his sister good to
watch. Yeah, I.
I'm not too convinced by the spinners yet.
Spinners, man. I'm not.
I'm not sure. I mean big race was OK.
I mean, he had that novelty. I have a feeling they'll end up
playing Shabazz for his batting and Shabazz will have to bowl
just like he did for SRH also in that 2024 season eventually.
And he had to bat also because SRH was trying some blow outs
there, right? Yeah, yeah.
Is Josh how Dhoni as well can bowl?
I guess those particular but like I doubt.
Josh, he was getting married. That's why I think the King
Punjab released him. I think, I think that's why
Punjab released him and that's why he went to the auction.
He made that clear and they still choose to go for him,
which was I don't know why. What they forced.
Them I guess. So so so so they're essentially
their 4th foreigner is 1 Hindu has Ranga Yes, yes.
I think they will play Asaranga because the spin is very weak.
Like I don't, I don't see them the like, yeah.
No, go ahead, go ahead especially.
Because they cannot, you know, usually take spin.
I mean, I'm not sure whether they relate the surface or have
they done something with their or not.
But usually that is a reputation that Lucknow has is being a very
slow and a sluggish wicket. Sir Black soil pitch pick Halo,
Nayar Lucknow, those boring games.
These are these are like a short season Chaudha game.
Do whatever you need to win. Do whatever you need to go and
win this that's. All or resources now batsman
they have like those fast, fast pace hitters which who just like
to, you know, plant the foot and batch the bowling.
So I'm not. I, I mean, I am, I am, I think
like that black soil pitch is probably great for that kind of
hitting only because if it comes off, let's say you get to 114150
because you're not asking people to bat like KL Rahul did for
LSG. Essentially my my point of
reference is punch innings in, in New York in the 2024 World
Cup versus Pakistan, where you can just like take the game away
and then like 120 is suddenly like defendable.
I'm not saying 120, I'm saying probably even 140, but I think
140 could be defendable because I like if they play Mohsin,
Digresh, 1 Hindu, Asaranga, Manimaran, Siddharth and yeah,
big wish. Anyway, I don't know if they
play Shami. I'm, I'm like, I'm still in two
minds because we were last year. This guy had a very decent IPL,
right? Prince Yadav, fairly decent.
Yeah, yeah, Yeah. He's also bowling well, Yeah.
I think. Let's see what Langer decides.
I have a feeling he's going to go for the alternate red soil
wicket and bank on the top order to score more runs like they did
last year. Yeah.
Are they playing all the games in Lucknow?
And I'm not sure what that is because sometimes.
Sometimes they go. Schedule, schedule, schedule,
schedule is the right away PURA schedule.
Yeah, yeah, I'm not sure PURA schedule will be.
The schedule is only out till April 12th.
OK. Schedule is not out, Yeah.
So I mean you, you never know they'll they'll go off to play
in Guwahati or somewhere Raipur, but basically only KKR and MI
and RCB and CSP. These are the four who don't
usually shift the games. Apart from that anyone can play
anywhere. That's from experience.
Yeah, yeah, I think you should just I, I mean, if they if they
qualify, it'll be great. But I.
Don't see it like right now, I don't see it.
Like, yeah, of course they have. They have cricketing royalty as
well with them, with Arjun, right?
So yeah, you never know. And I feel bad for Arjun.
Yeah, I see. I'm excited for Abdul Samad,
though. Abdul Samad had a fairly very,
very decent Ranji, all of that, and I hope like some of that
rubs off into this. Also, as as improbable as it
sounds, I know these are three different sports that we play in
cricket and maybe IPL is a fourth different sport.
With the impact rule for sure. With the impact rule, yeah,
yeah, I like. I'm not too like then definitely
not exciting team Yeah, that are very boring.
Yeah, Despite, like, despite, despite having all that
firepower at the top. Boring.
Yeah, yeah, and and and they make fuck all jerseys.
Like we have to talk about that jersey Like what it's.
That logo is just. Solution.
Yeah. Seriously, what is that logo?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Guys, this is Marwari Calcutta
businessman. Like this is Marwadi Calcutta
businessman. I will let you Google and like
go to the depths of the Internet to understand the psyche of the
Calcutta Marwadi businessman because this is how it comes up
and and it shows and it hits you on on your face eventually.
Manchester Manchester Super giants Monosodium glutamate MSG
Look at the new LSG logo. This is a flying Hathi.
Their logo is flying Hathi actually.
Too light, can't fly by. The way.
So yeah. IPL cricket websites IPL yes,
it's a placeholder yeah, it's it's that again.
