Chris Lynn's fairy tale season that was not to be
Sharjah, 2014. Six runs were needed to win from the last three balls. A tense situation for any team, unless they have someone who goes by the name of AB de Villers. Vinay Kumar, a medium pacer hardened by the innumerable battles in the domestic circuit, was bowling the final over. However, even the most experienced of campaigners make mistakes in difficult situations. Vinay Kumar, too, made the mistake of bowling a short of length delivery to AB; or so it seemed.
The South African batsman’s eyes lit up and he went for glory, pulling the ball with all his might. For a moment it seemed like the ball would land over the fence but it dipped suddenly. An Australian, not so popular among the Indian cricket fans back then, manned the mid-wicket boundary, the region where the ball was destined to land.
It looked like de Villiers would survive as the young Aussie had slipped and fallen just before the ball reached him. That, however, didn’t deter him as he leapt up almost immediately and grasped the ball in his hands, arching his back like a high-jumper. He flopped back to the ground as the ball hit his hands but somehow managed to keep it safe, well inside the boundary ropes – a moment of sheer brilliance on the field.
That was when Chris Lynn made a name for himself in India.
Fast forward to 2017. Three years have gone by, but still, Lynn’s only incredible achievement till date has been that unbelievable catch. Lack of opportunities, injuries – name what you will – but the attacking batsman never quite made an impression in the Indian Premier League. He shredded every bowling attack in the KFC Big Bash for two seasons in a row, but never managed to get enough game time for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
This year, however, was about to be different.
In the very first match, the hard-hitting batsman was given the opportunity of opening the innings with skipper Gautam Gambhir. It was a conscious decision made by the team management prior to the start of the tournament as they that thought having Robin Uthappa in the middle order would lend some much-needed balance to the team’s batting line-up.
Little did they imagine that the move would yield such rich dividends. Chasing a sizeable target of 184 in the first match of the season against the Gujarat Lions, Lynn and Gambhir operated at an optimum pace right from the outset. Lynn’s aggressive, unhinged hitting perfectly complemented Gambhir’s experience and classy strokeplay. The duo would go on to complete their task clinically without being separated.
Having completed his fifty off just 19 balls, Lynn continued to deposit the opposition bowlers all over the park. By the time the match finished, he had raced to 93 not out off just 41 balls. His knock consisted of six fours and eight massive sixes. It was not the number of runs he got but the way he commanded himself and dominated the bowlers that would have worried the other teams.
Gambhir was full of praise for the young Aussie during the post-match presentation. "You can't ask for more from Lynny. He took a lot of pressure off me,” he said, “We are going to give Lynny a longer run. Hopefully, he can keep smacking it. These are early days in the tournament."
The KKR skipper did not realise the magnitude of his words at that time.
In the second match, it was the Knight Riders’ turn to bat first. Lynn once again provided a blistering start with a 24-ball 32. However, he was caught leg-before off a Jasprit Bumrah delivery and had to depart.
It wasn’t until the fourth over of the chase, though, that his bad fortune would catch up with him once again. Mumbai Indians opener Jos Buttler, looking to attack his countryman Chris Woakes, completely mistimed his shot. The ball went miles up in the air but seemed like it would fall in no man’s land.
The outstanding athlete that he is, Lynn was not about to give up easily. He chased after the ball right till the ropes and dived forward in an attempt to pull off a spectacular catch. This time, however, he ended up landing awkwardly and hurting his shoulder in the process. He was immediately escorted off the pitch.
It was not a new injury for him, and things did not look too good. There were severe doubts as to whether or not he would be able to play any further role in the tournament. Naturally, the Knights desperately wanted him back. However, they did have a backup plan ready, which proved to be sufficient in Lynn’s absence, but that is another story.
As for Lynn, he was extremely disappointed. It is frustrating for players to be sidelined with injuries, especially when they are at the top of their game. However, Lynn decided not to go back to Australia for treatment as he hoped that he would recover in time for the playoffs.
"I can't keep affording to have this time off when I'm hitting the ball so well, it's so frustrating," he had said. “I was going really well when I was playing, but it helps that the boys are winning, that's got me through. I can see a light at the end of the tunnel and hope to get back out there sooner rather than later."
Of course, he made a return earlier expected. In his comeback match, Lynn forged a record 105-run partnership in the opening six overs with Narine as both the openers went berserk. In what was an astonishing display of power hitting, the two openers ripped through the Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling attack.
Lynn was dismissed after he completed his second fifty of this season. He had faced just 22 balls in that innings and had hit five boundaries and four sixes. All of this while he was not 100% fit, something that would have definitely sent shivers down the spines of the other teams.
In the next match, he slammed a 52-ball 84 against the Kings XI Punjab. Although it came in a losing cause, the Aussie’s sheer hitting prowess was once again the talking point of the match.
Unfortunately, the 27-year-old could not help his team lift the coveted title. The entire batting line-up faltered on the day that mattered as KKR succumbed to a heavy defeat against Mumbai in the second qualifier. But that is certainly not where the story ends.
Lynn knows he is in good form and he is hitting the ball well and that in itself will be a major confidence booster. He will be hoping to help his national side in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy and even cement a spot in the Test team in the near future. By the time the next edition of the IPL rolls out, he will be back – older, wiser and certainly more Lynn-Sane!