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The crucial No. 4 spot

There are a few other innovations waiting to happen, writes Ravi Shastri

This IPL-II has been a redefining moment of the Twenty20 format. A lot of ideas could now be tossed out of the window. A host of new innovations stare us in our face.

For one, it’s just not a batsman’s game. This redefines the core of cricket for this format has always been considered a batsman’s sport. Bowlers are now seen as critical components.

Experience matters

It’s also just not only a young man’s sport. Youth will occupy the majority of the eleven but experience matters and we must thank the Tendulkars and Jayasuriyas; Haydens and Gilchrists; Warnes and Kumbles for the same.

Four of these gentlemen have hung their boots; another has said good bye to Test cricket. These men (the batters) were able to pick up their spots, the bowlers and shift gears at key moments to slow or quicken the pace of a game. As for bowlers, they have spent seasons in plotting the fate of batsmen. Old habits die hard.

The tribe of spinners would forever be grateful to IPL. They are not easy to hit and they are winning matches for their sides.

Teams such as Delhi are now fielding two spinners in every game; Rajasthan Royals are opening with a spinner. For old-timers, it must be bizarre. For long, we have thought that spinners need close-in fielders and long spells to be in business.

The fact that they are playing on some big grounds in South Africa is a big help as the tournament progresses they will come into play more and more as the pitches will get tired and slow up.

Number four in the batting order has also assumed a critical role. As A.B. de Villiers and Tillekaratne Dilshan have shown for Delhi, you need to bolster the loss of openers in case it’s a bad start.

Look at Kolkata Knight Riders, once the openers fail, the innings just doesn’t pick up the momentum. The failure of Kevin Pietersen is another case in point. It also helps if a number four can use his feet and is a good player of spin.

There are a few other innovations waiting to happen. As teams try to come to grip with such problems or try to maximise these strengths, we would see moves and counter-moves like we saw with the cunning Warne using Pathan and Mascarenhas for the final onslaught. And it worked.

TCM

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