I will invoke the Calcutta Marwadi businessman philosophy
here. This is how it would have
happened. They would have created the IPL
website in 2008. And what Domain Joe Agency kaam
kiya kaam diya ganaki yeah website banana wohi agency ke
pass Abbibo website we had domain be here, hosting rights
we had or salana retainer or website.
So I'll tell you what will happen also.
I'll tell you what will happen also.
Eventually this domain will expire on in like the middle of
the IPL one day and the IPL website will crash and that is
when like BCCI will realize array domain and on that day
that guy will not be available on a phone call because woh bina
roaming ke international. Exactly, exactly yoga yoga like
this is this is this is how it runs.
Talking about businesses, I am I have been made aware that there
is ATV character, TV show character who you think is
closest to LSG. And why did I say business?
Because I have been told that it is a character from the HBO hit
TV show succession. So please elaborate.
So my pick is Shivan Shiv, Shiv Roy, the daughter of Logan Roy.
I would say it embodies LG spirit.
They are like they want, they want to conquer the world.
They want to do everything. They feel like they're very
liberal and they're very, you know, open and secular.
But deep inside, deep inside them, Russell.
'S a lot of. Bigotry and I don't know a lot
of, a lot of yeah, they, they want to do a lot, but they
cannot do it and they cannot achieve it.
And they'll always be second or third favorite no matter what
they do. And even when things are going
to work out in the favor, they just fuck it up and eventually
see their husband take take over everything.
I have nothing else to add. I think this is glorious that
Succession has also been invoked and Succession just another show
guys that what I can probably talk for another hour why you
should watch it, but you should just watch it for Jesse
Armstrong's fascinating writer room and like some of the best
writing. In fact, Succession is so in
fact, Succession is so good that the scripts of all Four Seasons
are available on Jeff Bezos's platform for you to buy and you
can keep it. In fact, like if, if at all, we
were doing this in the sense that each team would be
assigned, let's say ATV show episode because that's how nerdy
we can get with this. I think LSG is my favorite
episode of Succession, which is shit show at the Fuck Factory,
which is Season 1, episode 2. So with that, we come to the end
of the preview of LSG. Thank you so much for joining
us. And also have not I can
understand capitals. What does it?
What does capitals? Mean to answer the?
Daily. Capitals, Capitals is you're
from the Capitals, its this capital city of the country.
So how do you? Its a way of calling the team.
So if you look at the teams they all have you know Mumbai
Indians, its not Mumbai Indian. So you can ask what is Indians,
but its Indians. So that's the answer for that is
you're from the capital. That's what it means.
It's inclusive. Welcome to the PCCI podcast.
Today is the mega preview of the Delhi Capitals, formerly the
Delhi Daredevils. As as many die hard still call
them Delhi. Delhi Capitals has an
interesting story. It's inclusive.
I'll try and see if I can plug the famous Par Jindal monologue
about how what is Delhi Capitals here?
This is where I tell the listeners that I've already
added the clip before. So yeah, we do some editing.
But to preview the Delhi Capitals for the 2026 IPLI have
with me now regular on the board Raghav who is ADC fan for a for
a from the first season itself. And along with him he's got
Karan and Arvind who run the Capitals Blood Twitter account
and they've been DC fans for a very very long time.
I've been told that there are interesting stories why they are
Delhi Capitals fans, at least for Arvind.
So I'll bring Arvind on and and try and understand how a boy
from Chennai is a Delhi Capitals fan.
Hello everyone, it's such a pleasure to be on this podcast.
So, I'm Arvind, I am from Chennai as introduced.
So the thing was initially in years, initially years of IPL, I
was just following IPL. As you know some run one of
these tournaments that happened through the year.
I wasn't really like invested in it.
But the way I did come through was through my current most
favorite player which is Rishabh Pant.
I started following him from the big before the 26th year Under
19 World Cups and since from since then on, I've been
interested to see where how he plays and what time.
In the initial years of Delhi, I like the players they had and
overtime it just felt like a connect.
And once that connect came, it was never going to go.
And even after fun left, there are people in this team like
Kristen Stubbs, Akshar Patel, whom you know, I'm a big fan.
So that kind of like, you know, the fan in never faded for that.
So that's how I am for like almost what to say 10 seasons
now. So that's how it's been.
Man, it's like, yeah, I mean, it's still only 10 seasons
without a title. I mean, for Raghav it's 18.
So I think there's still small mercies with your fandom.
Which brings me to Karan. Karan, who's also the
second-half of Capital's Blood, is with us.
Karen, tell us about your journey into becoming DC Blood,
so to speak. Yeah, thanks.
Thank you for the introduction. Thanks a lot for having me.
Yeah, unfortunately I don't have as entertaining of a story.
