[ValarMorghulis]

RCB continue with their 4D chess moves in their endeavour to get their 10th IPL title. In strategy, they can even beat Ferrari F1 team!

Release Hazelwood at INR 7.5 cr to buy Alzari at INR 11.5cr

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

RCB continue with their 4D chess moves in their endeavour to get their 10th IPL title. In strategy, they can even beat Ferrari F1 team!

Release Hazelwood at INR 7.5 cr to buy Alzari at INR 11.5cr

Hazelwood made himself unavailable for couple of weeks (more than 50% of the schedule) hence the release and went unsold.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

RCB continue with their 4D chess moves in their endeavour to get their 10th IPL title. In strategy, they can even beat Ferrari F1 team!

Release Hazelwood at INR 7.5 cr to buy Alzari at INR 11.5cr

Break the bank to bid for Hasaranga ignoring Yuzi in process, next season not even one bid at base price also. They retained sarfaraz khan sometime back anod now won't even bod for him at 20 lacs, what was surprising was no one bidding for him while he has been making good amount of runs in Domestic cricket.

RCB just want to cash on Kohli name, such sorry picks. I hardly followed them last year, this year seems my interest is going to go down even more.

[PPS]

24cr is a hell lot of money to pay to a player who has been reluctant to play IPL for many years now!

[Eddy]

....and only two days to go. This is going to be an important edition, given the World Cup follows immediately.

Will it be MSD's swansong?
Will we see someone other than MI, CSK winning it?
Ee sala cup namde?
How will Rishabh Pant fare?
Will Gautam Gambhir inspire KKR?
Shubhman Gill as a future India skipper?

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Eddy

....and only two days to go. This is going to be an important edition, given the World Cup follows immediately.

Will it be MSD's swansong?
Will we see someone other than MI, CSK winning it?
Ee sala cup namde?
How will Rishabh Pant fare?
Will Gautam Gambhir inspire KKR?
Shubhman Gill as a future India skipper?

Among all the comebacks and dramas I am most excited to see the MI fiasco with Hardik as Captain and Rohit snubbed there would be ego clashes for sure. Yesterday MI press conference was a fun watch.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by harry10

Among all the comebacks and dramas I am most excited to see the MI fiasco with Hardik as Captain and Rohit snubbed there would be ego clashes for sure. Yesterday MI press conference was a fun watch.

I don't understand how these professionals come to a press conference unprepared. Any decently smart person would know that the media is going to ask the captaincy change as the first question.

I hope MI does not suffer due to a hollow ego of Pandya. I worry, he may repeat Dhoni, where he would drop Rohit Sharma to get younger legs on field. In a way, it could be a smart move to let R Sharma, the batter to unleash and he be substituted by a bowler who is nimble in th field.

[ValarMorghulis]

What I want from IPL 2024:
1. Kohli to play like the beast of 2016 and silence all his critics winning RCB their maiden title.
2. Pant to be in full flow and excel both in keeping and batting.
3. Rohit to continue his form from CWC'23.
4. India to gain some new pace bowlers for T20 WC.
5. Rinku and SKY to excel cementing their place in the playing XI.
6. Siraj to gain some maturity and bowl exceedingly well, thereby confirming his spot as the second pacer.
7. Everyone to be available for selection for the T20 WC 2024.

What will actually happen:
1. RCB will not even reach the finals.
2. Pant will be decent in keeping but average at best in batting (like before) in T20s.
3. Rohit will show brilliance in patches. MI will be like a family soap.
4. We'll have to rely on some new pacer who'll again have one "bad day" in the WC.
5. SKY will disappoint again in crucial moments in the T20 WC.
6. Siraj will be Siraj again: ranging from unplayable to pedestrian.
7. A minimum of 3-4 players will be injured and unavailable for selection.

PS:
1. Thala will bid adieu this year (don't know why he couldn't go on a high last year post the title).
2. KL will keep everyone guessing whether he should be first choice keeper or not.
3. Ash will be in the T20 WC squad but won't get a match.
4. Axar will be in the squad and play more matches than Ash.
5. Patidar will play well in T20s thereby adding to the headache of the selectors.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

PS:
1. Thala will bid adieu this year (don't know why he couldn't go on a high last year post the title).
2. KL will keep everyone guessing whether he should be first choice keeper or not.
3. Ash will be in the T20 WC squad but won't get a match.
4. Axar will be in the squad and play more matches than Ash.
5. Patidar will play well in T20s thereby adding to the headache of the selectors.

+

6. Hardik Pandya will be injured and go under rehab till IPL 2025
7. K Yadav will perform well and still be neglected
8. There will be a match where Dhoni hits a six and wins the match for CSK
9. GG and VK will have another heated exchange

[Eddy]

10. Punjab/SRH/DC will change captains midway


Prediction Time folks:

Who do you think will qualify?

I say MI, CSK, RR look favourites. Lets see.

[Pythonic]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Who do you think will qualify?

CSK,MI, KKR, RR
I thought SRH had a chance, but their playing combination is a headache and they should have continued with Markram as captain as he has done well for the SA20 cup for the same franchise. Hardik vs Rohit is a nothingburger, Markram vs Cummins is the real deal.

Other predictions:
CSK, MI final and CSK winning the title
Dhoni will retire as next year there would be the mega auction, Ruturaj would be promoted halfway through this season.

RCB will not make into the qualifiers.

[Shumi_21]

Mixed feelings as a lifelong MI fan, after Pandya taking over captaincy. Hardik as a player is undoubtedly a match winner, but everything else about him seems like PR mandated fakery. He comes across as that "kewl" guy who rubs almost everyone the wrong way. The fact he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, doesn't help his case, as shown by the trainwreck of a press conference recently. Let's see how he goes.

Looking forward to:
1. Kohli dominating spinners through the tournament

2. Wicket keeper batsmen Jitesh, Jurel, Samson, KL & especially Ishan who should have a point to prove.

3. Pant & Gill as captains. Really feel it would be a good idea to make one of them Rohit's deputy if they perform well as captain for their respective sides. Enough of 30+ vice captains.

4. Fast bowlers Yash Thakur & Mohsin Khan of LSG. Tushar Deshpande from CSK.

5. Shreyas Iyer leading KKR, especially with strong personalities like Gambhir and Chandrakant Pandit in support. KKR are the dark horse in this tournament, both on and off the field drama.

[It's Magic]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Prediction Time folks:

Who do you think will qualify?

Think MI, CSK, RCB SRH will qualify. Let's see.

[harry10]

I feel this might be a close season. Most teams look balanced and no one stands our as dominating. Will predict the top 4 after 4-5 matches are done.

Personally I never cared who wins the trophy as ipl is just entertainment for me. However, will surely like someone to win who has never won it. Will be good for the game. I hope we uncover some other good seam all rounder. The dependance on Hardik Pandya isn't good all the time.

[NomadSK]

Twist in the Tale and Handing over the Baton. Love the way he smoothly goes for the transition in the larger prespective of the game.

MSD steps down & Rituraj Gaikwad to Lead CSK in IPL24.