Instead of saying, these two are likely keys for success here onwards in IPL, the more appropriate sentence would be - lack of any of these two is potentially costly: common sense and unpredictability. By English meanings of the terms, both sound contradictory, however in the context of the on-field cricket action, they are not.
I am fairly inspired by the common sense cricket displayed by the Delhi Daredevil’s duo of Dilshan and AB de Villiers against Rajasthan Royals on 17th May. Though RR’s butterfingers and sloppy fielding helped DD, it was pleasing to see the assurance with which ABD & Dilshan paced their innings. This is exactly what Rajasthan Royals and some other teams lacked in IPL 2. Watson’s absence on one side, but what has really hurt Rajasthan Royals is Smith’s failure and lack of a batsman who can take up similar role.
If we look at Royal Challengers Bangalore, leave Taylor’s heroics aside, they also lacked assuring batting performances. Though Mumbai Indians had Duminy, a lot of ‘uncommon’ sense around him prevented MI from doing well. On the same factor, Kings XI Punjab disappointed us a lot as they had the best people to play such cricket – Sangakkara & Jayawardene. The later did not play a couple of matches due to injury where the former was not in his usual sorts for most part of the tournament.
Though Delhi looks good on the common sense batting front – thanks to ABD & Dilshan, the potential threat for DD is predictability. This team has become a set of fairly predictable people and if the pattern continues, they are likely to throw all away in semi finals. All good wins and great performances won’t count then. Your predictability allows your opposition to have a good plan against you. Off course, the way Sehwag plays is very predictable but on his day, it just doesn’t matter whether you have a plan against him or not. Still, it makes a big difference in the moral with which opposition team takes the field. If we see, Munaf Patel was looking extremely confident to take on Gambhir & Sehwag, and he got both of them. He kept bowling short and on-body to Sehwag, he almost knew that Gambhir would try to step out every now and then. The problem for Delhi is – I and you also know how Sehwag, Gambhir, Dilshan, ABD and Dinesh Karthik would approach the batting. This, I feel, may go against DD (unless Sehwag does what he can).
There is at least one answer available for Delhi Daredevils batting – Warner. I think, he is a ‘must’ inclusion in big matches and then top 3 can be shuffled. It is not a bad idea to have Sehwag at 3 looking at the pattern of success of slow bowlers in the middle overs. Or even if Sehwag opens, he might just remember how Gambhir and himself approached last T20 World Cup. India’s typical score in first 5 overs used to be 25 or 30 for no loss. 30-35 for no loss is better score than 45 for 2 in first 6 overs.
On Delhi’s bowling, Nehra-Nannes-Sangwan-Mishra have done great job. But still, Nehra & Nannes are again 2 predictable bowlers, especially Nannes. And we know how worse can Nehra’s bad day be.
The word ‘predictable’ is an alarm for Delhi Daredevils.

After a couple of good results, Mumbai Indians are back to square one in desperate situation. They do not have anything or anyone else to blame but themselves.
The most sober line to express about MI’s loss against Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match on 14th May is – they made a mess out of it.
We would tempt ourselves to say that poor tactics of sending Takawale to open the innings with Bravo, poor tactics of having Sanath, Sachin & Duminy at 4, 5, 6 respectively. However, I agree with MI’s thinktank for the changes in batting order. I would like to emphatically say that Sanath, Sachin & Nayar were their best bet to attack the slow bowlers’ gang of Warne, Botha, Pathan & Jadeja in the middle overs.
Unfortunately, changes in batting order are not enough to win matches. If order is changed, batsmen need to have the crystal clear instructions about tackling various situations. And if they do have the right instructions, they need to religiously execute those. This is where we can not be sure about ‘what went wrong’. This is why I would not conclude whether it was a failure in tactics or execution.
Possible tactical failure –
Suppose, Takawale had the instructions to give a stand to Bravo. This is alright. But I guess, he was not very sure what he would do if Bravo failed. And if Takawale was asked to play the way he did even after Bravo’s early loss and Rahane coming in next, this is a pure tactical failure. If Sanath had come at 3, Takawale’s batting could still be justified.
Possible execution failure –
Suppose, Takawale was asked to give a brisk start, which he can do – this was a good surprise MI had planned. But Takawale failed to do that. My problem is not his strike rate, but the way he approached the innings. He played 22 balls and hardly attempted aggressive shots. This is an execution failure.
If they thought, Takawale would do an anchor role – I feel it is an extremely forgettable tactical mistake. However, I don’t think that was the case. Giving a stand to in-form Bravo for a few overs is fine but the way he batted after early loss of Bravo should have been different. Don’t know what instructions he had got, so don’t know whether it was a tactical or execution failure. Failure is failure and needs to be dealt with.
Easy to say and write this sitting in Bangalore having no obligations and stakes – but as a keen follower and lover of the game, it is difficult to be non-critic on such undesirable display by the most desirable personalities of the game.
No need to mention how good Munaf’s last over was and how good Warne is – high stakes match, bowling against Sachin and Sanath, and he gets both of them plus Rahane. How many times he has done this in important matches and God only knows how many times he will do it before he stops playing cricket.