So I'm like like I've been based out of like Delhi NCR for a
while. So it's like a bit more
straightforward that way. But I think like, yeah, I think
I started following the Capitals in 2013 when I think it was the
in the lead up to the Unmukt Chand debut.
And then basically it's that kind of sums up how the
experience has been since then. And yeah, so it's been quite an
idea. I think, I think one of the
things is that that I really, really like about the team,
especially DC, is that they've such great teams randomly
through the course of their history and, and then they make
some really stupid decisions or they end up meeting Mumbai
Indians in the finals. Otherwise in in my opinion and
and and I have AI, have AI have a dear friend who's a who's ADC
fan. During the 2018 under 19 World
Cup. It was natural that you could
see that this batch of the 2018 under 19 World Cup would go on
to do great things. And KKR had picked Shivam Mavi,
Kamlesh Nagar, Koti and that little known guy called Shubman
Gill. And eventually and DC had picked
Prithvi Shaw from that along with having Rishabh Pant and
Shreyas Iyer at that point in time in DC.
So and, and there was a, there was a mega auction around the
same time. And this friend of mine and, and
us, we were like, see, these are the two teams that are like now
primed for success. I mean, there's no way we aren't
meeting each other or at least make getting one title by the
2021 season. DC ended up going to the finals
in the 2020 season and KKR went to the final in the 2021 season
and both lost. So, so both of us eventually
were laughing at at our misfortune.
But but we're very happy that there are these that that these
teams were able to take these one or two steps towards finding
a future, so to speak, which of course, the IPL doesn't allow by
way of its auction strategy. A little bit of background on DC
before we dive into the preview. As I've already said, they used
to be called Delhi Daredevils. They've reached only one final
in the 2020 season, losing to Mumbai in the final.
However, my main grouse with DC is in the 2020 twelve season
where in the in the playoffs they chose to play a gentleman
called Sunny Gupta who ended up getting figures of three overs,
47 runs and no wickets. And and they dropped the purple
cap holder of that season, which is morning mokil.
And like this friend of mine who I'm talking about has has lost
it for the next 13 years since that decision was taken.
And every year during the IPL, at least one Sunny Gupta is
invoked randomly. And more recently, Jacob Duffy
when he played the final for New Zealand versus India in the
World Cup. People did remind each other off
that this is a Sunny Gupta, sort of her decision.
But that aside, one of the two franchises would not yet won a
title. And I'm always team new winners.
So I'm very, very hopeful that either of DC or Punjab, but for
you guys, DC makes to the finals and wins it.
But for that we would need to know a little more about their
team and their auction. So take it away rather of Arvind
and Karan. Hi.
Yeah. So I guess we should start with
the like summary of how last year went.
So the the first game ended up probably being the most
memorable or least expected of D CS positive results, which is
when that that partnership between Ashutosh Sharma and
Vipraj Nigam, both uncapped players, but Vipraj especially
lesser known, carried the team to victory against Lucknow.
But but truth be told, I think a lot of us felt that the mega
auction had quite a few short, quite a few glaring holes in the
squad. And so despite the fact that the
team went 4 four wins from 4, the the wheels came off soon
after and the the team sort of tumbled from first place to 5th
place. Yeah.
So they had a very good recruitment especially in the
domestic circuit in the mega option or very, very fine
especially that was a big improvement from their previous
cycle where the local recruits in the entire 202224 cycle as
something that me and Karen had pointed out even in our threads
was one of the weakest scores that you had.
It was basically during that time it was fun, Akshar Shah who
basically faded off and to an extent and rest all to an extent
Kali. And then you were just searching
for names to fill up the next rest of the players.
So Kuldeep was there, of course, Pant, Akshar, Kuldeep.
Then you were basically searching for support players to
fill up every single vote. In the last year with their good
scouting, they've managed to have Vipraj, who is risen
through the ranks. They even have they had Samir
recipe, they had the likes of Abhishek Porrel coming through
after their attention as well. And so the one thing that they
did well was these local recruits, especially with trying
to groom in players into the setup.
And I think they've even further done well in this option on that
aspect, trying to get as many players for that eight spots who
can be just more than a filler goal because you would want to
because they take the majority of the sports while your
overseas players can be matched winners.
The focus on the eight players was also very important.
So that is one thing. Another thing in that last
season was that they had a bit of unlock with their foreign
recruiters who was at that point one of the most considered one
of the best buys in that auction completely faded off in form JFM
the talk of the town last season in 2024, IPL couldn't perform
and Brooke opted out. So which left back basically
three of the and the initial set of four wins, which was aided by
the local over local before local recruits performing like
Ashutosh Vidraj pull the spin wins in Akshar pull me everyone
performing made probably gave them a false sense of belief
that you know what's working is fine.
