00:00I'm afraid that they started badly with the No-Ball-Buff movie.
00:03But who never knows, maybe you would have got Butler for naught.
00:07Things would have been different but such things happen.
00:19To get started, Anisbhai, I would like to start with the first question.
00:26Even in this situation, what's the one thing that you are most concerned for?
00:32The chance of scoring one more goal.
00:34And if you score a goal, do you feel that you are in a good position to reach the next stage?
00:40And if you score a goal, do you feel that you are in a good position to reach the next stage?
00:46So, if you start to play like this, how do you know that you can reach the next stage?
00:52Things would have been different. But such things happen. But overall, the performance of Sunrisers was very, very poor.
01:00And it seemed like they never turned up at the cricket ground. Not one no-ball. 3-4 no-balls.
01:06Then Washington Sundar went for a lot of runs. And then RR capitalized. And what is important, it was a clinical victory in the end.
01:13Winning by 60 runs in an IPL match is winning by 100-150 runs in a Test match.
01:20Right. Well, that's what. You know, the wicket so far, except possibly the Devai Patil one to some extent, I mean, do you think the wickets are doing a little too much?
01:33I mean, first up for the Seamas, would you call it an ideal T20 wicket? What do you feel?
01:41Well, to be very honest, the Devai Patil wicket was like a road. It was a belter. Because I saw that game and I could see the ball coming on to the bat.
01:50Yes, on this wicket, I remember India playing England last time when they played 5-20. So, if you have the pace and the swing and the seam and you pitch it right, you get rewarded.
01:59But at the same time, there is a lot for runs can be scored as we saw. If you can see off that initial pace, burst of the fast bowlers, then you can score runs.
02:09And there is value for money because the outfield is good. Okay, the boundaries are big. But as you rightly mentioned, there is a lot of help for the bowlers if you bowl well.
02:18And who knows, had Bhoomi not bowled that no-ball and they had picked up that chance, they could have probably got early wickets of RR.
02:27They would have been chasing 150-160. But there are no ifs and buts. In the end, if you have to ask me, I believe it was a good wicket. It's about how you execute your plans.
02:36Exactly. Well, Sahil, you know, there were a number of good batting performances from Royals. I mean, if you look at, you know, being a top scorer, that was the captain Samson.
02:49I mean, who was, you know, those two lovely sixes of the spinners. But it was, again, Josh Butler who got them going after, you know, having that, you know, life, if I may say that.
03:00Then you have got Padikkal who scored 40-odd runs coming in at No. 4. So my question to you, Sahil, is whose batting did you enjoy the most?
03:09I mean, clearly, I'm gonna have to say Sanju. Sanju Samson, you can see the stats, 55-27. And this guy, you know, we have seen now in many IPL editions, always in the start of the tournament, he fires for his franchise.
03:24He goes bang, bang, bang. And he's done it again for the Rajasthan Royals. And I'm happy for him. But let me tell you, Sunrisers have themselves to blame, you know.
03:34If you see the first four overs, the way they were bowling, Bhuvneshwar bowled, those two overs Bhuvneshwar bowled were unplayable. And he has to blame himself for that no ball.
03:46Things could have been different. Butler was zero from nine balls, let me tell you. Nine balls.
03:51He was searching all over. Yeah.
03:54He should have been gone. So, I mean, in the end, Rajasthan took advantage of it and Sunrisers have themselves to blame. That's it.
04:03Right. Right. Well, I mean, if you look at, if you're trying to find out, Sahil, this question to you, before I go back to Anish again.
04:11If you look at, you know, any plus point on behalf of Sunrisers from this game, I mean, Umran Malik, 150 plus, he gets back for 21 runs in the first over.
04:24Then comes back, comes back to take two wickets when they were kind of trying to, you know, give the charge. What do you think about this guy?
04:32To be honest, you know, when we were asked, like, before, like, which player are you looking out for? I wish I had said Umran Malik.
04:39You know, yes, he went for 21 runs. But this is his fifth IPL game only. Fifth. So, we have to give the guy time.
04:46He, you see his action. He's got that pace, that, such a smooth action that guy has. He's a good bowler. Yes. Butler taught him a lesson, you know, as a senior player.
04:56He was, Josh Butler is a senior player. He taught the youngster a lesson. But then he came back. First over 21. Next three overs, 18 runs in two wickets.
05:03That guy is an exceptional bowler. And Sunrisers don't have to worry. I think he's going to do well in the future matches. Definitely, he's a great bowler.
05:11Right. Anusbhai, coming back to you, I mean, it's just the first game. So, you know, people do have bad starts. But, you know, Sunrisers, since last season, they haven't been that consistent team.
05:25You know, good in playing to their potential. That thing is not there. Then they don't have Rashid Khan this year. So, what do you think should be the way forward for them?
05:34Because, you know, the wickets here are different. I mean, the kind of cricket that they have been playing for the last few years, that may not work. So, what do you think they should do as a way forward, Anusbhai?
05:46Well, I'm glad again, Gautam, you asked this question that after 2019, they have lost their way in the last two years. They came, I believe, last or second last at the last edition which happened in UAE.
