Test Match Special - The 2021 IPL is up and running

Episode Date: April 13, 2021

The most expensive player in IPL history - Chris Morris - tells TMS about the pressure to perform, plus Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Kal Sajad and Henry Moeran preview the tournament.

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podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. Thank you for joining us and welcome to the Indian Premier League podcast from Test Match Special. My name is Henry Moran and the tournament is up and running. There's plenty of issues to discuss and interesting elements of this year's competition that will make it a thrilling, no doubt, six weeks or so, how will the English contingent get on in the competition? Sixteen players could feature across the tournament from England colours and what about some of the other sides that perhaps could come through and offer.

a little more than they have in previous years. Could it finally be a time for Royal Challenger's Bangalore? Will it be the year that Sunriser Hyderabad with all the talent that they've got batting-wise to get their first title in five years? I'm pleased to say that with me, former IPL star, Abyshech Janjum Woller, and also Cal Sajad from the BBC Sport website, who has been keeping an eye on all things IPL. And Cal, let's start with you.

And I suppose the question that has been on our lips ahead of this tournament and looking at the various issues and challenges around it because it's IPL cricket, but not quite IPL cricket as we know it. Yeah, absolutely. I think last year we had in the UAE, as you mentioned, and I think it was so different that in some ways the players got quite used to it, and it was so different to what they are normally accustomed to. But this year they're in the grounds in India, but no fans,

none of that Bollywood Rasmataz that they're used to in years gone by. So it must be a real strange circumstances for them to be playing in. Teams will be used to biosecure cricket. Now, that's sort of become part for the course. But for those players that love and thrive on the IPL atmosphere and the loud crowds and everything else, playing in India but without those crowds, that's going to bring a bit of a challenge, isn't it?

It will be a bit challenging. But what I feel, Henry, that over the last year and a half, players have got used to without playing any crowd. And they're doing it all over the world. It's just not India or the UAE or England or Australia. Australia got a few crowds in the later half of the year. But in India, I don't think you're going to have a crowd for a while, as there is a massive surge of COVID cases in India. So they've got to be very careful.

I don't know. I was a bit surprised, 80,000 people in one of those one days when India played England. And straight after that, the crowds were stopped because the cases were going over the top, right, out of the roof. And suddenly, now they are in a biosecure bubble. And I was talking to a few of the commentators. They are finding it really difficult as well. It's not just the players. because they have to now, every city they go,

they have to quarantine for seven days. So it's not easy for anybody. No. But we said this. You and I were texting before the tournament began. We said that, you know, you look at some of the articles suggesting the tournament could be in jeopardy, as we saw with the Pakistan Super League that was postponed

with some of those games having gone. But the IPL is such a sort of phenomenal machine, isn't it, that they'll do anything to make sure they keep the players safe and they can keep the tournament going. Absolutely. Absolutely. They have to shut everything around the IPL, they will. And as long as they create a safe atmosphere for the players and the support staff and everyone who's involved in the IPL, it's not just the players and the coaches and the support staff.

There's a massive crew of production which travels with them. So everybody needs to be in a secure environment. So have that many people in a secured bubble. It's not going to be easy, but they will find a way to do it. The RCB, the hotel they're staying in. There's 100 personnel, including players and everyone's staying there. And all it takes is, you know, just a few cases, you know, one person and it can just snowball like that. So, yes, there is the richest, most lucrative tournament in the world.

But as we've seen in the last year or so, it doesn't take much for COVID to take an effect on sport. Well, it doesn't take, and you're absolutely right. But I just feel that I don't know how BCCI is going to deal with it. If few people do get COVID and then it spreads, that we'll have to wait and see. But even if they have to move the tournament, if some. Something happens like that or the cases in India even go out of the roof now and they have to shut the country down. They have to go in a lockdown. It wouldn't take BCCI more than three or four days to shift the whole tournament to Dubai again.

