The Indian Weekender, 13 November 2020

Editorial
Crossing ‘Lakshmana
Rekha’ in cricket
never a cake walk
The ‘Lakshmana Rekha’, the famous line drawn by Lakshman for Sita not to cross when
he went to find Ram in the forest, as mentioned in the Ramayana, seems so synonymous
with the way the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) participating sides appear at the moment.
In case of Sita, the sacred line was not to be crossed, similarly, the top teams in the tournament
seem to be following the same ritual.
Each side in the IPL requires at least eight wins to maybe secure a place amongst the last four
for the knock-out stage of the tournament. With the Mumbai Indians (MI), Delhi Capitals (DC)
and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) languishing earlier at seven wins, with a fair amount of
matches to go, one seemed certain that they would all sail into the respective top three slots.
The ‘Lakshmana Rekha’ drawn to cross the line has now become an ordeal for both Delhi and
Bangalore. Mumbai Indians, after their comprehensive win against RCB in their last match, are
the first team to cross the seven seas and continue to the next stage of the tournament. MI look a
strong side to defend their title, even though their captain and star player, Rohit Sharma, cannot
support them due to a hamstring injury.
Cricket, as one says, is a game of many uncertainties and with none of the teams looking
distinctly better than the other, there could be a possibility of five teams ending up with eight wins.
This could lead to a run-rate scenario and would, therefore, make the IPL even more interesting
to watch. With the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) having already lost its place for the play-offs and
the only side at present out of the reckoning, they could be a spoil sport for all the other sides
competing. They did put a spoke in the wheel of RCB’s progress by beating them in their last
encounter.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) unfortunately cannot accumulate more than seven wins and so will
depend on the outcome of all the other teams performances. An interesting outcome, however,
could develop, if RR wins both their remaining matches against Kings XI Punjab(KXIP) and
Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR). This then would deter both KXIP and KKR’s progress and thus
create a possibility of five sides finishing with seven wins each.
The IPL has never in its 13 year history been so closely fought. Every franchise has spent
considerable time in evaluating and analysing their squad and all of them boast of world class
performers. Therefore, teams are much more evenly matched as regards their international stars
and the ones showing consistency are the ones where the Indian domestic stars are performing
well.
The IPL, for these domestic performers, is the only opportunity to exhibit their skills and
talent. Therefore, it had a significant impact on the selection of the players for the Indian tour to
Australia. Varun Chakravarthy, the KKR leg spinner, due to his sterling performance of getting
five wickets against DC on the eve of the selection day, made it into the Indian T20I squad. He
made the significant progress of stepping over the ‘Lakshmana Rekha’, the line that differentiates
the national players from the international ones.
However, this was not the case for Suryakumar Yadav. The Mumbai batter missed out being a
part of the Indian line-up even though he has consistently performed in the domestic tournaments
and in the IPL as well. Unfortunately for him, the international Indian stars that he is competing
with, also did equally well and so for him to seize a place proved to be once again a futile effort.
This is where lady-luck plays a vital part in a cricketer’s career and one did feel sorry for Yadav as
he played a fluent and scintillating knock of 79 runs to make MI win against RCB on the very day
the Indian squads were announced. He did so against Virat Kohli’s side, in style with dignity and
grace leaving behind a definite message for the Indian captain to ponder over.
The IPL has been a severe test for the cricketers as regards their fitness as well. The lockdown
with its restrictions and the lack of practice, due to Covid-19, has led to injuries and muscle strains
in many of the players. The T20 format maybe a shorter version of cricket, but it requires a burst
of speed, not only while batting or bowling but also during the 20 overs of fielding. Each run saved
is a run gained and so a cricketer needs to exert that much more from his comfort level to give that
extra bit for his team.
This is why players succumb to injuries and niggling aches and pains.
This unfortunately has been disastrous where Indian cricket is concerned. One of their most
destructive batsmen, Rohit Sharma, is in the list of injured and not a part of the Indian touring side
for Australia. Similarly, Ishant Sharma, India’s most experienced fast bowler, is also in the injured
list. Apart from these two, there are a few more who will be carrying their injuries Down Under
for a grueling encounter against the Australian side, who are itching to take their revenge for their
Test series loss against India when they last toured in 2018-19.
One is still perplexed as to why a simple hamstring injury has kept the ‘Lakshman’ of Indian
cricket, Rohit Sharma, away from the Indian touring side to Australia. If he does not enter the
bio-bubble right at the beginning, then for him to be a part of the team later on would be a time
consuming effort. Maybe, he has drawn his own “Sharma Rekha” from which Indian cricket may
have to draw him out, especially when they play the first Test match against Australia in a day/
night encounter at the Adelaide Oval on December 17.
India has a lot at stake, not only to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also to garner enough
points to qualify for the first ever Test Championship final to be held in England in June 2021.
They need their most experienced players to get them over the sacred line.
Thought of the week
“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves
to what they think they can do. You can go as far as
your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you
can achieve.” —Mary Kay Ash
12 November – 20 November 2020
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Indian Weekender : Volume 12 Issue 35
Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited
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Printed at Horton Media, Auckland
Parlty
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A touch o
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This week in New Zealand’s history
13 November 1896
Mount Tongariro erupts
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Copyright 2020. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Sunshine
and pactcy
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morning
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At 12.40 p.m. on 13 November 1896, Te Maari, a crater at the northern end of the Tongariro
range, erupted spectacularly. It continued to erupt sporadically for nearly a year.
15 November 1861
First issue of Otago Daily Times published
Dunedin became the first New Zealand town with a daily newspaper when the first issue of
the Otago Daily Times was published.
16 November 1840
New Zealand officially becomes British colony
New Zealand officially became a separate colony within the British Empire, severing its link
to New South Wales. North, South and Stewart islands were to be known respectively as
the provinces of New Ulster, New Munster and New Leinster.
16 November 1916
First conscription ballot
The Military Service Act passed on 1 August 1916 had made all healthy New Zealand men
of military age (20 to 45) liable for active service overseas. Conscription was introduced
because after two years of war too few men were volunteering to fill the necessary reinforcement
drafts for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
17 November 1925
New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition
opens
Governor-General Sir Charles Fergusson opened Dunedin’s New Zealand and South Seas
International Exhibition in November 1925. By the time the exhibition closed in May 1926,
it had attracted over 3.2 million visitors, more than double New Zealand’s total population at the
time.
19 November 2010
Pike River mine explosion kills 29
The Pike River underground coal mine is located in the rugged Paparoa Range, on the West
Coast of the South Island. The only access to the mine workings was through a 2.3-km-long
tunnel that intersected with the Brunner coal seam.
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