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suggests - a spell! The best bowling statistics of leave for international duty and Anil Kumble
the tournament and sheer wizardry that will was given the captain’s armband. This would be
rank amongst the best we would have ever the turning point in their campaign. The team
witnessed in the DLF IPL. 5 wickets for 5 runs! seemed to forge into a bigger and more unified
He single handedly knocked the wind out of the force under this understated heavyweight.
defending champion’s sails. It was also a not The young players came to the fore and the
so subtle indicator that this tournament, with internationals started excelling themselves.
its harsh conditions, might just see experience Ross Taylor specifically was in devastating
triumph over youth. That did turn out to be form. He peaked against a hapless Knight
true eventually with Kallis, Boucher, Dravid and Riders bowling attack that had no answers as
Kumble pulling out champion performances at Taylor mauled them for 81 runs off just 33 balls.
regular intervals. There was a minor hiccup in the second half of
the tournament where it looked like the Royal
As Shane Warne shook Anil Kumble’s hand after Challengers might stumble before the semi
the game, it was clear to see the respect these finals, but Manish Pandey’s century, the first by
old adversaries shared for each other. The Royal an Indian in the IPL, put a stop to that worry. That
Challengers had gotten off to a flier and for the his innings came against the Chargers augured
city of Bangalore it was time to celebrate - a well for them. That he made Deccan’s highest
new captain, a new management and new ideas wicket taker, RP Singh, look like a schoolboy
all coming good. The celebration however was worked even better as the Royal Challengers set
short-lived. The Royal Challengers lost their next up a final showdown against the Chargers.
3 games, two of them comprehensively with one
being close. But a loss is a loss, near or not so In the end the Royal Challengers missed getting
near. Were the Royal Challengers going to crash their hands on the trophy, but, only by a whisker.
and burn to the bottom of the table? They did, however, prove a few things in their
campaign - that youth has exuberance but old
As it turned out, there was a change in fortune is gold. As well as something that would have
in store for them, and it would not be their only made Dr Mallya a happy man – class just never
one in the tournament. Kevin Pietersen had to goes out of style!
anil kumble
114 ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE 115
