Bridging that sentimental void

The Indian Premier League, as the name itself suggests, isn’t a place to nurse one’s parochial sentiments. It blurs borders and cuts across language barriers within the country.

Someone like Virat Kohli is loved as much, if not more, in Bengaluru as he is in Delhi, his home town. MS Dhoni was perhaps the second most popular person (Rajinikanth always occupies the top slot) in Chennai when he led the Chennai Super Kings while KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir is a much-respected figure in Kolkata.

Yet, there is something charming about home-grown talents. They bridge that sentimental gap between a team, largely made of “outsiders”, and the local support base.
For the last few years, the Royal Challengers Bangalore were acutely short on local component after the high of first three years when as many as five players from Karnataka were regularly part of the playing 11.

While there was no dearth of talent as can be seen with the likes of Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, R Vinay Kumar being snapped up by different franchises, RCB, for some reason, appeared to be disinterested in local players as could be seen even with their bidding pattern. 
        
In the last auction, however, RCB bought all-rounder Stuart Binny and leg-spinning all-rounder Praveen Dubey and got back KL Rahul during a trading window while retaining left-arm seamer S Arvind.

Of the four, Binny, Rahul and Arvind have come to be regulars this season in the starting 11 of RCB who are on the cusp of their maiden title triumph.

In the right place

“We're feeling good,” said Arvind at an informal chat here on Friday. “From where we were in the initial stages, to be here now...we are in the right place. This is my fifth year for RCB. As a local guy, I'm proud and happy to be here.”

While this is the second final for Arvind with RCB, for Rahul it’s his first such big occasion. “Obviously, very proud of the effort,” Rahul noted. “From where we were at the halfway stage to finish in the top two is very satisfying. My first IPL final, and it happens to be at home. Very happy and excited about it,” said Rahul, whose batting has been a revelation this season.

Binny credited the entire set up for RCB’s performance. “Where we were and where we are today -- shows the character that we have. It's exciting, obviously. When we started the tournament, we spoke about being here on Sunday. It started six weeks ago; the journey has been great. It is all about getting in that frame of mind to believe that we can win from any situation. That was the key in a lot of the games, everyone put their hands up. We never had only two or three guys putting their hands up. It is the quiet confidence that takes us into the final,” he analysed.

Binny had been a regular at the now-suspended Rajasthan Royals but he always yearned to wear RCB colours. “For sure,” he said when asked if it was a special feeling being a Karnataka player. “When I got bought in the auction, I jumped out of my chair because I always wanted to play for Bangalore. Bangalore is home to me. It's something that struck me during the first match here. When I walked out to play, I had a lot of pride.”

Rahul echoed Binny’s sentiments. “The same feeling. To play for your home team -- there's nothing more satisfying, nothing that gives you extra motivation than when you walk into the Chinnaswamy. We've grown up playing cricket here. To come back here and help the team get into the final is a great moment for all of us,” he remarked.