First let me make it clear that I am a big Sachin fan but I have always felt that he is not a greatest match winner. Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting ( though I dont like this guy ) have been a better match winners for their team. I have far better admiration for Sachin than these guys when it comes to conduct, carrying yourself, having head on shoulders but these people take him over when it comes to match winning performance.

This is a pretty old issue but with Mumbai Indians performing badly this is the thing which came to my mind first as Sachin has not performed when it mattered the most and specifically while chasing.

We will try and anlyse why Mumbai Indians failed. Initially I felt the team looks good with likes of Duminy, Nayar along with Sachin and Jaysurya to pen the innings. They have a strong bowling department with Malinga at his best and Zaheer and Harbhajan bowling well.

Sachin started the tournament well with good innings in first and few games after that but slowly as he started getting out early the team especially the middle order became vulnerable except few good innings ( 3 to be precise ) by Duminy. Jaysurya has not been consistent through out the series and all other guys I always felt that play to impress Sachin rather than to play a good innings.

What makes the Mumbai Indians top heavy team is, it performs depending on the way openers have performed. I don’t see them playing well from 2/10 with Sachin and Jaysurya out, they tried change it in couple of games but sometimes they even show glimps of old Indian team in Azhar’s era who used to fail terribly while chasing and after Sachin’s dismissal.

They say a team is as good as its leader, which I feel goes spot on in case of Mumbai Indians. I alwys feel that Sachin has not been a greatest performer while chasing a target , there are n number of innings where he has failed to give a good start for India and if you see Mumbai Indians have lost all the matches when they are chasing. Sachin , we must say has been a little bit short of arrogance or aggression which is required while chasing.  

It will be great if some one can find out the number of centuries he has scored while chasing, I am sure the number will not go beyond 10/12 ( at least in one dayers). Most of the Sachin fans may not agree with me but I still feel Sachin may be a greatest batsman of all times but can not become greatest match winner of all times.

Most of you will read this blog after the match between delhi and Mumbai is over, in which I hope, Sachin proves me wrong atleast for this time. 

( Due to time constraint , I am not able to elaborate many of my thoughts and I feel this blog is incomplete and cut short in most of the points, so I ll request all of you to put in your thoughts and complete this )