And I'm sure they already have a contingency plan, which they are keeping as a backup. If they have to move the tournament, they will. Yeah. Is that sort of level, you think? IPL is and it does operate in that level where they wouldn't shut the tournament. They would do everything they need to do to make it happen, even if they have to go anywhere else in the world. Cal, how important is it that this IPL reaches its conclusion, do you think? Absolutely. It's so important, especially a year where we've got the T20 World Cup,

a year where we've got so much other cricket, if it doesn't reach its conclusion in the timeframe that we're given now, I don't see when it will take place later on in the year either for them to conclude it. So, you know, for me, it has to finish, for it to conclude, it has to take place right now. Right, then. Let's look at the field and what sort of might occur should the tournament take place and go through to its conclusion as we expect and hope that it will. Mumbai Indians have won the last two competitions. Abashik, first of all, who's going to stop them? They've been described as the best T20 side ever in the history of cricket.

Who can possibly stop them? I mean, yeah, we have heard a lot of talk about they can beat any international T20 side as well. So they are the best T20 side in the world period, not just a franchise team. If you take international sides, they can beat one of the top international sides. But I think this year I'm pretty hopeful with the likes of. Punjab Kings and even Rajasthan Roy, it's a great unit. Delhi is somebody who will put a lot of threat. And I'm, I just want Delhi to win because of Rishapant.

He is an absolute rock star. Every time you see him on the field, if he's captaining, he's batting, he's a rock star. And I think with, somewhere down there, because he doesn't have the maturity to lead aside, he has not been, he's not captained ever. I think he'll bring such fresh ideas to Delhi that he might do something remarkable this year. I have a feeling. It will be, it will be something extraordinary, whatever happens. I think it's supposed to say, Cal, come on. Who's going to be up there and could cause some problems for Mumbai Indians?

I'm with Abishak, I think it's the Delhi Capitals. They were so dominant in their first game against CSK, you know, when you got Pridre Chah and Shikadar won at the top of the order, we haven't even seen Steve Smith yet. He is the comeback king. And, you know, we've seen that on the international stage. You know, we haven't seen Rabada. We haven't seen Aksa Patel. The inexperience of Pant as captain could be their downfall. I think Abyshack thinks it may be maybe a, a positive. But for me, we, you know, we haven't seen enough. So that's the only thing that I would probably say as a negative. But, you know, you look at every team in the IPL. They're just full of stars. But for me, there's something about Delhi Capitals, especially in that first performance where they just look like a real strong unit. Yeah, I'm with you. I think that it could go one or two ways with Rishap. And that is part of the joy of it, isn't it? It'll be really exact. Now, I've noticed neither of you have mentioned Royal Challenger's Bangalore who have made a little bit of a shift in the sense that they've got Glenn Maxwell in their side to offer a little bit of

it's extraordinary when you describe Glenn Maxwell as offering a little bit of port in the middle order he's got a cricketer but this is this is IPL and T20 cricket we're talking about they should have won the IPL by now they never have is this going to be their year I doubt it oh Abysheck come on I doubt because I think they just don't get it right they can have Glenn Maxwell but you've got to go with the record of Glenn Maxwell in the last three or four years in the IPL he's averaging 10 or 11. But for some reason, every year his price stake gets bigger and bigger. People yet still willing to pay him the top dollars after no performance. So until and unless he performs a season, I wouldn't buy Gillen Maxwell in my team. So for me, the question is can

they hold their nerve in those pressure moments right at the end? We've seen them certainly last season. They failed so many times, you know, right towards the last plea for overs. What I will say is that in Simon Kattich, they have a remarkable coach, an experienced coach. And I feel if they are going to do it, this might just be there. Yeah, I think De Villiers, he won't have many seasons left in the IPL, I wouldn't imagine. Maxwell, great signing. But I also like the fact that they signed Kyle Jameson. I think six for eight, he bowls full.

He offers something completely different. I don't know. I think they could be a dark horse in this competition. Dan Christian as well comes into the side. He's four trophies in four years. Everywhere he goes, he just wins tornets. He knows how to win. He may not be the young.

