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W hatever the flamboyant Dr Mallya does, he world thinks of their decisions. They think big,
does big. So it was no surprise when he paid top they live big! The Bengaluru fans were up in
dollar for the franchise of his home city. Owning arms at the idea that their poster boy, Dravid,
the Bangalore team was not just a business had to hand over the reins of the team. But Dr
decision but also a matter of great pride. Super Mallya did not flinch. This was a new team and
successful men like him can bear a hit on the after the first season’s debacle they were going
pocket, but a hit on their pride is unacceptable. to do things his way.
After the dismal first season, the expected
followed the unacceptable. Dr Mallya did not At IPL 2009 in South Africa the Royal Challengers
mince his words, he never does. Everyone was Bangalore were drawn to play defending
in the line of fire. The captain, Rahul Dravid, champions Rajasthan Royals in their first game.
the coach, even the team management. Heads It was fitting, almost poetic. The Royals of
rolled and he took greater control in an attempt Season 1, facing the Challengers to their Royal
to modernise his team that was labeled the test supremacy. When RCB lost their first two wickets
side in the T20 format. with no score on the board, no one would have
been blamed for writing off their challenge. But
In all the changes that Dr. Mallya made in- Rahul Dravid had not had his say yet. He had
between the two seasons, there was one rather stayed quiet on the field in the weeks leading
significant and high profile one: the bid for Kevin up to the opening day, and as always he let his
Pietersen. VJM was single minded in his focus to bat do the talking. And what a roaring speech
acquire him, and paid 1.5 million dollars to sign it made that evening in Capetown. He showed
the English batsmen. Money didn’t matter, VJM the world that neither was he too old for this
wanted KP to wear the RCB colors and that’s format nor was he one to put self before team.
how it would be. It’s easy to see why. KP is in the As wickets fell all around him he stood like a wall.
same mold as his team’s owner. They’re both A solid half-century saved his team the blushes.
flamboyant, they both do things differently, and But the old boys were not nearly done for
are unabashedly controversial. They’re ruthless the day. The second half of the game saw Anil
and do not seem to care much about what the Kumble bowl a spell that was just as the name
110 ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE 111 kevin pietersen