Let's just keep with it. And they ended up not seeking a
good enough replacement or in time replacement for Harry
Group, which in the end turned out to be cedicular term from
Afghanistan. So the problem is they also
missed out on someone like a Deval Brewis who was eventually
signed up by CSK. So who could have possibly
changed around the pose of things for the Daily Capitals
last year? So the idea is that while the
initial set of wins were this, there was a pattern in there.
There were a set issues in their batting orders, especially in
their opening, their cleaning issues in their top order or be
it the pace battery with with Natrajan injured, they were
basically reliant over reliant on start for every single phase
of their bowling. And he isn't as perception says
he isn't as great T20 bowler. So that majorly meant that they
were just dependent on a few individuals.
For creating the maximum impact like the spin twins ones and
even. Another interesting point I
think we found out was the changing fortunes for Pulley
over the season. In the first half he had a lot
of wickets, while in the second-half his returns
completely faded off. He had like 03 wickets in seven
wheels. So that meant that their biggest
threats when nullified and they basically were just their entire
performance as a result just stagnated as this result went
and they eventually from a position where they had five
wins in six games, they ended up missing out on a playoff.
But so that was their last season.
And, and so how was their auction and, and who do you
think were their top picks in the auction this year?
Yeah. So there I think like going into
the auction, basically there were a few glaring holes that
Raghav and Arvind have mentioned that basically there was a
glaring issue in the top order and the pace battery needed to
be addressed. But obviously as this was a mini
auction that weren't that many slots that could be filled.
So they tried to fill a lot of these slots with overseas
players, which gives them a lot of like flexibility moving
forward. So the likes of Nisanka Duckett
as well as someone like Lungi and Gidi and Jamison, they tried
to fill those holes with these bias.
But I think the two buys that really stand out for one, Lungi
and Gidi because of how well he has been bowling lately and how
well he's been varying his pace and like the variations as well
that he's been bringing out that were evident in the World Cup as
well. And then the other by was David
Miller, because I mean, the quality that he possesses, like
getting him for 2,00,00,000 was especially considering that was
a need that DC had at the time and considering he'd likely
start now, it turned out to be a really good buy.
And in the aftermath of his buy at the auction, he ended up
having a really good tournament in the SA-20 as well, where on
like some of the slowest and toughest tracks.
And PAL as well. He really succeeded there.
And then he had a decent World Cup as well with his best
performance coming against India in the Super 8 game.
So yeah, I think those two buys really stand out in terms.
Of the auction. One some of the domestic buys as
well. For example, the may be the
first case by by Delhi Capitals auction was this Jammu and
Kashmir Seymour all rounder Akib Nabi, who is like was one of the
highest wicket takers in this Ranji season and is capable of
handling a few last two blows at the end.
Primarily to be seen if he can adapt to the specific kind of
conditions that we're going to face in IPL, which are pretty
much on the concrete flat end of wickets.
You would want a bowler who can be able to use a lot of
variations, have a lot of variations in their Armory have
put in like, you know, Yorkers or you know, say to be able to
surprise the batter because the batter is always at an advantage
on such wickets and is able to hit at will.
Now, given the kind of rules that are there with the impact
player rules and everything. So that is to be seen.
But he's a very quality Indian seamer who's possibly even
trying to make his if his things go well.
His debut against Test debut against Afghanistan is on the
cards as well because India is currently looking around for
quality red ball Siemers. The backup line isn't very long.
So with kind of these performances, they can get the
selectors to make more of. So that is one another.
And one of my most favorite boys is a player that I have seen
through, I mean through clips and everything is someone called
Sahil Para. Now this person, he's in under
19. He was one of the players who
didn't make the under 19 World Cup this year for the this
match, but he is one of the most talented players in top order
LHD. He gives a left-handed option in
the top order and he's an extremely high intent power play
player. So even in the recent
Maharashtra family, he had possibly one of the highest
strike rates of 175 + 177 in the league and the role that he
could perform. And there is a very possibility
if say, for example, people are if say someone like Abhishek
Purell doesn't get off to a good season, there's a very high
possibility that he could be preferred given that KL Rahul is
open. If the kind of season that
Duckett or Purell Duckett doesn't fit in the combinations
or like Purell doesn't fire, there's a very high possibility
he could be in ranks for a debut and very, very talented to watch
out for. He has the power as well.
He can hit big sixes. So looking forward to buy
another very good recruitment. As I said, in the last two
years, Delhi have been very good with this local scoutings.
This is one of their major good buys that I would really point
out. These are the two domestic side
and yeah, so that's. Yeah.
So just to just to go over like on a on a broader sense of
strengths and weaknesses following the auction, we sort
of gotten into the strengths already, which is obviously spin
bowling is still there, which, which you will mostly be covered
by Akshay and and and Kuldeep be like.