He's 37, but he can do it with bat and ball. Nottingham, Nottingham, Schofanz will know all about him. He's a serious operator at this game. He's a terrific white ball player, and I've been fortunate we play together for deck and charges as well. And yeah, he's somebody who can come in and lower down the batting order number seven, number eight. And when you matches, when you need those 20 or 25, the last couple of overs. So they have the team. It's all about as as it was mentioned that can they hold their nerve at the end. And as long as they can finish games which are tight, I think

they have a good prospect. But we'll have to wait and see. Another side, you speak about the age of A.B. DeViliers. Another side where age has been something discussed a fair amount is the Chennai Super Kings, Dad's Army, as they have been dubbed. They have in their ranks, M.S. Doni, Faftu Duplice, Dwayne Bravo, Imran Tahir, and Batty Raidu, and Robin Utipa, all of whom are over 35. That is quite a core of veteran cricketers. And I know age, you know, you look at Chris Gail and Dan Christian who we just mentioned, but it's quite a big core who are perhaps past their prime. I'm a bit surprised for a shrine.

I'm not in that list. He's just under 35, only just. Okay. But, you know, the point, you know, what I mean? It's an aging side, yes, we know that, but they've got a lot of quality as well. and M.S. Doney, if anyone does know how to win tournaments, he does. I think it's pretty much won everything there is to win in world cricket. But yes, as you mentioned, it's not going to be easy for them,

but it's all about the momentum. If they can win two or three match on the bounds, they can possess a lot of threat to other teams. Yeah, Sam Curran in that side as well. I think it's quite an exciting signing. Cal, your preview of the tournaments on the BBC Sport website, where do you see CSK's hopes and aspirations for the competition? It's a tricky one, isn't it?

Do you go with youth, do you go with experience? We've seen in the IPL and franchise T20 cricket in general that players can enjoy a real golden period towards the end of their career. With CSK, perhaps they're taking a bit too far, too many veterans to some degree. Again, perhaps they could sneak into the playoffs, but I don't see them as a series contender. Yeah, it's a funny one, isn't it? It's the balance between the experience and the nows of winning

against players that once people start talking about them being past their peak, gets all a little bit difficult. Yeah, you need the likes of Sanjus Sampson, you need the likes of Risha, Pan, Shreya, Ayer, Shubman, Gill. You need some of those Indian upcoming talent in your side if you want to win trophies in this competition. There has to be a good mixture of youth and experience in a team if you want to win T-20 competition.

And I think at the moment they're missing the youth part from their team. It's too much experience. I think that's fair to say, certainly. They have Habejan Cinco, however. I'm a bit surprised. Yeah, well, he featured and he bowled the opening over

for KKR in their first game. He just bowled one over. Yeah, and that was enough. But it's a difficult one for them. Time will tell, it'll either be a master's stroke or it'll full flound on its face. We'll have to wait and see.

I think for England supporters in the last couple of years, Rajasthan Royals have been the side call, haven't they, that we've looked at because there's been such a big England contingent. You've got in their ranks,

Ben Stokes, Joffa Archer, which we'll wait and see if he features in the tournament, hopefully later on, Josh Butler and Liam Livingston as well. As a little clutch of England players, they're always a side we keep an eye out from. They finished bottom last year. Surely they're better than that. Yeah, it's like the Galacticos in, with Real Madrid in football. You can have all the stars, but for some reason, they just don't gel.

You're absolutely spot on, I think, you know, the casual cricket fan who may think that the IPL goes on for too long. They'll always keep an eye out for the Rajasthan Royals for those four players that you mentioned. I think Liam Livingston could be an interesting one. I can see, you know, it is a long tournament, and I can see coming towards the middle of the tournament, and, you know, we know how hard he can swing the bat and what the damage you can do. He's done it in the big bash.

So I think, you know, you've got the stars in Stokes, but potentially Archer, if he makes it into the tournament, back from injury, but I think Liam Livingston's the one to look out for. What do you reckon? I think having an English owner helps. He believes in a lot of England players. Manoj Badale, he comes from England as well. And I think if you look at the side, if you put them all in a paper, piece of paper,

I don't think there is a better side in this competition than Rajasthan Royals. They've got some of one of the best bowlers of T20, some of the best all-rounders in T-20, one of the best, I mean, ball-striker in world cricket at the moment, Joss Butler, Sanjou Samson, one of the best ball-strikers again. They've got one of the best teams in the competition. But it's a shame that they still finished last year, lost the first. game here. I don't know for some reason. They just don't know how to win games. They've not won the tournament since 2008, which for the players that they've had seems extraordinary. And, you know,

last couple of years, they've not even made the playoffs. So that seems so surprising. And I've been, I've been a part of the squad. I've been, I've played for them one year. I was very lucky. I played pretty much every game. And it's got one of the best atmosphere. I've been with four franchise. I would still suggest that Rajasthan Royals has one of the best atmosphere for youngsters. They really look after the youngsters. They like to give opportunity to the youngsters, but they need something to click.

