IPL2 yet to spring anything New.

7 Matches of the IPL2 has been played (including 3 affected by rain) and inspite the hype Modi and Co. tries to raise, it is still not the same as last year. The crowd frenzy, the emotions of the Indian crowd, their connection with the teams was phenomenal last year, and during the matches the roads were empty, people went outdoors only if it was absolute must and for 1 and half month people ate, drank, slept Cricket. This year it is different. Though the teams are same, the Indian crowd has only the Television to watch their favourite team play and in South Africa the venues at which matches are played will not connect with the City based teams.

One-Day Cricket is a game about batsment they say, so is 20/20. The crowd loves the big hittings, but because the playing conditions most of the matches have not met the expectation. There is yet a close game played where the crowd sits at the edge of their seats and the game sways from one side to another till the last ball or over. What we have witnessed so far is pretty solid cricket though, Rahul Dravid being the owner of the Orange Cap for now is a evidence to that. His team is at the bottom of the league is another story though.

Kolkata Knight Riders was the team who grabbed most of the eyeballs during the built up of the tournament. Offcourse for its high profile owner, its Cheerleader selections and last but not the least its captaincy controversies. But till now Mr. Buchanan has not been able to produce any surprising strategies or theory for us. The team lost one match and won one. The win was due to a simple formula - Chris Gayle hitting form. You don't have to be management guru to predict that if Gayle fires, in more occassions than not KKR will have a fair chance of winning. But the team composition still raises some question. What is Henriques Mojes doing in the playing 11 where Mushrafe Mortaza is in the dug out. We have seen spinners getting assistance from the pitch, then why is Ajantha Mendis not being played? The team looks a bit top heavy and not well balanced. If the top guns doesn't fire it would be in trouble.

This year the team which was trying not to be in the news before the tournament and who had a quiet buildup, no high profile purchases in the auctions has played some solid cricket and is in the top of the league. I am sure there will be lot of changes in the standings but the Deccan Chargers will not be pushovers like last year. It seems they are more focussed in their game. The other team which should do well is Sachin Tendulkars Mumbai Indians. Sachin's presence itself can have a calming affect and if his team mates can garner even a small percentage of his focus on cricket, they will go a long way.

Lets hope the frenzy increases once the team standing starts changing and once some close games are played. And lets hope it is proved once and for all that Cricket is not a game of theory.