Dada (Sourav) is back - this time for Pune Warriors

There are south paws and some have been very successful.  Left handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for activities including writing.    The recent Presidents US – George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama reportedly are left handers.  

In cricket, there have been many left handers – Gary Sobers, David Gower, Alan Border, Surinder Amarnath, Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasurya, Clive Lloyd to name a few and that list would never be complete with Dada.  Rising from dust and making a comeback has never been new to Sourav Ganguly.  The man who took India to greater heights with his positive captaincy was down and out of the present edition of IPL as none bid for him in the auction.  Quite unfortunately, his own team did not do all that well in the previous editions.  He was talked of joining the new Kochi team if Lankans were to leave early but that did not happen.  

Now happy news for Ganguly fans -  Dada has been signed up by debutants Pune Warriors for the remainder of the Indian Premier League's fourth season, a team official said today.  Ganguly has been roped in as  replacement for injured paceman Ashish Nehra, who was ruled out with a finger injury.  The Team was quoted as saying that  Sourav would join them soon and will be with the team;  ‘the management  will decide when he will take the field for us." The Yuvraj Singh-led Pune Warriors is presently languishing at the bottom of the table after six losses on the trot and are to  play table toppers Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on 4^th may 11. The prolific Ganguly was earlier listed with a base price of $400,000 in the players' auction.  It is indeed dramatic that he now has a real chance to prove many wrong.   The 38-year-old refused a mentor's role with KKR after that and there had been speculation of a possible comeback through another franchise.

In the backdrop of IPL – a Windies win against Pak in rain curtailed one dayer did not make much news.  Pak had made 248/9 but in DL
WI won, when Dwayne Bravo cracked a six off Afridi in the final over before there was another shower at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown.  Mohd Hafeez had made a century and Lendl Simmons made a flier of 76 off 70 balls to give WI a victory over a senior opposition after many matches. 

In yesterday’s IPL match of Kochi Vs Delhi, the unlikely hero was Prasanth Parameswaran – who ?  This 25 year old left arm bowler from Thannermukham came on to bowl and saw his first ball fly nonchalantly high over the stadium roof vanquished by Virender Sehwag.  The same over he had him caught behind. The other wicket he took was good enough to secure the coveted MOM for this debutant in IPL.

As on date, the most sixes  is 14 by Paul Valthaty in 7 matches; followed by Yuvi 13 (8); Gayle 12 (3); Jadeja Ravindra 12 (9); Sehwag 12 (9); Virat Kohli 11 (7) and MK Tiwary 11 (8)

The Orange cap is still with Sachin 327 (8); followed by Sehwag 303 [9]; Valthaty 301 [7];  Kohli 294 [7]; Rayudu Ambati 263 [8] and Gambhir 254 [8].

Foreign bowlers have dominated with the slinger Malinga leading with 19 [8] followed by : Warne 11 [8];  M Morkel 11 [8]; Bollinger 10 [5]; Iqbal Abdulla 10 [8] and JA Morkel 10 [7]

With so many matches, it is tough following what is brewing in the present edition of IPL.

Regards – S. Sampathkumar