Is this the last time we’ll see the veterans in action?

By Aakash Bang, India

As the IPL goes into its second half, a half that promises to be more intriguing than the first, there are plenty of reasons to watch the league. Firstly, the table is as crowded as a Mumbai local, with most of the teams jumping from top to middle and vice versa in the space of an evening or two. And then there are the good ol' warhorses, sprinkled across the franchises.

Two of them, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, have shown signs of their ability to play match-winning hands, although they are yet to finish off games. Another, Adam Gilchrist, is yet to make an impact, and if and when he does, many would agree this could be our last chance to glimpse his genius. This IPL could very well be the last time we are watching these greats in a competitive tournament.

Dravid has said that he is struggling to keep up with the speed and fitness required for Twenty20 games, and Ganguly has had problems with his footwork. But the most surprising of all has been Gilly's hamstring injury. He is one of those few players who have had an injury-free career all through. So this injury is probably a sign that we won't have another chance to watch that flick off the pads over deep square leg or the fierce cut over point next year. We will most probably miss the tactical nous of Dravid and Ganguly, two of the most intelligent captains in the modern game. Maybe this the last time we will see Dada waving his hands at the outfielders or Dravid guarding the first slip position or Gilly donning the wicket-keeping gear …

And so the case to follow this IPL strengthens. Cricket enthusiasts surely want to watch these heroes play one last time. Many people have talked about the TV ratings falling this year, but expect it to go only one way from here on, as these are the last bits of the most delicious meal we have had for the last decade. To add variation to the main course, there have been the likes of Brad Hogg and Azhar Mahmood, veteran players we don’t see on our televisions all that much, who have made the cricket all the more compelling.

As each team searches for its best combination, one that can take it through to the knockouts, and the national selectors keep an eye out for potential picks for the World Twenty20, we fans can sit back, with a drink, and enjoy the most colourful of leagues with its crop of intense, enthusiastic legends, one last time.