We don't even know if someone like Dipraj still retains his
place in the in the best 11 or best 12, but you could add some
of his his legs fit as well, aside from his propensity to
bowl no balls, which was a bit of an issue last year.
Then then there's death overheating.
You have like a triple threat now with Stubbs and Miller who
are likely to start together and back together and then followed
that up with with Ashutosh Sharma.
And we talked about the general squad depth and and and
flexibility as well. Although that can go one of two
ways since it's just a 14 game season and in in the past it it
had we have seen this where the where the DC think tank can
either chop in change too quickly or or spend too much
time sticking with the combination.
That doesn't work. As I've been pointed out about
how last year, last year went. The reason I say this is that
there's sort of three foreigners that will pick themselves, which
is Stubbs Miller and Mitchell Stark.
So that just leaves one overseas spot left, which could go in in
a number of ways. Either they want a second
foreign pesos so that you could say go could inform why is the
best would be Lungi and Gidi. They want someone to sort of
dominate in the power play. If they want someone to support
Stark at the death, then you'd go with and Rajan at the death,
then you'd go with perhaps such Amira who can bowl a couple over
through the middle as well. So that's something they have to
think about. And the and in terms of
weaknesses is is that there aside from Abhishek Purell and
and possibly well, mostly Abhishek Purell, there isn't
really any any of these top order battles Who will instantly
get off to a flyer in the power play, both both Rahul and
Nisanka kind of innings builders.
Duckett is someone who hits a lot of boundaries along the
ground, isn't someone who goes aerial a lot in terms of
clearing the infield and hitting sixes.
And then they even picked the third choice opener in Prithvi
Shaw. Honestly, no, no idea what kind
of form he's in. He's in right now.
So so that's another interesting question.
The only other sort of make or break decisions that come to
mind is we haven't gotten into yet is the decision to trade out
Donovan Ferreira for for Nitish Rana, which if Rana starts he
would probably bat at 3 or 4. His strengths against spin,
especially at at at home at the Arun Jaitley Stadium are quite
well known. In the Delhi stately he was the
best one of the best performers with the bat.
Obviously different quality of opposition there, but that
that's worth that's worth noting.
But it was seen as perhaps a bit of a unnecessary trade in some
sense because someone like Donovan is, is a versatile
player, even though you can now argue that they bought Miller.
So it's sort of like you sort of sorted that out.
But it, it, it did. It did seem at one point that I
wasn't sure what what Heman, Badani and the DC management
exactly had in mind with that trade.
Yeah. I mean regarding the Ferreira
trade, there was also the thing of basically as we've disc as
Raghav just mentioned about like most of the DC's battles
starting a bit slow. And even even though they can,
they can be quite explosive at the death.
The likes of Stubbs and Miller, they tend to start slow.
Whereas Ferreira, I was just looking at it today that like he
has a first ten wall strike rate of 174.
So he usually tends to start much quicker than most of the
other batters. So like trading him away does
trade away an aspect of something that DC quite clearly
do like. And then obviously with Rana,
there are quite a few questions because I think in the last two
seasons he's really played one real innings of note that came
against CSK last year. Besides that, he's been quite
inconsistent and hasn't really dominated.
Like there isn't anything that suggests that like he'll be
amazing besides what Raghav mentioned with the Delhi Premier
League campaign that he had. Yeah, One thing with Rana
especially that I have to point out is he had an excellent VPN.
I mean, everyone knows about the thing with Divyesh Shati where,
you know, there was a complete feud between them and he even
had a very good performance against in general the whole
tournament as well. The point with Ronaldo is that
he's a top order back. He takes his time, particularly
against spin. And the other part is that he
clashes with rules of many other players.
So for example, someone like Miller.
So you take say for example in a top order, there are names like
Poret, they have their left handers.
If a list out would be Purell, Miller, Duckett, Rana and
Akshay. So now for example all of these
5 battles prefer to bat in the first half.
There isn't someone. I mean Miller of course could
very well explored at the end, but if you are going to give him
an entry point, it should be higher up because the problem is
unlike everyone in that squad, he starts very soon.
His 1st 10 words right rates is around 1 twenties, 111 twenties.
So. So having Miller and Stubs both
slow starters in the middle order, you would want someone
who starts fast again say a spins skill set, someone like
Akshay. Now with Rana in, would you be
able to promote Akshay as well? So Akshar's spin hitting
promotions get faded off because he clashes with Rana who's
already there in occupying all this.
And it's very uncommon to, you know, pair up LH.
We have two left handers together and I'll be two left
handers who do have loss versus space.
So that means that Akshar doesn't get promoted of him.
