Batting isn’t about a brand of cricket, it’s about winning
Too many batters have fallen in the first half of IPL 2025 while disregarding the match situation, writes Amrit Mathur
With IPL at the halfway stage, the strategic timeout throws up an opportunity to look back at what’s happened. To an extent it’s the usual story - a rerun of the past with bat dominating ball, bowlers looking for cover and teams considering anything less than 200 to be sub-par. The impact player makes cricket a 12 versus 12 contest, the extra batter is an added weapon, a handy option in case the regulars fire blanks.
Quite often, the IPL is reduced to a celebration of power hitting, what a coach would describe as ‘last round’ batting. IPL earlier had specialist ‘finishers’ in Pollard, Russell, ABD, Raina, MSD. Now, the coaches and mentors have made a 360-degree switch and the new mantra, patented and exported from Hyderabad, is to maximise the Powerplay.
That’s why 60 in the first six is ok, 75 good and 90 is great. The openers are enforcers; they come from the dugout carrying deadly weapons with intent to destroy. IPL is front foot cricket where total attack is mandatory and every dot ball is a mini disaster.
But this steroid-based IPL doesn’t always succeed. This season saw spectacular collapses, most triggered by insane, unintelligent batting. Intent is fine, and one understands players having a positive mindset, but batting that disrespects the match situation is bad cricket.
Batting is about winning a game, being smart and getting a job done- it’s not just about playing a brand of cricket, personal glory or making a statement. SRH discovered a formula that worked like magic last season. This year the same formula is the reason why they are close to the bottom of the table.
Fortunately, we saw competitive thrillers where clever bowlers retrieved ground, though with generous assistance from stubborn batters who refused to switch gears. Punjab defended 111 against KKR, a total teams make in ten overs. MI beat DC when all seemingly was lost. Starc defended 9 against RR in the 20th to force a Super Over. RCB batters gifted a game to Kings with every player hitting out as if controlled aggression would result in immediate expulsion from the IPL.
The IPL’s second half promises an interesting race for teams to make the knockouts. CSK are going through a horror run, they look flat, without energy or inspiration. MI, the other champion side which has an impressive history of starting slow, is marginally better because they have high quality weapons to mount a late challenge. KKR, winners last year, are behind the game at present and will have to play catch up in the business end.
But the big question: will Punjab Kings, RCB and DC, the three teams yet to win the IPL, come good this time? DC looks strong, a well-rounded team that has the tools to make it. But they are cautiously optimistic, knowing they have missed out in the past. Mentor KP has his fingers crossed, he constantly reminds others that lots of work remains to be done and the IPL is a marathon, not a sprint.
Punjab Kings have momentum on its side, especially after a scrappy win against KKR and getting past RCB. They have a sorry history of underperforming but this could be the breakout year they always hoped for.
RCB, a team of big stars, is in a similar position -- waiting for the trophy that has eluded them. RCB is Virat (just as CSK is MSD), his powerful shadow falls over the team and the brand. Virat has 18 on the back of his jersey and one thinks in the 18th season of the IPL, he’d be able to achieve the one thing that is missing in his fantastic career.
While the teams tussle to make the top 4, it’s heartening that new domestic talent is making an impact. Priyansh Arya and Digvesh Rathi are not just automatic selections in the starting elevens but standout performers contributing to the team. There are others who are ready, capable of making a mark in tough situations.
While youngsters have caught attention, this season hasn’t been kind to those who bossed the IPL. MSD is not the brilliant actor/director/script writer we have known. At 43, he is competing with players born around the time IPL started, and it is difficult to go from IPL to IPL with no cricket in between .
Time doesn’t stand still for anyone and Rohit Sharma and Ashwin, champions both , have had an ordinary IPL till now. Even the ROI of IPL’s expensive players ( Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer ) isn’t much to shout about.
