Unknowns bask in 15 minutes of IPL fame

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In the future, everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes,” said the renowned artist Andy Warhol, although judging by the spectacular show put up at the exhibition honouring his work in Art Science Museum in Singapore, he certainly seemed to have enjoyed his fame much longer. His most quoted quote brings us right into IPL-5 in which quite a few are finding their 15 minutes of fame.

Take for instance the hat-trick performing off spinner Ajit Chandila. His skipper, Rahul Dravid, seemed to flounder when asked for changes in his squad because Chandila’s name may not have come to him instantly at the toss.
The spinner surprised everyone in his split hat-trick of three batsmen who are all pretty handy with the bat, including Ganguly even if he is not having the best of times as skipper at Pune Warriors this season.
On the same night of Chandila’s 15 minutes of fame came the startling performance from Gurkeerat Singh who ended the match with a flourish for King’s XI as if he were the most seasoned batsman in the world thoroughly accustomed to meeting targets like 13 runs in four balls. There was the look of a cool hands and a cooler mind to his gun slinging ways at the finish.
Gurkeerat also timed it very well, making his gallop to the wire right after the most suspenseful moments in the English Premier League had provided compelling drama on television.
The world may have nothing against Manchester United, one of the top sporting teams in the history of high profile sport. All the world loves a winner, does it not? However, there is also an eternal fund of feeling for the underdog trying to make it, which is what Manchester City was all about this season although they seemed to have an even better squad than their Mancunian neighbours. Maybe, Manchester United knew a lot more about the pressures of winning again and again.
We loved the moment when one of the banners at the end of the game read, “Oi! Fergie. We are having a party”. Chandila, Aguero, Gurkeerat — what a night for couch potatoes, indeed! The fame may last longer for the likes of Aguero who belongs to a top EPL club now.
Those in the IPL, who are unabashed followers of events in the EPL, must be mighty pleased with their 15 minutes of fame too. Take Mandeep Singh of Kings XI.
He is enjoying a great season at the top of the order, lapping up an opportunity that has come his way due to Adam Gilchrist’s injury. There have been myriad cameos by virtually unknown players who seized their opportunity of being on the big IPL stage.
Rajat Bhatia has been doing a fair job as seamer for Kolkata Knight Riders even if his last ball full toss off a failed slower one handed the match on a platter to defending champions Chennai Super Kings who had been sweating till the last gasp finish. Having bowled the first five balls well, Bhatia felt the full force of cricket’s cruel way of teaching humbling lessons.
The beauty of the IPL is these players would not mind learning such lessons in full public glare. There is no better learning ground when it comes to taking on pressures of high profile cricket.