And if you're going to rely on someone like Akshar at death,
would you send someone like Vipraj ahead of him who is, you
know, more sure shot guaranteed faster starter than him from the
last season Sample sizes the word, but he starts faster
versus pace. Then he started faster versus
pace, especially with his offside hitting compared to
someone like Akshar. So would you where would you
even how would you use your top order that that utilization
aspect gets a bit confusing where having someone like Rana
who's a very similar profile to batters in his in the lineup.
So that is one of my major concerns with that trade is that
while you have also traded one of your own rare fast striker,
but you also traded in someone who does a role very similar to
others in the squad and you've added one more in the option as
well. So that was my concern with this
Nitish Rana trade overall. But I do think even with him, I
mean, most words can be perfect. So I guess he can work around,
but it's still going to create a lot of it's going to depend on
how Badani uses his resources this year, like something that
he didn't do well last year. I mean, to be very blunt.
So with the kind of options they tried out seven opening pairs,
they kept chopping and changing. They didn't try to or look at
other options available in market or even try within this
words as to promote someone or do something.
They had a very rigid template and they tried to shuffle in
players within it. It just didn't work.
So I hope this year with a lot of options that they created for
themselves, they find a combination very.
Quickly. So, yeah, I think that's more
analysis on DC than most of the Internet or like TV is going to
do considering there is this realification of the society
that's going on. So I'm very, very thankful that
Arvind and Karan and Rappa, all of you have done this.
So what's the what's the prediction?
Where does DC end up on the table before we get to the main
question? I think we are more optimistic.
Prediction is that they qualify for the playoffs even if the
ceiling is perhaps third place. Whereas on the more more
pessimistic predictions would be whether the team crashes and
burns due to not finding the right combination or like
finishes like like mid table. So in in our internal
discussions, I was thinking it would be a repeat of fifth
because because of initial issues and finding the right
combination, which was also there in the 2024 season.
And we sort of end up with like an yet another seven wins, 7
losses record. But I think, I think Karen, I've
been a little bit more optimistic in in seeing a seeing
a playoff spot. All right then.
Yes, the season depends on Kale's power play, batting a
lot, given that he's set to open this year again, Yeah, I guess
it falls out every year for his team wherever he plays.
It's the same thing this year. It's very important.
I just heard five Punjab Kings fans crying from from Punjab and
I live in Bangalore. So.
So yeah, that's the pain you're talking about, man, right?
The most important question then Which TV show character do you
think DC represents? Oh, yeah, This is what I went
and put down on my own. It reminds you of a of AUK show,
comedy show I'd watched when I was in in high school starring
Rowan Atkinson called Blackadder, where you have like
the protagonist who is always sort of the deputy or the next
in command or just sort of under the radar in the world he
operates in. And and thinks he's like he
should be king of the world that he's that he's the Super genius
and he is kind of clever. He is kind of smart.
But the problem is he burns, which is really easily and is
over is sometimes over things. So it's too clever by half.
So the formula comedy formula of that show is that for the most
part, they'll it'll be some inexplicable way where he falls
short and doesn't get what he actually he doesn't achieve his
goal, doesn't get what he wants. And that sort of reminds you of
at least the so-called more better organized par Jindal,
post par Jindal era of, of DC where they made a lot of good
decisions. But then there's a lot of like
overthinking, choking. And that's all like the Sunny
Gupta thing. I don't even consider anymore
because to me that like there's, there's so many libelous claims
you could make about that decision.
So that was that was the ancient history at this point.
Yeah, that was anyways pre Indian independence, pre 2014,
so. In fact, so.
It doesn't count. All right then, thanks.
Thanks so much, Karan. Thanks so much, Arvind.
Thanks. Thanks rather once again.
So that's our preview for DC. Thank you so much for joining
in. 50 for six.
Batsman, our pressure 16170. The next team that we are
previewing is Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Sunrisers Hyderabad. Hyderabad actually has had two
teams, one Deccan Chargers and one Sunrisers Hyderabad in its
current form. Both teams have one one IPL
title each. DC Deccan Chargers, not Delhi
Capitals 18 in 2009 under Gilly and in 2016.
SRH won by breaking probably a billion hearts in traffic.
RCB in 2016. They also reached the final in
2018 and lost to CSK and 2024 more recently in which they lost
to KKRI. Think one of the things about
SRH is that key and and this is what Assad told us in our
previous part about the in then that the greatest IPL
performances on that is that SRH probably started T20 cricket 3
point O. So what do we whatever we see at
this Indian cricket team as well, there is a function that
that probably started at SRH and, and they just took it to
another level in that 2024 season.
