(Cricinfo) If India hadn’t done well in the World Cup, would it have led to viewer fatigue ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL)? And since they won, will it translate to an enthusiastic fan base, and even creation of new fans for the game? This year’s IPL will answer those questions. There is another question that has been hovering around since the creation of IPL. Have the teams succeeded in creating loyal fan bases? This is the fourth edition and one should ideally see the early signs of loyalty but many teams, barring Chennai Super Kings, have changed their personnel so much that it will be interesting to see how the fans respond. Are the fans’ parochial affection to the region/city bigger than their love for the players?
For what it’s worth, this year’s IPL starts off with a lovely battle within a battle, an ad writer’s dream. MS Dhoni, the man who led India to the World cup win, versus Gautam Gambhir, the man who played a big hand in that final. It’s not as big as the Dhoni v Tendulkar contest, but it’s a mouth-watering prospect nevertheless. Chennai have showcased a winning ethos while Kolkata have provided pathos. From seeking glory in the first season and searching for redemption in the second, Kolkata were fighting to avoid humiliation in the last edition. Will this season offer the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel?
Chennai have ensured they didn’t lose too many personnel, a move that will have gladdened their fans and their marketing team, and they still are one of the stronger sides in the tournament. In the past, they relied a lot on the spinners and their seam attack largely depended on Doug Bollinger. This year, they have added Nuwan Kulasekara and Tim Southee and that seam attack looks far more potent. The batting will miss the services of Michael Hussey until the end of Australia’s tour of Bangladesh and Aniruddha Srikkanth might open in his absence, along open with M Vijay. The middle order is pretty established with the likes of Suresh Raina, S Badrinath, MS Dhoni and Albie Morkel.
Kolkata Knight Riders have been looking for fresh start ever since the nightmarish first season and this season will start on the same premise. Can Gambhir and the new faces turn things around? Ryan ten Doeschate, Jacques Kallis and Eoin Morgan will add great value to a middle order that has often proved brittle in the past. Add to that the menacing presence of Yusuf Pathan, and you are looking at a pretty formidable batting line-up.