05:59So, when you ask me, what do they do? When we did the auction post-match analysis, we realised that they haven't picked the right squad.
06:10Okay, they have Kane Williamson, who is coming off of an injury. They have Natarajan, who is coming off an injury. So, Umran Malik is the only spark I can see.
06:20And if you talk about the batsmen, let's talk about… I mean, when I look at their batting order, I don't see any other batsman giving me a little bit of positiveness.
06:30Maybe Nicholas Puran, if you go about his international record, not his IPL record. I saw his IPL record when he played for Punjab. He scored 85 when he started again with a knot.
06:39So, it's 85 only. It's stuck at 85 after 13 games. Aiden Markram, you can say, is a decent player. But not a guy who can run away with the game.
06:48Today, if you look at their scorecard, I mean, the only guy was Sundar, who scored 40. But scored… Maybe these runs might be useful if the net run comes into the picture.
06:58But till that time, the match had gone. What they have to do is to make sure that they select the right squad. I am not sure whom do they have in the bank.
07:07Is any other player joining them, Sahil? Are you aware of any big player joining?
07:11Not that I can recollect, no.
07:14Gautam, anybody joining them?
07:16I see also from the top of my head… No, I don't think there is any Australian due to arrive there.
07:23There is no Warner this time. There is no Barrow. No Rashid Khan.
07:29No Rashid Khan.
07:31So, I believe they will have to work around with this side and try and see what best they can do.
07:37And they are a side I feel are good in defending than chasing. Because if you go with such a weak batting order, I would not like them to chase.
07:44Today, even though it was a juicy wicket, normally teams like to chase because of the dew.
07:48But they are a side which can defend well, I feel.
07:51Right. Right.
07:53Well, I mean, it's just the first round of matches which have been gone through.
07:58So, a lot of cricket is there to be played.
08:01Now, tomorrow we have got an intriguing match coming up again.
08:05And it's going to be played by the Devai Patil, which you said, you had been there to watch the Punjab Kings win.
08:12And it was really a belter.
08:14So, RCB vs KKR.
08:17With that kind of line-up that RCB has, I mean, they put up 204 runs on the board.
08:23Would you give them a slight edge for tomorrow or what's your take on the game?
08:27Well, RCB on a batting wicket looks good.
08:33But I am not sure about their bowling.
08:35If I have to give an edge, KKR has two mystery spinners.
08:40In Varun as well as Sunil Narain.
08:42So, even if on a belter wicket, you know, spinners, if they are good and you cannot read them of the hand,
08:48it's not going to be easy for RCB.
08:50Like, I understand, Duplessy played innings which, it was jaw-dropping.
08:55Because I remember at one stage, he was 17 of 29 balls.
08:58And then he went berserk after the Punjab bowlers.
09:00But you will have to wait and see how he copes up against the mystery spinners.
09:05And at the same time, KKR, mind you, will have to also make sure that they put up runs.
09:10They were chasing 130 against CSK in their first game.
09:14How they bat. But I believe the team chasing will have probably an edge.
09:18But I would still favour KKR going into this game.
09:21Sahil, I will come back to you on this.
09:26Yes, KKR really had it, I mean, all too easy.
09:31I mean, they had set it up, their bowlers set it up, Umesh Jadhav, with those two wickets early on.
09:36What's your take, Sahil? KKR or RCB?
09:41I think, see, it's going to be very exciting, both teams.
09:45Both teams are unpredictable. KKR off to a good start.
09:49I mean, yes, what was mentioned, like, those two spinners in the last game, when I saw them bowl,
09:55not even one Chennai batsman was able to play them, literally.
09:58So, I don't know, let's see how RCB cope up with them.
10:01But if you see KKR, on paper, they have a very bang-on, okay team.
10:06You know, there's Shreyas Iyer, yes. Venkatesh Iyer is in the form of his life.
10:11But then, can you depend on the likes of Ajinkya Rahanes and all, Sam Billings and all these guys?
10:17They're an okay team. RCB have got some big stars in them.
10:21So, it's going to be a good game. It's going to be a good game.
10:24So, pick a winner. You cannot be saying that, pick a winner.
10:28Pick a winner. See, we can all go wrong. That's not a problem.
10:33KKR, KKR. I'll go for KKR. Because of the confidence.
10:37He's already a big fan of KKR. So, I don't think he's going to support RCB.
10:41No, no. Nothing like that at all.
10:43That sounds interesting. So, you know, like, you're going for KKR. Dad has gone for RCB.
10:52Since, you know, it's likely to see a kind of run-fest out there.
10:56So, we'll all be, you know, watching out for that.
11:00And one good thing that we saw was, you know, star value does not necessarily count.
11:05I mean, we have just four games. We have seen some forgotten heroes coming back.
11:10You know, then you've got this Badoni. I mean, everybody is talking about him.
11:15I was just doing some reading about him. So, really interesting times ahead.
11:20On that note, we leave you for tonight. We'll be back again tomorrow for the, you know,
11:25straight back with Mr. Cricket UAE session. Till then, good night to our browsers and readers. Thank you.
