IPL 2018: 4 popular commentators who are being missedÂ
Dhoonniii!!! Finishes off in style. A magnificent strike into the crowd. India lift the World Cup after 28 years...parties start in the dressing room. And it's an Indian captain, who has been absolutely magnificent in the night of the final.
No Indian cricket fan can ever forget these lines spoken on-air by Ravi Shastri as MS Dhoni deposited the ball into the capacity crowd at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 2nd, 2011.
Cricket is as much about fantastic visuals as it is about the voice behind the microphone that brings about exaltation and passion amongst viewers. Just try remembering any famous cricket moments and one would realise that most of them are imprinted in our minds along with the person describing that occasion.
We are so used to watching cricket with the commentators in the background that we sometimes underestimate the value that they bring to our experience of following our favourite game.
Cricket commentary is not as easy as it may look from the outside as commentators have to learn a lot of tricks and methods not only to make the coverage exciting but also to get used to the technology involved.
Also, someone who is being watched can have a lot of tricks up his sleeve to flatter the audience, but one who is being heard has his voice and it's modulations as his only armoury.
Since most former cricketers move into the com-box after calling it a day on the field, it takes them time to make the switch from cricketing technique to commentary expertise.
Just like in any other field, commentating too has some greats surrounded by the ordinary ones. Here is a list of five such commentators who, because of the connection they have built with fans courtesy their enthralling skills, are fan favourites and are thus being missed during the ongoing IPL season.
Ravi Shastri
Current India coach Ravi Shastri has done justice to every role that he has served in the cricket world. After serving his country as an able cricketer with all-round ability, he made a big name in the field of cricket commentating.
In his present role as the head coach of the Indian team as well, the Mumbaikar is delivering the goods as the team seems to share with him the kind of rapport required for a sound dressing room environment. In fact, the reason that he has to stay away from the IPL is to avoid a situation of conflict of interest, since an incumbent of the BCCI is not allowed to hold two positions simultaneously.
"In the airrr...Sreesanth takes it. India win! Unbelievable scenes here at the Bull Ring." Shastri's description of the winning moment of the inaugural WT20 in 2007.
He has been the voice behind some of India's most famous victories and achievements. Be it the 2011 World Cup, the 2007 WT20 triumph, Yuvraj's six sixes, or Sachin's ODI double hundred, Shastri has been the common link captivating the viewers on all these momentous occasions.
"First man on the planet to reach 200. And it's the Superman from India" Shastri covering Tendulkar's remarkable achievement of scoring the first double hundred in ODI cricket.
Some of his phrases, which have also been targeted by social media trolls, are his trademark words that he uses in most match situations. These include 'and it races away to the fence like a tracer bullet', 'all three results possible', 'this match is going down to the wire', 'takes the aerial route' amongst others.