For those of you that vaguely remember last year’s IPL like I did, let me refresh your memory and give you some basic info. The team that took home the ‘dough’ was the Rajasthan Royals who were expected to defend their title this year amidst much pomp and vigor with Shilpa Shetty calling herself the ‘new boss’ , shaking her non-existent hips to Halla Bol. But alas, it was disaster from the word ‘go’ for Shane Warne’s Royals who lost out to team 7 from last year’s line-up, the Bangalore Royal Challengers for a meager 58(all out). Ironically, they were also the team with the highest total in an innings for this year’s IPL with a staggering 211 vs Kings XI Punjab. That leaves us with the second strongest team from last year, The Chennai Super Kings who also ‘looked’ very promising this year. The Delhi Daredevils who were undefeated against all four games played against the Deccan Chargers(placed 8th last year) also ‘looked’ very threatening in the race to the trophy, till they got the boot. That leaves us with the dismal performance of the Mumbai Indians and the lack-luster Kolkata Knight Riders whose stint in this year’s IPL can only be termed as a joke! And then there were The Kings XI Punjab who (un)fairly won the “Kingfisher Fair Play” award after marginally missing out the Semi Finals.
Even though Lalit Modi and co. tried their best to make this year’s IPL bigger and better, there’s been a lot of debate on the magnitude of ‘adrenaline’ it would have served had it been played in India, I mean after all it is the Indian Premier League. The fun and enthusiasm it brings to the crowds in a cricket-obsessed country like India is a whole different ballgame. But with the upcoming elections and the hullabaloo that followed it, the DLF IPL 2009 took a quick detour was finally going to be played in the land of the Proteas, South Africa. Without batting an eye lid everyone who needed a reason for a vacation and cricket lovers across the country, from celebrities to politicians, scurried to catch some action to cheer for their favorite teams.
I thought this year most teams came out a lot stronger and aggressive than the last, well almost. Needless to say, my personal favorites are and were, the Deccan Chargers, who without much ado or hype came about and did what they meant to do, win the championship for 2009. At first they came on strong with a 4-0 winning streak that soon became somewhat of an alternate win-loss scenario. DC was being branded by critics as the only team perhaps who was capable of ‘self-destruction,’ which might have been true sometimes. I mean how else can you explain the terrible loss against Delhi Daredevils who got 7 wickets out of 17 deliveries? 
Having said that, I strongly believe that the Chargers were cohesive from the beginning and their strength was and is, Adam Gilchrist. The man (along with the coach Darren Lehmann and Mike Young) honed the young men to a winning performance that I can’t stop raving about. Gilchrist has been supportive and undeterred by the team’s performance. Be it a close margin win or loss, his epilogue was always an excellent cure for the will to live and play. It was his unfailing support for the team and due praise for the opposition that gave Deccan Chargers that little extra nudge to try harder each time. There are very few men of his stature who have the perfect composition of wisdom and humility it takes to be a good advisor to such a diverse team. His acumen of the game has reflected in his decisions on and off the field which one can only term as ideal. His little acts of encouragement for team members and for the opposition speak volumes in the kind of gentleman he is. His equanimity in pressure situations definitely makes him a sought after captain and player. At no point in this entire tournament have I seen him lose his cool or flinch at the sign of a lack-luster performance of the team, which goes to prove what a treat he is for the sore eyes.
His trust in the new faces and upcoming talent was a gamble that actually paid off. The young and fresh players cannot ask for a better platform to showcase their talent. I mean who knew Harmeet Singh before he took that nose dive catch and 2 wickets that changed the fate of the Royal Challengers on Sunday night? Or Fidel Edwards? Ryan Harris bowled a maiden over with the pressure of facing such senior players so early in his career. RP Singh was the man with the midas touch. His ever smiling face gave away nothing even in the face of fierce competition and pressure. Rohit Sharma's hattrick wicket taking spree was opening new avenues for him. As a Vice Captain of the team he has managed to exceed people's expectations without buckling under pressure and delivering hit after hit to drag DC over the line. 
The final showdown was every bit the excitement it promised to be. Pulsating, nail biting, edge of the seat suspense is definitely not for the weak hearted. There was no lack of excitement or heartbreak in what I call a fitting finale where the scales titled in favor of the best team that night. When Adam Gilchrist was out for a ‘duck,’ I could feel the ground slipping away from under my feet, but ‘hope’ is a wonderful thing! Even though the captain of the Royal Challengers had 4 wickets to his credit, his team could not live up to the pressure of a glorious finale. Whereas, Gilchrist might have not had any personal runs to his glory, but it took nerves of steel and muscles of iron to lead a slipping team to its victory that night and that’s where his success lies. 
The 'Man of the Series' was rightfully awarded to a very humble Adam Gilchrist, who remembered to point out Diwali like celebrations in Hyderabad. He also tops the list for maximum stumps in the series, something he does at a lighting speed catching the batsmen off guard (read Virat Kohli.) RP Singh got the purple cap with maximum wickets in his kitty and seemed visibly ecstatic. Rohit Sharma got the Citi under 23 player of the league award. Anil Kumble was the man of the match and was clearly bogged down by how close they came to tasting success. Roelof van de Merwe was the man with the maximum sixes, again well deserved.
My memories of this year’s IPL are gonna go way beyond Man(dira) Bedi, Samir Kocchar, Meiyang Chang (who’s way out of his league from his Indian Idol days) Gaurav Kapoor and the unrelenting RCB supporter Ravi Shastri. My personal notes will soon go out to Ravi Shastri whose rampant support to the Royal Challengers was getting on my nerves. There is no space for personal favorites and chanting (I swear) especially if you’re a commentator. I think I heard him say that RCB/ Kumble gets his vote because he was an Indian captain. Well Ravi, when it is a team sport it really can’t be carried by Anil Kumble alone or any captain, Indian or not.
I’m going to wait with bated breath for IPL next year, pride myself on being such an undying Deccan Chargers supporter who in due course has managed to steer some non-cricket people around to root for the home team. wink wink! Who knows maybe someday we will have a Gilchrist statue to replace the millions of faceless (not to mention unimportant) statues at every intersection in Hyderabad. I’m also already looking forward to India hosting the IPL next year. Who doesn’t like loud maddening crowds cheering the home team, which I hope will perform better and stronger for 2010, defending their title- without any celebrities and screaming banners, without any fancy colors and additions, just Gilly and his team all the way from Hyderabad! Go Deccan Chargers! 
