What the IPL has taught us

22 May 2015 - 02:08 By Telford Vice

From that corner of his mouth not filled by a fat cigar, The Editor demanded a story detailing "five things we've learnt from the IPL". But as he tweaked his braces and fiddled with a tie knot that had slunk further down his chest with each deadline, he asked, "Are there five things we've learnt from it?"We can wish the Indian T20 league did not exist and we can wish it wasn't as successful as it is, but neither of those wishes will come true any time soon. In fact, as we speak, two rival operations are looking to sign up retired international players for T20 circuses.In other words:1. The IPL and its ilk are the future of cricket itself.Remember the World Cup? Actually, remember SA's exit from the World Cup; smacked by a New Zealand team that forgot they were the nice guys? Until, that is, they were thrashed arse-over-kettles by Australia in the final.Point is, the IPL has given us reason to think about something else besides That Six and ethically challenged administrators.So 2. If you want proof that the show goes on, watch the IPL.Remember Dale Steyn's underwhelming performance at the World Cup? Well, wait - there's more. Steyn played just six games in this year's IPL. He went wicketless four times and took a total of three sticks at an average of 56.66. Is Steyn injured? Or is the decline of cricket's finest fast bowler since 2008 in fact a freefall?Worryingly then, 3. Whatever was bothering Steyn at the World Cup is still a problem.For a while there everything Gary Kirsten touched turned to trophies. He was tossed into a firework-lit sky in Mumbai on the starry, starry night of April 2 2011 after he had turned a dressing room that bulged with outsized Indian egos into a team that won the World Cup.Then he found a way to transform SA's nearly men into the best Test team, an accolade they annexed on the magical afternoon of August 20 2012. But, at this year's IPL, his Delhi Daredevils have finished second-last. And that's an improvement. In 2014, Kirsten's first campaign in charge, they were rock bottom.Eish, 4. Achieving success in this T20 malarky is more difficult than it looks, even for geniuses.Which brings us to 5. Don't believe everything you read about the IPL.The Editor does not have a cigar jammed into his mouth. Nor does he wear braces. Or a tie. But he does wonder what we have learnt from the IPL. In a word, plenty...

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