IPL team ratings: What went wrong and what went right

The IPL is over. Kolkata Knight Riders are champions and Dhoni’s magic could nto do wonders in the final match of the season. As with the end of every tournament, teams will look back at their season and ask themselves what went wrong and what went right. Spectators will look back and analyse their teams and probably realise where they stand. Similarly, we take a look at the teams in the IPL and try and rate them fairly for you to agree or disagree. KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS: Champions after their one and only appearance in an IPL final. That too, against the high and mighty Chennai Super Kings. What went right: Team selection policy. Everybody was on the same page. They made a few changes almost every match and still managed to consistently perform. There was no one guaranteed a place and no ill feelings creeping into a players mind in case he was dropped. And of course, Sunil Narine. What went wrong: Apart from the semi-final against Delhi Daredevils, Yusuf Pathan was non-existent. Brett Lee could also have done better. Rating: A+ [caption id=“attachment_323901” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Gayle and Murali were superb. AP”] [/caption] CHENNAI SUPER KINGS: Semi-finalists in spite of not having a single bowler in the top ten wicket takers. Their best batsman Suresh Raina is no.8 in the list of top run-getters in the tournament. One could maybe say they didn’t deserve to win in the final — because in sport, one gets what one deserves. At least most of the time. What went right: Of course, MS Dhoni and the aura he brings with him to any team. His knack of performing just when it matters most lifts his team to perform. Dwayne Bravo was exceptional too… consistently performing with ball and bat. What went wrong: Lack of consistency came back to haunt them. But greater than that is the fact that they were over-confident after scoring 190 in the final and scalping Gautam Gambhir in the first over. Ravindra Jadeja, ahem, could also have done better. Rating: C DELHI DAREDEVILS: 11 games won out of the 16 league matches shows they were the most consistent side in the tournament. But they couldn’t win two of the most important games in the season and that is failure enough to be forgotten. What went right: The five consecutive half-centuries from Virender Sehwag set the tone for Delhi’s fine season. Their bowling was always ready to defend a modest total and that worked for them very well. What went wrong: How can you not pick Morne Morkel in a knock-out game? Not only is he their best bowler, but he is still the top wicket-taker in this year’s IPL. Also, over reliance on their top order (especially Sehwag) was a constant worry. They really missed Kevin Pietersen after he left. Rating: A MUMBAI INDIANS: Probably the largest squad in the IPL belongs to Mumbai and they are packed with stars in all areas. An impressive run was expected of them and they delivered, faltering only in the knock-outs. What went right: Lasith Malinga. He was fierce in the least and his reputation itself made batsmen shake in their boots. Perfect bowler for the death overs, where most of Mumbai’s matches were decided. What went wrong: Unneeded aggression from Munaf Patel and Harbhajan Singh. They constantly had minor rifts here and there with the opposition and no one can forget a near-assault on the umpire regarding a decision. Aggression should be channeled into performances… not towards needless bickering. Rating: B ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE: Their start was miserable to the tournament but it slowly picked up. Anyway, it was too late and they were short of the mark to qualify for the knockouts. What went right: Chris Gayle- 733 runs, 46 fours, 59 sixes, seven fifties and one century. Even still, the team fell short on many occasions. What went wrong: Daniel Vettori. Firstly as a captain he was too staid for IPL’s rigorous format. Secondly, he was not giving the performances of a captain at all. Five wickets in nine games is just not enough. Too much reliance Rating: C KINGS XI PUNJAB: Never looked like winners despite boasting a pretty descent team. Gilchrist’s injury took the sting away a bit but the feeling around the team always screamed mid-table finish. What went right: Parwinder Awana and Mandeep Singh were brilliant even when the odds were stacked against them. These two really used the IPL to make use of their talents. What went wrong: They did not have a single consistent performer in the team. They were too on-and-off and teamwork was a missing factory. Rating: D RAJASTHAN ROYALS: With Rahul Dravid and Ajinkya Rahane shining at the start of the tournament, people though this could be Rajasthan’s season. But it did not last long and they fizzled out too early. What went right: The opening pair of Rahane and Dravid. They were both brilliant to watch… playing classy shots and giving us a break from the usual slogs. Bradd Hogg’s intelligent bowling was pleasing as well. What went wrong: The early injury to Kevon Cooper was a massive blow. What did not go their way is the international calendar. Players like Shaun Tait and Shane Watson came in too late in the tournament to salvage their position. Rating: E DECCAN CHARGERS: A bit of a curious case this one. No one knows how they lost every close match they were involved in. Much better was expected from this team than eight place. What went right: Shikhar Dhawan and Dale Steyn were excellent throughout the tournament. At times they carried the fight on their own. Cameron White also came off good. What went wrong: The captainship rotation may have worked against them. Also, the runs came from only two-three players. A more spread performance could have done wonders. Rating: E PUNE WARRIORS: Fair start and then a dismal run of losses. Pune Warriors promised a lot and fulfilled very little. What went right: Steve Smith was a fine addition to their team and caught everyone’s eye. Their mix of foreign players is fine but somehow that was the only thing they relied on. What went wrong: They were constantly occupied with how Sourav Ganguly will perform. Before the match, during the match and after the match… that was all there was to Pune Warriors — Dada and what he says and does. A dearth of domestic talent needs to be solved. They sorely missed Yuvraj Singh and Michael Clarke came in too late. Rating: F Feel free to post your ratings.