On this day, 15 years ago, the Indian Premier League (IPL) had a stellar start when Brendon McCullum smashed an unbeaten 158 off 73 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders to change the cricketing world forever for the league. The tone was set.
Until now, Kolkata’s head coach, McCullum went down memory lane with chief mentor David Hussey in a video on the league’s official website, recalling the incidents that led to the attack of a breathless man due to his alertness. started making way for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the first match of the IPL.
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“Look, to be honest, I don’t have too many memories. It’s a bit hazy but I do remember that I got to bat with you, Sourav and Ricky in that whole innings. I remember starting out. For I was at zero off eight balls. My mind was ticking thinking, ‘Really putting myself to great embarrassment here’.
“Then, it was a little luck and things were written under the stars. I guess with a little bit of fighting and luck swinging around; thankfully it turned out well,” McCullum recalled.
After a stellar innings, McCullum’s value as a big hitter and later as a leader grew incredibly in the cricketing world. The former New Zealand captain was happy to play a small role in making the IPL the brand it is today.
“Nobody supported IPL, cricket in general realized how big this tournament was going to be and I think we found out that night for the people who follow cricket in India and around the world. What does it mean. It was nice to play a small hand in that.”
Incidentally, McCullum’s unbeaten 158 is the only century in IPL history hit by a Kolkata batsman, which he hopes to convert at some point in IPL 2022. “Well, we need to work on that second century because I’m their batting coach. Hopefully we’ll see a second, third or fourth hundred soon at some stage throughout the season.”
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Call it a coincidence, Kolkata, currently number six in the points table, will face Rajasthan Royals at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday. McCullum now wants his team to be better in some areas to make the 15th anniversary of the IPL a memorable one.
“It’s just to try and do what we do a little bit better and sharpen some areas. I don’t think we have to change much. We have a very good squad and there’s a good camaraderie and morale among the group.” If we keep morale and communication high, then we give ourselves the best opportunity to showcase talent.
For McCullum, who has been a part of the league since the first game as a player and now as a coach, the IPL serves as a good show for players to step up their game, even as Kolkata may have had only three victories from his first six. Games in the current season.
“Well, I got acquainted with this big league several years ago and it’s been great. And some of our big players have already made the move in this tournament. A little disappointed. Maybe it would have been nice if we had one at this level.” And we would have won the game. Well, I think we played some really good cricket and came up with a proper formula of how we wanted to bat and find it with the ball. Will look forward to returning to the matches.”
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