Isn’t it? At least 7 out of 8 teams have their chances to make it to semi finals. Four teams scoring 8 points each and 3 teams at 7 - makes the tournament really interesting from here onwards. No team can take it easy.
Well Done Royal Challengers Bangalore. They have turned this tournament upside down. A week back they were racing towards bottom with Kolkata Knight Riders. And now, they are threatening Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils for the top spot. RCB looks set to do better with revived confidence of their key players – Jacques Kallis, Robin Uthappa and Mark Boucher. Rahul Dravid joining the team will help the cause more.
In this crucial week, teams would look up to their unsung key players and keep faith in law-of-averages.
Delhi Daredevils will surely look forward to law-of-averages as far as Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are concerned. Both are yet to fire big this year. Next couple of matches are so critical that winning will give them top spot and by losing they may find themselves at as low as 7. This is true for 7 out of 8 teams. Thanks to Kolkata Knight Riders - they have sealed the spot 8 for themselves. For at least 2-3 matches of each team will not disturb them at spot 8.
Chennai Super Kings will look forward to Dhoni and Oram to come good and take some burden out of Hayden and Raina’s shoulders. They would also feel that Albie Morkel has not done much till now and should come good this week.
Deccan Chargers will hope that VVS Laxman, Rohit Sharma and Venugopal Rao put up a good show in the middle order for Gilkhrist and Gibbs to feel free at the top.
Kings XI Punjab would want Mahela Jayawardene to continue from where he left in their last match. They would also hope that Piyush Chawala does better with the ball than what he has.
Mumbai Indians will bank more on Harbhajan Singh’s bowling than pinch-hitting and Abhishek Nayar’s batting than bowling. Duminy is carrying too much burden, it looks like. Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane and off course Abhishek Nayar have to respond now.
Rajasthan Royals – Graeme Smith, RJ Quiney and Swapnil Asnodkar are averaging 13, 11 and 4 respectively. This has not helped Rajasthan Royals at all. They need to fire. Yusuf Pathan alone can not be expected to win all the matches for them.
Who remains – Kolkata Knight Riders. Hmm! Nobody has really fired. Everybody is due for a good show. Hope at least 2-3 of them do justice to the law-of-averages. If they do, we are set for a couple of shockers. Will it add fun in the tournament or take out the charm? Lets see.

This is not to say that 20-20 cricket is all about instincts and not planning. No format of the game can be entirely planning or instincts. Not even test match. How much ever planning may go behind the test match, instinctive decision making finds a significant role in winning a match. Same way, how much ever we may say 20-20 is about instincts, planning acquires a significant pie in winning or losing 20-20 matches.
Better statement would be ‘20-20 is largely played on instincts rather than planning’. However, by saying that we do not underestimate role of planning in 20-20 format.
In 20-20 you are left with little choice about planning your game many times (not all times).
For example, you wish to play a Smithish (like Graeme Smith) innings of looking to stay till the end - anchor types. You find batsman at the other end is struggling to connect (and also not getting out). Suddenly, you find your team scoring at less than 6 runs per over. How much ever you may have planned your innings, you have to respond to the situation and do it quickly. You can not be taking singles whenever you get strike to see that the other batsman is making a mess of it. Opposite – if batsman at the other end is playing a Viruish (like Virender Sehwag) innings, you know how you need to respond. You are not required to hit each ball to boundary. Ensure that you are scoring at least singles and not getting out. Sense and respond!
Suppose, as per your plan, you may want to carefully see-off Muralidaran’s 3 out of 4 overs and target the bowler named Shadab Jakati; and you realize on that day Murali is not on top of his game, you got to respond. Because you never know, Jakati may have a good day with ball. Murali with 3-0-12-0 and Jakati with 3-0-20-2; you know as a batting side where you are heading.
The issue about planning in this format is, if the Plan A fails there is very very little time available to make Plan B work for you.
Does that mean, planning is of no use? Does that mean 20-20 is a pure gamble? Not at all. It is a sport not a gamble.
Fielding side needs plenty of planning, plan As, Bs & Cs… and therefore would like to handle that separately.
Lets see where planning is required for batting side.
In the above example of batsmanship, not all batsmen can play Smithish innings. Here is the scope for plan. Identify a couple of batsmen in your squad who are best equipped to sense and respond to the situations ranging from best to worst. Now, you almost know how these identified batsmen should be practicing in the nets and preparing for the games. See, these are not necessarily the best batsmen in the squad, but the batsmen who can change gears from 1st to 5th. In IPL, in case of Delhi Daredevils, Sehwag may be the best batsman in the squad but for the kind of batsmen we are thinking in this case may just be Gambhir & Dilshan. Sachin and Duminy for Mumbai Indians; Rohit Sharma for Deccan Chargers; Dhoni for Chennai Super Kings; Ganguly for Kolkata Knight Riders; Jayawardene for Kings XI Punjab; Dravid and Boucher for Royal Challengers Bangalore apart from Smith for Rajasthan Royals.
Batting order, to me, is one big area where lot of thinking and planning is required. As much as bowling needs planning, changes in batting order needs it. Changes in the batting order can not be too impulsive – one fine day, suddenly coach can not ask Harbhajan to pad-up before Duminy. You need to surprise opposition not yourselves. Surprised opposition often gives you chances. After doing it with a careful planning also, it may not work every time (as happened in case of Mumbai Indians – Harbhajan got promoted 2 times, once successful, next time not so). Leave alone the pinch-hitter tactics, the order in which top 6 batsmen play will have a crucial impact on the innings. Plenty of permutations and combinations like, what if 60 for 0, what if 15 for 2, what if 100 for 1 and so on to be considered and carefully worked out. Rajasthan Royals gives an impression of having given a deep thought on these aspects – thanks to Warne.
To surprise opposition without getting surprised yourselves needs a plenty of thinking and planning before the game. There is a thin line between being instinctive and being hasty. To be successfully instinctive, one needs to have thought about plenty of possibilities. Rigid planning and hasty instincts – both are equally troublesome.
Promoting Harbhajan Singh or demoting Yusuf Pathan may happen on instincts, however careful thinking of such possibilities before will allow captains to have belief in their own instincts. Thinking about possibilities before the game – isn’t this what we call planning?
Lets discuss in this forum about other areas where planning would help captains to have belief in their own instincts.