They might not have the title to show for it because that KKR
team was also at another level. And, and, and, and SRH had maybe
I think 3 out of four bad days against KKR and including one in
the qualifier and then in the and then in the finals, both
thanks to Stark. But what they decided to do in
that 2024 season then continue doing it in the 2025 season.
In fact, there were enough signs last year also that they are
just going to continue because in that first game, I think
Ishan Kishan scored that century and then of course he went on a
poor run of form. Abhishek scored that crazy 141
last year as well, but SRH ended up in the sixth position at the
end of it. So again, to preview SRH, we
have Sartuck take it away. I I will go here, I will stick
my neck out and say they will have to do really well to.
Finish higher than six this time.
As we know now at the point of recording, SRH will be without
their captain Pack comments for the starting few games.
We don't know how long the injury will take him to come
back, but at least the first few games and comments.
Who is not a great T20 bowler? He's an OK.
A good T20 bowler was by far their best bowler, which is
saying a lot of things, none of them good.
We marvel at SRH is batting and we'll spend a lot of time on
that today and it's still a great batting lineup.
They have bowling options from top to bottom.
They can probably on any given day have 9 bowling option.
None of them are elite T20 bowlers.
There are some who used to be very good, there are there are a
couple bowlers who who obviously play internationals who used to
be really good. But I can't, I can't find if SRH
do not score 200. I don't know how they're
defending it. Yeah, yeah, it it doesn't 200
banega. They need 200 banega, I think.
I think that's why their target is 283 hundred.
Yeah. Yeah.
And this is such a, this is such a like reversal of strategy from
that 2016 season because the template score 160, we will
defend it. Score 160, we will defend it.
And like, yeah, movie Sandeep Prachev, it does look very, very
difficult for SRH man. So run through what is a
possible SRH team, you have head Abhishek Ishan Kishan lock in
superb. Like you will not find the most
scary top three amongst franchise leagues.
I'm assuming Heinrich Lassen would be 4.
He's a watch because he's obviously retired from South
Africa. So he's not played the World
Cup, he's not played the prep game.
He's he and I don't know if it has impacted his touch, if it
has impacted his rhythm, I don't know.
But he's a watch if he's in form, he's a serious player.
So he comes in at 4. Liam Livingston will have a
thing to prove on to after his altercations with Robbie.
I hope it's a good season for for Nitish Kumar ready.
I think he needs a good season with because I think alien
cricket would start tuning away from him if he doesn't follow up
whatever has happened in the last few season with a serious
season now. And yeah, that's they have
battles. They have battles all rounders
what not. They do not have any bowlers
man. They'll play Smaran at some
point there, who I'm very excited about.
Who's going to bowl for them? So essentially it's Harshal
Patel. It is Bryden Cars.
Bryden Cars now has to literally play every game.
Liam Livingston will bowl a bit, Nitish Kumar Reddy will have to
bowl 4. Then you're looking at Jared
Goonathkat, Zeeshan Ansari, I am assuming so between head class
and Brighton cars, those are your 3 overseas gone very
important because. Aren't they going to play
Livingston? So Livingston, that's all four
one. So head class and Livingston
cars, that's 41. That means you're not able to
play Sean Malinger. Yeah, so you will.
And I don't think they can now drop cards.
Had comments been playing that they wouldn't have played cards,
they would have had to play Livingston.
Now do you? Do you drop class and slash
Livingston to play Ishaan Malinga?
I. Would not be surprised if they
go that way because then they will play, you know Ravi
Shankar, Smaran, they will play Harsh to Bay, just back up their
batting. Maybe Aniket Verma comes in just
to get that I think. Aniket Verma plays Niket.
Verma, so just to get that, which means Livingston yeah,
class. And so they will have that bit
of a problem, the class being so many bowling options, head
bowls, Abhishek bowls, Livingston bowls, that possible
series, Nitish Kumar Reddy bowls.
That's 4 potentially 16 overs if you really want.
So that's a lot of overs, which is great from the top order, top
and middle order. But what it will not cover for
is the lack of firepower in the bowling attack.
Because remember, unlike the World Cup where you saw a lot of
18190 scores, 160 scores, here you won't see them for two
reasons. SRH need roads to bat, they need
to score 24250 which means the other team will also hit and
they just do not have the firepower to stop them from
bowling attack. SRHI do not think will even
compete in a 160 match. Who's going to compete for you
and Harshal Unadkat? And those days will come and
those days will come because there will be blowouts.
Those days there will be blowouts.
There will be games in other places which may not give SRH
like as the tournament wears on in the third week, 4th week of
the tournament, the pitches will also start wearing off so you
will get lower scores. I'm sure Harshal could have a
great day and we might have egg on our faces and Unadkat could
turn a match here and there. Reesan Ansari can turn a match.
