IPL 2023 Week 3 Review: Race for playoffs getting tighter as we reach half-way stage

In the last week of Indian Premier League (IPL 2023), there were many good matches but that one game that fascinated me the most was Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants one in Jaipur. I thought that was an incredible achievement for Lucknow to make a comeback from the jaws of defeat. The KL Rahul-led side read the game situation well and through sharp bowling, astute captaincy and fine fielding effort, they pulled off a hard-fought win in the end.

The game also brought a nice balance between high and low scores in the league. In the past weeks, all of us have been talking about fours and sixes, powerplay going up and higher average of first innings score and suddenly you get a game at Jaipur where the visiting team gets to a low score and goes on to defend the small target too.

The RR vs LSG contest in Jaipur also reminded us about the other skills in the game than just the fours and sixes. Sometimes, even in T20 format, you don’t really need a big score on the board. You can work according to the pitch and conditions, get the team a good score and then defend it. I thought that the way LSG defended in that game was admirable. That was an interesting game. A nice change after a series of high-scoring affairs.

What a moment for Arjun Tendulkar and family

After a fault start, Mumbai Indians are bringing things together quite nicely. MI’s batting is starting to click and that’s one big reason why they can potentially go deep into this tournament. Suryakumar Yadav had a tough time, but he got runs in the last game, finding some form. Ishan Kishan too is among runs. MI look much better than last year.

Arjun Tendulkar made his IPL debut and I thought that was a great story. That was a lovely moment for the IPL and for him. Arjun getting his first wicket and contributing to the team’s success must be a real lift for him and the family and the tournament. I wish him good luck as he moves forward in his career.

Chennai look a force to reckon with. They will hope Ben Stokes gets over the injury woes now. They are a very strong side. MS Dhoni’s team always finds a hero in a match in this season. The top order is making runs, which is a great sign. If Ruturaj Gaikwad does not get you, Devon Conway will. They have got a combination that operates in a very strong way at the top of the order.

Number of away wins continues to surprise me

There is still a significant amount of away wins which has surprised me. The home sides are not really taking advantage of the home conditions it seems. In that RR vs LSG game in Jaipur, for instance, I was very surprised by the pitch. It was not a great surface. It kept a bit low and slow. I assumed it might turn a little more. RR could have played their spin trio – R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Adam Zampa. But they did not play the third spinner as they felt the surface was not suited for it. But maybe that was a missed opportunity for Rajasthan at home.

At almost half-way stage, you cannot really discount any team

The next couple of weeks are going to be filled with fun as the points table is quite tight right now. There are five or six sides with the same number of wins, and it is really getting congested in that middle section of the table. You cannot really discount anyone, except for maybe Delhi Capitals (DC).

DC got their first win which must have been a huge relief for them. But they have got a long way to go. However other sides, at the halfway stage, can think that there is a decent chance they can still qualify for the playoffs. As a tournament, it is sort of building quite nicely. There are no runaway contenders as we reach the middle phase of the tournament.

I agree that Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) may have lost their way a little, but I feel that a couple of wins can put them back on track. Punjab Kings have been superb as every time you feel they are going to go off track, they bounce back strongly

Titans and Royals: Two teams with similar traits

Gujarat Titans look like a very strong side again this season. They are winning close games. It is hard to imagine they are not going to be in the mix for the playoffs. When you win close games, it really lifts the dressing room. Their dressing room is always in the belief that the game is not lost, it does not matter how tough a game situation is. GT never look like they are out of the contest. They have some great match-winners.

RR too play the same way. In the last 2 editions, Royals and Titans have been standout teams. Both these teams have common factors. They have won tighter games and have found new match-winners, not relying on just on two or three players to win them the matches. There is a bit of symmetry in their style of play. Such teams have more chances of winning the leagues than others.