After 1st match, Tendulkar said, “…I think the strategy breaks are hampering the momentum of a team. The seven and a half minute breaks are a bit too long.”
And it is still playing on his mind.
I wonder what is so special about this time-out for the Master. Each of his Test match centuries would have gone through number of breaks – every hour drinks break, every two hours either lunch break or tea break or end-of-day. Each of his ODI centuries would have gone through at least one drinks break, if not two. If Sachin was a batsman to get disturbed by breaks this much on consistent basis, he wouldn’t have scored these many centuries. Here, century is just a simple indicator of a big innings. He has successfully handled breaks in Tests and ODIs in cases whether he was well set or not set; in form or out of form. Then why is this break bothering him so much?
After mastering all possible skills as a batsman, I think there is atleast one thing which is challenging Sachin – strategic time-out.
Whether the break really bothered him or just because of his reservation he got bothered, I am just wondering this has costed Mumbai Indians a match against Deccan Chargers on 25th April and restricted them below 200 on 27th April against KKR. Though it is ambitious to make statement like one incident costs a match, I can’t avoid the temptation.
Tendulkar and Duminy were well set – well set being an understatement. They tore apart the DC attack and looked like cruising towards two points. And then came the strategic time-out. How uncomfortable Sachin was in that over just after the break! It looked like he was waiting for the inevitable. Series of uncharacteristic shots and he was a goner.
That evokes a necessity of understanding dos and donts for the batting side during those seven and half minutes.
In form and well set batsmen do hate breaks and this is well known. Teams have to make sure that batsmen are calm and relaxed during the break. Each batsman has his own method to handle the breaks. Some of them may want to have a look at bowling chart of opposition and target a bowler. Some of them may want to calculate runs per over. Some of them may just want to relax. Let the batsmen choose how they want to handle the break.
Over enthusiastic suggestions, bombardment of strategy points and motivational talks etc are absolute no-nos. I feel the staff and the bench of batting side would do well to leave the on-crease batsmen alone and provide on-demand (i.e. only if the batsmen ask) support. At the best, two not out batsmen may spend time together. Fielding side in a huddle makes sense, but not the batting side.
On the other side, batsmen need not be over cautious about the strategic time-out. I do not believe in the theory of seeing-off 11th and 12th overs. This theory over emphasizes the time-outs. Easier said than done – still I feel strategic time-out may not bother experienced players so much. Just for a simple reason – they have handled breaks in all other forms of the game successfully before.