I don't know what it is, but it's something missing where they don't win matches. And what we'll say about Rajasthan is that Joffra Archer is going to be a huge miss. He took 20 wickets last season. He was a dab hand with a bat as well, lower down the order and I think he's going to be a huge, huge

miss for them. Yeah, no question. Is that missing factor, perhaps, going to come in the form of the $2.3 million man, Chris Morris. And I say this, because in a moment we're going to hear an interview Carl that you recorded with Chris Morris. But just before we get to that, Abyshech, a little bit on the pressure players feel when it comes to those big price tags.

Because $2.3 million to your name, owners, fans, teammates, they're going to expect that you're going to do something special. 100%. And I was mentioning this to you earlier. When I was playing for Punjab, sorry, Pune Warriors, the year I played, it's 2011. We had Yuvra Seng, 1.2 million pounds. We have Robin Othapa around 1.3 million pounds.

And Robin didn't have a very good season, neither did UV. So both of them was struggling, and they were under immense pressure. I spoke to Robin that how does it feel when you paid this kind of money? How much pressure does it add? He said, don't even ask. When I'm not performing, it just doubles up every time. Because you're feeling the pressure of getting paid so much money. and you somehow you feel that you're not doing justice to the payment what you're getting.

And it doesn't matter if you play one game or 16 games, 14 games. You get paid the whole amount in the IPA. It's not match by match. Is it not? No, it's not. I thought it was on a match by match basis. No, it's not match by match basis. Even if you don't play a single game in the season, you still get the payment, the full payment, what you've auctioned for.

So it doesn't matter if you're playing or not. Okay. So Chris Morris is going to be a very. wealthy man, whether or not, but he's still going to feel whether he'll have that pressure building up inside him. That's another matter. Now, Cal, you've been chatting to him, haven't you? Yes, South African all-rounder, Chris Morris, was picked up for a call 1.7 million by Rajasthan Royals, a life-changing figure by anyone's reckoning. I've been speaking to Morris and asked how he's coming to terms of being the most expensive player

in IPL history. Yeah, look, I'm so struggling to wrap my head around the fact that I'm not a big fan of being labelled something or anything like that. So to be part of the RPL against, it's pretty cool. But for something like that happened, to happen, my brain can't really process it. I'm interested in how you reacted, but certainly how did your friends and family react? And who was the first person that texted you afterwards? Oh, look, I don't know if the first person who texted me was because my phone was blowing up at the time.

I was actually watching it in, we were on tour. We were playing in a T20 tournament in South. Africa out domestic. And I had Simon Harmon in the room with me, which is quite cool. And we literally sat and watched it and just basically laughed the whole way through, not believing what could happen. But first person I phoned is my wife. You know, she knew something bigger to happen because her phone was blowing up,

but she hadn't seen it. And yeah, it was just tears of joy from her side. There was a lot of silence with laughter in between who couldn't believe what happened because she knew how badly I wanted to get back into the IPO. I felt that I had unfinished business. and obviously injury last season didn't really help. So for me to get back into the tournament meant so much more to me than anything else.

But in saying that, the disbelief in what had happened in terms of the auction was hectic. But yeah, my phone blew up quite a lot. First thing, Simon went to grab us a few beers so we could celebrate a day before a game. Professionals, there we are. But yeah, we had a beer together and, you know,

just celebrated and obviously my whole team mate was all my teammates were around me and it was quite cool. Very good moments in my life. Yeah, have you had quite sort of friendly ribbing from your teammates, both at the morning and outside? More for my mates at home, more than that, more than anything. My teammates, I mean, they're pretty cool about it. They understand what the auction's all about.

They understand that these things are unpredictable, and whatever happens there is a bonus. But probably my mates at home, they give me a couple of gears. They, you know, they're never paying for beers again, they never paying for dinner ever again. So I get a lot of gears from them. But otherwise, the usual banter that comes along with all this stuff. We're so accustomed in sports like football to no players' salaries.

