The performance of the Australian players in the Indian Premier League 8th edition has not been that great.
If one or two are barred, most have been quite off colour which is surprising.
In almost all the previous editions of the league, it’s the Australian players who would rock the stage, then, what’s different this time around? Has everyone lost form together?
The answer would be no. The form does not seem to be the issue. They are hitting the ball quite well.
It’s the motivation thing here. These Aussie guys put all their blood, sweat and tears in the recent World Cup to make sure that they regain the crown for their country and they were able to do that.
After such a big accomplishment, when they have come into the Indian Premier League, which despite of having a lot of glamour is only a domestic tournament, they are finding themselves not fully motivated for the job or for what is expected of them.
Somebody like Glenn Maxwell who had smashed everyone last year is not even averaging 15 in the ongoing tournament.
And, the case with James Faulkner and Shane Watson is not too different either. Those guys are struggling as well.
Steve Smith, who has been a bit of a run machine off late, has got two half centuries, but, in between those two scores, there isn’t any impressive knock.
Talking about the bowlers, Mitchell Johnson has been absolutely taken to the cleaners.
Australia’s best bowler in IPL 8 so far has been Nathan Coulter-Nile and he was not in the World Cup team of the Kangaroos.
Maybe in the business end of the tournament, we get to see some magic from the Australian stars. The Indian crowd would definitely be hoping for that.