Indian Premier League will go down as one of the revolutions in the game of cricket. IPL was probably the first big attempt to tectonically change the commercial model of the game. Hence, cricket has now become more viable and, of course, a lot more entertaining.
Maybe when IPL started, very few would have had an idea that the tournament would go so long. Hence, if you look back now, even the small things that happened in the first few seasons become very memorable.
In this article, we take you through one such journey. We recount the first wicket that was taken by each team and the bowler who was the architect behind it.
Chennai Super Kings – Manpreet Singh Gony
Well, hardly anyone knew who Manpreet Gony was before CSK’s first game. CSK’s bowling line-up was looking lean, but Gony was very quick to erase the image. He got Karan Goel out, and it was Parthiv Patel’s catch that supported him to do that. This way, Gony became a proud owner of this distinction.
Delhi Capitals (Delhi Daredevils) – Glenn McGrath
In the first-ever IPL game that Delhi played, it was the Aussie legend Glenn McGrath who picked the team’s first wicket. TS Kohli of Rajasthan was the victim as he gave an easy catch to Mithun Manhas of Delhi. McGrath was brilliant in that game as he just gave away 21 runs in his stipulated quota of four overs.
Kings XI Punjab – Brett Lee
It was actually KXIP that had fielded a better squad that day. Yet, it was CSK who came out victorious. Speaking about KXIP’s first wicket, it was their Aussie import Brett Lee who did the job. The pacer was slightly expensive, but he was still able to extract an edge from the bat of Parthiv Patel. Sangakkara, behind the stumps, collected the comfortable catch and executed the wicket.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Ishant Sharma
KKR had hired Ishant Sharma for a large sum at season one auctions. Chasing a stiff target, RCB were under massive pressure. Ishant made the best use of it and knocked Rahul Dravid over. This way, the lanky pacer became the first KKR player to ever collect a scalp.
Mumbai Indians – Dhawal Kulkarni
It is surprising to note that it was local player Dhawal Kulkarni who bagged the first-ever scalp for Mumbai Indians. It was a game against RCB, and S Chanderpaul was MI and Dhawal’s first wicket. Abhishek Nayar took the catch to assist the team complete the wicket. However, RCB went on to win that game by five wickets.
Rajasthan Royals – Shane Watson
Shane Watson was a revelation when he played for Rajasthan Royals in the first edition of IPL. Not only did the Aussie do a fine job with the bat, but the all-rounder was also equally influential with the ball. Watto was one of the main pillars on which RR’s first edition success was built upon. Coming back to the wicket though, it was not such a memorable scalp for both the player and the team. Watson bowled Sehwag in this game, but neither he nor his team was not able to pick another wicket. RR eventually lost the encounter.
Royal Challengers Bangalore – Zaheer Khan
It also happens to be the first wicket to fall in IPL. The unfortunate one at the crease was Sourav Ganguly, while the record-holder is Zaheer Khan. That said, KKR was still in a good spot despite the wicket. Ganguly fell when there were 65 runs on the board, and Kallis was the player who took the catch and helped complete the wicket. As we are well aware, KKR were the eventual winners of the encounter.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Deccan Chargers) – RP Singh
When RP Singh was at his peak, there were very few better bowlers than him in India. A left-arm pacer, RP Singh was brilliant with his swinging deliveries. Both for India and the Deccan Chargers, the Uttar Pradesh cricketer was an important part for some time. He was also the first player to pick a wicket for Deccan Chargers. The wicket was also a priceless one. Brendon McCullum, who had scored a brilliant century in the first game, was shown the way to the pavilion very early in this game by RP Singh.