Where cricket generally over the years, up until franchise cricket's been kept under wraps, do you find it quite uncomfortable in any way that people know your salary or how much you're on? Absolutely. I think traditionally people try to keep their salaries quite close to themselves. It's, you know, that's quite a personal thing of how much you earn a month and how much, you know, stuff like I, it's always been traditionally being quite a personal thing. But so I'm a little bit uncomfortable with it,

but look, the nature of the beast, it's like you said, you hit the nail on the head when it comes to football or NFL or baseball or anything like that. These things are out in the press, and, you know, it's about accepting that it's going to be there and you just crack on. And, you know, you're always going to get a bit of it,

like you said, a bit of a ribbing from people. But, you know, at the end of the day, it's not your decision what you get paid. You just accept it and say, thank you. You say you're uncomfortable. My next question is going to be. Have you treating yourself to anything? No, no, not it.

Look, I've been very fortunate in the IPL in my career that I've been quite good, quite looked after in terms of salary and stuff like that. So everything that I've wanted to do and set up my whole life after cricket's pretty much been set up. And, you know, this has just put the cherry on the cake for me. I'm a big believer in I want to look after what my family does in the future. My son needs to have a car when he's 18 and if he gets his license

or needs to go to university. I don't have to worry about stuff like that. I just want to worry about, you know, keeping healthy and making sure that my family is looked after one day. So for me, it's not about spoiling us. It's not about buying cars. It's not about buying holiday homes or anything like that.

It's just about, you know, making sure everyone's looked after one day. And, yeah, one day when I'm long gone and everyone's forgotten about me and my family in the future can be walleted after. So that's me. As long as we're comfortable, that's all that matters.

As long as we're comfortable, like I say, I'm not a lot of, about the whole luxury for life and stuff like that. I'm just as long as I'm comfortable. How many children do you have? I've got a three-year-old boy, so he's obviously still young. I'm grooming him to be a big United supporter, as I'm sure you've seen. So, yeah, he's my world.

He's my everything little man. And what is life like back in South Africa? Are you more recognised in India, perhaps, than you are in South Africa? And what's sort of a normal day in the life of Chris Morris like? pretty simple, pretty easy going. India's, India is the biggest, the biggest one in terms of recognizing you. I think if people recognize you back home, we're so relaxed about people having their own space and people doing their own thing. It's very rarely that someone will come and ask for a photo or, you know, it's more a case of, you know, well done, you know, you guys

said, well, good tournament, congratulations on the IPL, that's more a case of that instead of actually wanting photos and autographs and stuff like that. Whereas India's, as you've heard, I'm sure it's chaotic on the side with photos and people wanting, you know, just don't want to be around you and stuff like it, which is very humbling because, like I said, from South Africa, it's not really a big thing for it to be recognised or anything. So I'm the normal average Joe every day, take my son to school, play around a golf, go to the shopping mall with my wife, just spend quality time at home with the family. There's no, there's nothing big. It's just, like I said, just the average Joe walking around and things every day life. So how's it been with the Royals so far? You've come with a huge price tag.

Do you feel that pressure when you're in the dressing room? Is it something that's not spoken about? And how have you settled in? I think originally, I think for the first, first while in terms of after the auction, I think you feel it. Go that a bit because that's what everyone talks about. That's what, you know, it's obviously makes massive news. And people want interviews and people want to know how it feels and what I'm thinking

and is their pressure. I think naturally there'll be pressure, you know, because you've got a job to do and you're being paid to do a job. But I think once you cross that line, it doesn't matter what you paid. You've got to do a job. You've got to perform to the best of your ability,

whether you're on the base price or whether you're on the most. You've got to do a job. So I think I don't want to use the word the novelty wears off because it doesn't wear off because it's still an unbelievable achievement. But, oh, yeah, it's history. So for something like that to affect me on the field,

I don't think it will. But, yeah, I'll be lying if I said there wasn't added pressure especially in the beginning of the tournament because a lot of eyes are on you and you've got a job to do so I've just got to crack on and play as hard as we can. Is that more external pressure

than pressure from your teammates or the coaches? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. It would be because, I mean, look, we're all professionals. We know we've got to perform. And the reality is you're not going to perform every game.

