It has been a few weeks since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 began, and the spectators have already seen several tense battles ending with the match’s final ball. Meanwhile, several young players, including Rinku Singh, Ayush Badoni, and Sai Sudharsan, have significantly improved their respective squads. Sunil Gavaskar, a former captain of India and legendary batsman, hasn’t discovered any “exciting young talent” in the season’s opening few games.
Gavaskar, who is also a member of Star Sports’ English commentary crew, believed that the IPL 2023 had fallen short of expectations. In his most recent essay for Sportstar, he said that the competition had fallen short of living up to its tagline, “Where Talent Meets Opportunity.” There aren’t many interesting young players in the league, and he doesn’t think that will improve over the course of the season.
‘T20 format is very harsh on the bowlers’ – Sunil Gavaskar
“…unless there are some hidden gems yet to be unearthed, the fast-bowling department, the opening batting and spin bowling sections are looking devoid of any exciting talent,” Gavaskar wrote.
“In the bowling department, too, there seems to be a dearth of talent. While it is understandable that the T20 format is very harsh on the bowlers, the lack of much planning and thought when the batter gets stuck into them is a concern. The spinners hardly ever change the pace at which they deliver, and by bowling flatter, they seem like medium pacers, which is exactly what the batters are looking for,” he further mentioned.
Mumbai Indians defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by 6 wickets on Tuesday to earn their first victory of the year. Despite being a team that prioritises young players, DC is currently having a disappointing season. After six straight defeats in 2013, they have lost four consecutive games, making this their second-worst IPL season. After reaching his maiden half-century of the season in 25 innings, Rohit Sharma was at the top of his game. The Mumbai Indians then overcame some anxious moments to secure a last-ball victory.
