Yusuf celebrates call-up as Royals run riot

With the stock of some over-hyped Indian internationals crashing as damagingly as Wall Street in the late 1920s, the IPL has provided the perfect opportunity for those on the fringes to march into the spotlight. The main beneficiaries have been Yusuf Pathan and Pragyan Ojha, two men who played big parts for teams at opposite ends of the league spectrum. Before the season started, the Deccan Chargers were among the favourites, with the Rajasthan Royals considered wooden-spoon candidates. Instead, Rajasthan have now stormed into Sunday's final with their 12th win in 15 games, while the Chargers finished the season with a dismal 2-12 record.

Pathan's offspin has been used sparingly by Shane Warne, perhaps just as well given that he's no Murali, but he's been nothing short of a revelation with the bat, smashing 379 runs at a mind-boggling strike-rate of 185.78. His explosive hitting - even the mishits cleared the rope on Friday night - alone should convince the selectors to give him a few chances in the tri-nation tournament in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup that follows. And rather than throw a cap his way for meaningless games against the likes of Hong Kong, it would make sense for him to be tested against Pakistan or Sri Lanka.

Swapnil Asnodkar, who started the rout of the Delhi Daredevils by taking on Glenn McGrath and Mohammad Asif, doesn't make the cut, but Ojha does for excelling in a doomed campaign. He picked up 11 wickets, conceding less than eight an over, in what was without doubt the poorest bowling side in the competition. Given Murali Kartik's injury woes, it's time India experimented with another left-arm option.

The game itself was reduced to a non-event after Asnodkar, Pathan and the magnificent Shane watson pillaged a Delhi attack that was reckoned to be the strongest in the competition. McGrath and Asif went for 70 between them, and even Farveez Maharoof, who had stemmed the tide somewhat with three wickets in his first spell, went for plenty when he returned later on.

Watson followed up the fabulous shot-making with a wonderful spell of seam bowling. Delhi's batting had been overly reliant on the top three, and Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan had no answers against the steep bounce he extracted from one of India's truest pitches.

Towards the end, Shane Warne was turning the ball at crazy angles, and the King's XI from Punjab might spend a nervous night wondering about the damage that Murali might do on the same surface. Whoever wins, it'll take one heck of an effort to best the rampant Royals on Sunday. With the two Shanes and an Indian contingent playing out of their skins, they look well night unbeatable.

Comments

[neilsrini]

The Superstars of Chennai lost it big time today. The total was too small for a 180 pitch. We bowled spiritedly, and the Tamil hero Murali was amazing, but what 20:20 is all about is the basics. You have to get the basics right and tonight the basics fell apart. Suresh Raina dropped a sitter that cost $500,000, Morkle committed sin after sin with his no-balls and the farcical run out attempt where Partiv and Morkle failed for the fourth time to nail Pathan summed it up. In the final over Partiv's bye was again costly. The basics fell apart under pressure and cost Chennai a game they should have won.

It's been a nice season for the boys. Local chaps like Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan got to show their skills and see their names in lights. Murali came home. Balaji will forever be remembered for the famous Chepauk hat-trick but his back and his performance tailed away as the season went on. In the final Balaji was visibly in pain on bending down but braved on like the hero he is. Subramaniam Badrinath showed everyone why he is regarded as a class act by locals. Excellent in the field and solid with the bat. He will get a chance but like most from these parts it will be fleeting and met with swift daggers from the forces of the north which will see to his demise.

Patel and Raina did their hopes no harm, but showed how far away they are from the real deal. Patel wilted with the gloves under pressure but his batting as an opener was a find, especially in the shorter format. Raina again showed his class, and his lack of temperament both with the drop in the final and with the regular rash shots when well set, showcasing his inability to construct an innings. We all long to see what Gony can do in the longer format, is he the real deal? Only time will tell.

Dhoni was ice cool as a leader and will no doubt be swiftly expedited. But his team selection was often at fault and he was nothing special with the bat. There is no doubt that Palani Amarnath should have come in as Balaji's back wilted, but whether there was back room pressure we will never know.

Both South African's were international class as expected and the Aussies Hussey and Hayden were a class apart, were it not for their departure we would have romped home with ease.

What will be interesting is what happens next year and who comes and who goes.

Most importantly, I can't wait for the resumption of Test cricket. Seeing the boys in whites is still the real deal and long may it live on. 20:20 and the IPL are here to stay, but as Kerry Packer found out there is no substitute for the real McCoy, it is as irrepressible as old father time. Long live Test Cricket, a 5-day rolercoaster is any day superior to one that lasts 3 hours and is easily forgotten. .

[neilsrini]

You guys can shout all you like about Gony on cricinfo. And to a point you are right. I'd love to see what this man can do in the longer format, count he be India's Glen Mcgrath???

But today one man won the superstars the game and that has to be Makhaya Ntini. The Border blizzard may have been missing all tournament, but "SE Marsh b Ntini 23 17 3 1 135.29", is the sole reason why the Superkings won tonight. The prize wicket of Marsh was worth its weight in gold because this man has been carrying the Kings XI throughout the tournament and has been a destructive class above any other batsman in the tournament. I know this is high phrase and Marsh has a long way to go, but he really could be the next world great of Batting. From what I have seen he is really something special.