That's the reality of it. That's the nature of the beast that is cricket. So there's a professional understanding and there's a mutual understanding because a lot of guys are earning a lot of money in this tournament and at the end of the day you've got to perform and like I say whether you're on the smaller salary or the highest salary you need to get up there and perform

and if you don't perform you're not going to play and no one wants that so we can talk a lot about the salary but the fact is you are paid that amount of money and you have been in the past paid a huge amount of money to play cricket so what is it about your game do you feel that attracts so much value Maybe I'm just a really nice guy No I think all rounders are I mean as we've seen this year All rounders are in demand

I think I've got quite a lot of experience in the RPL which helps And I understand the conditions a lot more And cheap as if I had the answer I'd tell you what a lot of other guys Have become all rounders just because But yeah Like I said

Carl Jameson went for Massel this year Glenn Maxwell went for a lot this year Jim Inesion went well, Tom Curran went well. So Sam Curran's gone well. So if you're an all-rounder, I think that's what's needed in the game, especially in T-20s. T-20s, if you're in all-rounder, then you can do all three. As I like to say, if you can do all three, you're going to be highly valued.

Is it hard to shift your mindset if you've had a poor show with the ball and then you've got to go out with the bat later on? For you personally, do you find it quite easy to put any mistakes in the game behind you and then focus on the next part of your game? I'm lying if I said it's easy just to forget about mistakes that you've made but at the end of the day you've got to crack on you've got to you can't focus on the past especially being like I always talk about being a death pilot you can't you've got to have thick skin you've got to accept that you're going to get absolutely smoked

80% of the time and you're not going to be on top about it so I'm a big believer in you know forgetting what's happened the ball before learn from it but forget about the result and the crack on because you've got a job to do so if you've had a really real stinker with the ball. You've got to look forward and know that you've got a job to do with the bat. And I always say, if I don't bet, it's a good thing because it'll be winning. So you can't afford to look back. You can't afford to, after the game, you can have sit down, have a beer and go,

what are you doing, Morris, and then learn from it. But the next day, the sun will come up and you crack on because you can't affect what's happening behind you. But, yeah, I think especially when I was younger, and as young guy, I held on to a little bit in a certain game and you feel like you've added a bit of pressure up because I've done badly with the ball

I have to perform with a bat and that end up putting you under more pressure so I think the older I get an older I get and I honestly the wiser I get I don't have grey hair yet like the other boys but yeah I think

you pick up a few tips on how to forget about what's happened in the game because you've still got a job to do and I guess just finally for the Royals I guess the aim is to win the IPL this year

And is that the talk of the dressing room? Is that the goal is just to go out there and win and how determined are you guys to put the wrongs right this year? Yeah, I don't think we're talking about what in the tournament just yet. I think we're more about how we're going to train, how about what our work grades are going to be and the respect you have for each other. You know, you don't need to be training for three hours

if it's not going to contribute to your progress. If you want to train for 10 minutes and it's going to be more valid, you rather do that. But you train with the reason and you train with the focus. So I think the most important thing for us is we, you know, we've got to take it one step at a time. There's some really good teams out there. So personally, I'm not a guy that looks too far in the future. I'm a guy that focuses on the here and the now.

And then after we're done with that, then we'll focus on to our next stop. So it's like a stepping stone. You've got to keep going up until you get to the top or get to the end of the bridge. So it's more about respecting each other and training as hard as we can for the right purposes. And I'll leave you with this. If you had a choice between Manchester City losing every. game for the remainder of the season. United, winning every game and winning the league, coming back from the completely sort of improbable position, or you take us a fifer and score

a century in the IPL final if you had to choose one or the other. It's an absolute, absolutely no-brainer. I'll take, I'll take the five for all the final to an RPL. No, that's a no-brainer. That's, like, listen, the league's gone. City, you're going to win the league. I put it this way. I'm willing for United to end 16th on the log for Liverpool to get relegated. that's on. I'm happy with it. There's my do. I'm happy for that. I'd happily end 16th of Liverpool get relegated. Brilliant. Well, hopefully next season, you'll be able to get down in, you know, crowds will return to football and you'll be able to come and see United finally and bring your little boy. But Chris, it's been a pleasure speaking to you, mate.

