The Bishop and The Bear ep76

A huge welcome back to the Bishop and Bear.

Having just staggered across the finishing line of the IPL marathon, don’t think for a second we have time to put our feet up in the Old B and B. Oh no! The WT20 looms. All 20 teams, 4 groups, 2 countries, nine venues and specially grown and flown drop in pitches of it.

So much to talk about with our special guest Gargi Raut, presenter, broadcaster and writer with Revsportz in India. Gargi and your episcopal barman have worked together before, so it was high time she had an invite into cricket’s favourite virtual pub! Is a lively chat too.

We dissect the IPL and agree, to put it nicely, that this year was far from its finest showing. Certainly, the final wasn’t. We conclude that six, six, six truly is the number of the beast as most bowlers were reduced to mere cannon fodder. Jason Holder has had some interesting things to say about that and we tend to agree with him. 

Should they stay or should they go? We also discuss whether English players should have been hauled home or whether staying in India would have been better World Cup prep. Michael Vaughan thinks they should have stayed. But hey, that’s Michael Vaughan.  

With Gargi’s insight, we also dive into the cult of personality and the intrusions on player privacy that cricketing celebrity in India entails. It is, we all tend to think, bonkers.

Finally, or course, we look ahead to the World Cup and ask whether India can finally bring home an ICC Trophy again or whether a cheeky punt on Uganda at 1,500/1 might be worthwhile (probably not, but it’s up to you of course).

Cheers!

Your Ursine Landlord and Episcopal Barman

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