That's all fine. But are they bowlers to take you
to the playoffs at a time when every IPL team plays with 12th
place? At a time when the average score
will be 200 plus? Are they bowlers who will help
you defend that on absolute flat tracks?
I have my doubts. And this looks like a grim
season ahead for SRH fans. And.
Yeah. And you were started. 6th
Cooper. Anna Mushkil.
Yeah. 6th Cooper. Difficult like that.
Anybody You're excited to see Smaran?
Smaran. Very.
Excited about Smaran, I watched a lot of Ranji this season.
Smaran is a phenomenal, but again, he's composed, he's tall,
he's got how was. His How was his?
Smack, Banana run. He was golden Smack.
Got it, Tabito. He played middle order for
Karnataka in the semina because and because his Smack was so
good. He was was his Smack was his
major. What did he click in?
I think it was Smack so, but yeah, he he had a good domestic
season. He's obviously got the range,
he's got the composure. Yeah.
Do they play him? Where do?
They play smart, was smart, was decent. 319 runs at an average
of 63 and strike rate of 158. Yeah, not bad at all.
Either the bowling maker like that S&E.
Yeah. So I won't be surprised if Marin
comes at 4:00 as keep the hitting on you.
Actually, no, Smaran can't come at 4.
Top three are all left handers. They need a right hand of it,
Yeah. I have a feeling.
They'll play Nitish Kumar Reddy at yeah, 3 or so and some 4,
then Classen has to come five. You can't keep class until after
that, right, Because it's about class in Livingston.
One of the two? I'm assuming so.
Whoever plays has to play 5 or 6 and if Smaran can float I have a
feeling with with comings out Livingston is a lock.
Livingston or bowling because he'll bowl both right arm like
spin and right arm spin. So you're saying head Livingston
Classen and 1 is only one one of cars slash Hassan Malinga?
I think they'll play. I'll play cards.
Because they want batting cards. They want more or just type cup
pitch pick hailing ago Karcy bowling cup Malinga.
Istan Malinga is not for those pitches.
They need to win. They'll play 7 home games.
No, they need to win six of those games.
You have any chance of playoffs. They need to get 10 to 12 points
at home and just prepare roads. That is feedback first, we're
going to score 240 feedback second, we're going to chase
down anything the operation scores.
So the directive to SRH is key for inspiration.
You just have to exit the Hyderabad airport and look at
that outer ring Rd. take a piece of it and put it inside the
stadium. All this modern would be a cool
impact player. I have a feeling where impact
player is Aniket Verma. And he he did he did very well
last year. He did very, very well last year
and and and also knocked out the chances of Abhinav Manohar also
in the team and he was not found fine.
Has not even got an IPL team this year.
That's the reason. Yeah, because Aniket was.
Because Aniket was so good, right?
Smiling is a bit of a personal bias, but yeah, Aniket played
well so if he gets the chance instead, can't complain.
Yeah. So we stick to our prediction.
They're not making the playoffs. I don't think table position 6th
or below. 6th or below. Which brings us to the important
question again, which TV show character does this?
And I have an answer ready for this.
I think this is this is Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones.
OK, I was going to ask who you saved me the trouble.
Impossible to contain, absolutely explosive, has 1
weapon which is a dragon and that's the only weapon she has
and like it incinerates pretty much every opposition.
But eventually she lost. But I'm I'm actually keen to
follow. Did you follow the auction?
I did. Here and there.
Then help me out with this because this bowling attack is
blowing my mind. How come they did not get even
one good bowler? Man, SRH were very, very weird
in the auction. Man very very weird.
Like they who did they purchase? They purchase Liam Livingston
for 13 CR but is Jack Edwards for three.
Shivam Mavi was their pick for bowler.
I'll be, I mean, you know, I mean, that's the that's the
worry, right? Like and they and they bought a
bunch of players, which is the case with every IPL team.
You best player of at 30,00,000, best player at 20,00,000.
Exactly. He OK, he can bowl.
Is he a bowler who can take you to the playoffs?
I don't think so. Prove was wrong.
I mean, we'd love nothing better.
We both marveled at Marvi, at the 2018 and the 19 World Cup.
Prove was wrong. Kill it.
Become the star bowler. Why the hell not?
We don't see it happening. And so, which is why our
prediction. Yeah, right.
So with that, that brings us to the end of the SRH preview.
This also concludes Part 1 of the IPL previews.
Please do wait for Part 2 which will have the remaining teams on
it. That's four in a row various.
Goods they're going to blow next.
In the prodigal son turn, Messiah gets a second hundred in
successive romantic style. The whole of Bengal are on their
feet. Not that important.
He's gone the next ball. The dream has diminished for
Carlos.