Awesome. Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure. Take care, buddy. Cheers. Have a good one. Thanks. Lovely to hear from Chris Morris. Big Manchester United fan. And a really interesting insight into life in the IPL. I don't know that expectation that we said. Cajad chatting to Chris Morris, $2.3 million. That's what he's gone for in the IPL.

Cal is still alongside. He has his Abishet, Jean-Jean Woula. And just before we leave this week's episodes on thoughts, expectation and anticipation is such a big theme at the start of a tournament. What are we expecting from the England contingent that are playing in this year's competition? We've got so many players.

Mowen Ali, Sam Cairn, Joffer, Josser, Joss Butler, Stokes, Livingston, Birsto, Roy, Billings, Curran, Wokes, Jordan, Milan, Morgan. You know, the list goes on and on. There is such a big amount of England players taking part in the tournament. And there'll be the added thought that later on this year, there's a T20 World Cup in India. There's so much expectation and hope for these guys. I think there's a lot of expectation from all the players who are involved in the IP. And it's a great opportunity for all the nations involved in that competition in the T20 World Cup to pick their side.

they'll get a very good idea somebody who's not in the periphery of international cricket for their respective countries if they have a brilliant IPL you've got to stand up and look out for them so anybody who has not played international cricket so far and playing in this competition

from any country they have a great opportunity to perform and throw their name in that hat for the selection for the World Cup Cal it's a huge few weeks for some of these England guys isn't it? Yeah I mean what I'll add to what Abyshech said of course you've got the big guns in Stokes and Butler and Co.

but those players that may not play many games in the IPL, what a great learning curve to be around the best in the world with that T20 World Cup in mind. So I don't necessarily think it's just about what they're doing on the pitch, just being surrounded by the caliber of players that they are over in India is only going to be beneficial to the game ahead of that World Cup. Yeah, who do you anticipate of the England guys will be the most effective?

Who's going to have the best tournament, do you think? I think Johnny Bastog will have a great tournament for sunrises and I think Butler and Ben Stokes. Ben Stokes will join the party at some point, maybe not this game in the next game. So he's somebody who uses so much class. He cannot not perform for long period. And I'm quite hopeful to see Jason Roy.

I want to see Jason Roy and Johnny Bays to bat together. I don't think that's going to happen because if Sunrises, if Kane Williamson and Holder are not getting a game, you've got so many players there. They've got such a massive pool of talent in the overseas department that's very unlikely you will see Jason Roy, but it'll be great to see both of them playing together.

Calh, just because it's always fun at the start of a tournament to ask contributors and colleagues for suggestions of what they think is going to happen just so. Because it always inevitably goes horribly wrong. Which way do you see it going? Who's going to stand out for England? Sam Cullen, for me. Okay.

Yeah, I think he's just, he's developing so much as a cricketer and he just seems so comfortable in the Chennai shirt. He's adored by the fans. He seems to be adored by his teammates. And, you know, Chris Morris spoke about the important. of all rounders and he is, you know, genuinely such a good all rounder. And I think if he doesn't have a good day with a ball, he can go in and score a quick 30 or 40. And we saw what he did against India in that final, in that final game of the series as well. He can, you can score big runs and

he can score quick runs as well. So he's going to be the one that I think's going to excel. For what it's worth, I'm going to throw in, that'll inevitably people proved wrong. I'm going to throw in Sam Billings for the Delhi Capitals. I think he could have a good tournament. He did it a couple years ago for CSK, had a couple of really beginnings. And I think he's somebody that is just on the periphery of making a real impact for England. So that's where we'll leave it for this week's episode of our little look at the IPL here on Test Match Special. Abashit, John John Willa Kalachazad, thank you very much indeed for joining me. And if you look on the BBC Sport website, you'll find all the details, reports,

analysis of this year's Indian Premier League. And as well as that, on the Sports Extra website, details of all the fixtures coming up, 255, 5 Live Sports Extra. That's a place to find the commentaries. and we really do enjoy bringing them to you. There have been some thrillers so far in the competition. No doubt there will be plenty more. Abashat, Cal, thank you very much for joining me.

We'll look forward to speaking to you soon. You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 Live. This is Nas. I'm here to tell you about a new podcast, about the greatest they ever was. Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier was more than a prize fight. A fight that stopped the world in his tracks. It's an unslawful. and he's down.

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