In this year’s IPL, we
didn’t need a microscopic analysis to realize that it was the West Indies
players who had performed exceptionally. Whatever they did, they did it big. It
was perhaps the T20 World Cup victory last year that boosted their confidence
to such high levels that the need for thinking and introspecting vanished from
the team.
Most IPL franchises too
were first in picking the Windies. Some went extra lengths to retain them.
Though Gayle, Rampaul are the players we Bangaloreans show a special support to
or rather revere, we just could not miss Bravo, Pollard, Sammy, Narine, Cooper
and others. Most of the Windies featured in the inexhaustible list of awards
instituted by the IPL and its rich sponsors- Player with most runs, most
wickets, most sixes, best catch, most valuable player and even the best dance.
The West Indies have managed to capture the attention of us all.
It is not just the way they
played the game, but also the way the wins are celebrated that has especially
won hearts. A West Indian doing the Korean gangnam was mimicked by our own
Bhangra specialist Bhajji. What more could we Indians ask for?
I grew up listening to
elders at home make tall claims of the Windies’ dominance in cricket a few
decades ago. Well, I’m glad I’m from the time where we are witnessing the
revival of the Windies and seeing the players strive to restore the team’s
former glory. They are no doubt gaining relevance.
But, amidst the tall West
Indians were dwarfed, our own Indians like the Amit Mishras, the Piyush Chawlas
and the Dinesh Karthiks. The BCCI must not forget the original intent of the
IPL and must look beyond the creamy players and the fat bucks and think about
retaining India's World Champ status.
