Small guys, big stage
Five moments in which uncapped Indian players shone in IPL 2012
Siddarth Ravindran
30-May-2012
Ajit Chandila claimed the only hat-trick of IPL 2012 • AFP
Manvinder Bisla's interview
In a neat demonstration of the tournament's motto "Where talent meets opportunity", Manvinder Bisla made the most of his unexpected chance in the final, going on to demolish the Chennai Super Kings attack and deny them a hat-trick of titles. His 48-ball 89 had plenty of impressive moments but nothing topped his composure minutes after the nail-biter of a finish. When his team owner and more experienced team-mates going over-the-top with their celebrations, Bisla didn't have the air of a man who has played the biggest innings of his life and remained remarkably composed. So composed that at the post-match interview, he was urged to 'give us a smile' by the interviewer to which he replied: "I am happy on the inside." A refreshing change from some of the younger Indian cricketers, who prefer to mark moments of success with loud cussing.
In a neat demonstration of the tournament's motto "Where talent meets opportunity", Manvinder Bisla made the most of his unexpected chance in the final, going on to demolish the Chennai Super Kings attack and deny them a hat-trick of titles. His 48-ball 89 had plenty of impressive moments but nothing topped his composure minutes after the nail-biter of a finish. When his team owner and more experienced team-mates going over-the-top with their celebrations, Bisla didn't have the air of a man who has played the biggest innings of his life and remained remarkably composed. So composed that at the post-match interview, he was urged to 'give us a smile' by the interviewer to which he replied: "I am happy on the inside." A refreshing change from some of the younger Indian cricketers, who prefer to mark moments of success with loud cussing.
Ajit Chandila's celebration
His relaxed run-up and effortless action make him look utterly unthreatening, but Pune Warriors found out how dangerous his bowling can be. Jesse Ryder and Sourav Ganguly perished in the first over, before Robin Uthappa was lured out of the crease and stumped, completing the hat-trick for Chandila. He set off on a jubilant celebratory run, evading his chasing team-mates as he savoured his moment in spotlight after years of toil in the anonymity of domestic leagues.
His relaxed run-up and effortless action make him look utterly unthreatening, but Pune Warriors found out how dangerous his bowling can be. Jesse Ryder and Sourav Ganguly perished in the first over, before Robin Uthappa was lured out of the crease and stumped, completing the hat-trick for Chandila. He set off on a jubilant celebratory run, evading his chasing team-mates as he savoured his moment in spotlight after years of toil in the anonymity of domestic leagues.
Dishant Yagnik stays cool
Getting his first game of the season, Dishant Yagnik came up against the fearsome pace of Dale Steyn. Four balls to go, eight runs to get. No nerves for Yagnik, who crashed two fours past cover to finish the game with two deliveries to spare. Johan Botha and the rest of the Rajasthan Royals' squad raced to the middle, and the pumped-up non-striker Brad Hodge ran towards Yagnik for a celebratory high-five. Yagnik seemed to be wondering what the fuss was about as he barely noticed Hodge and coolly walked off after a job well done.
Getting his first game of the season, Dishant Yagnik came up against the fearsome pace of Dale Steyn. Four balls to go, eight runs to get. No nerves for Yagnik, who crashed two fours past cover to finish the game with two deliveries to spare. Johan Botha and the rest of the Rajasthan Royals' squad raced to the middle, and the pumped-up non-striker Brad Hodge ran towards Yagnik for a celebratory high-five. Yagnik seemed to be wondering what the fuss was about as he barely noticed Hodge and coolly walked off after a job well done.
Anand Rajan's yorker
On the flattest track in the country, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chris Gayle were dishing out the big hits. Gayle had been the slower of the two, but seemed set for another of his destructive bursts when he clobbered two massive sixes in three deliveries. 'Intergaylactic,' the giantscreen read, and you started to worry about the number of runs he would take off Anand Rajan's military medium bowling. Rajan was unfazed, though. He replied with a delivery fired into the blockhole, which evaded Gayle's bat and crashed into the stumps.
On the flattest track in the country, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Chris Gayle were dishing out the big hits. Gayle had been the slower of the two, but seemed set for another of his destructive bursts when he clobbered two massive sixes in three deliveries. 'Intergaylactic,' the giantscreen read, and you started to worry about the number of runs he would take off Anand Rajan's military medium bowling. Rajan was unfazed, though. He replied with a delivery fired into the blockhole, which evaded Gayle's bat and crashed into the stumps.
Harmeet Singh's final-over calm
As Dwayne Bravo found out in the final, defending nine of the last over in a Twenty20 chase is no easy task. That's what seamer Harmeet Singh had to do against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. He had conceded 12 runs off the previous over he had bowled in the game, with Debabrata Das knocking off two fours. In the final over, he came up against the same batsman, and travelling Twenty20 specialist, Ryan ten Doeschate. And he came out on top: if Harmeet had nerves, he did not let it mess up his skills - he produced a slew of legbreaks, conceding only four singles, a two and even accounting for ten Doeschate. End result? Kings XI win by two runs, despite their batting line-up being destroyed by Sunil Narine earlier in the day and then the hosts having breezed to 71 for 2 at the halfway stage of the chase.
As Dwayne Bravo found out in the final, defending nine of the last over in a Twenty20 chase is no easy task. That's what seamer Harmeet Singh had to do against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. He had conceded 12 runs off the previous over he had bowled in the game, with Debabrata Das knocking off two fours. In the final over, he came up against the same batsman, and travelling Twenty20 specialist, Ryan ten Doeschate. And he came out on top: if Harmeet had nerves, he did not let it mess up his skills - he produced a slew of legbreaks, conceding only four singles, a two and even accounting for ten Doeschate. End result? Kings XI win by two runs, despite their batting line-up being destroyed by Sunil Narine earlier in the day and then the hosts having breezed to 71 for 2 at the halfway stage of the chase.
Siddarth Ravindran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo