They're playing our song
Twelve theme tunes for people figuring in this year's IPL
Jamie Alter
17-May-2009
Ganguly ponders the ineffable question posed by Will.I.Am, Apl.De.Ap and the two boringly named members of the Black Eyed Peas • AFP
1. Matthew Hayden
"Man On The Silver Mountain", Rainbow
"I'm a wheel, a wheel, I roll, I can feel - you can't stop me turnin'." Sums up Hayden's career in lyric. He's 37 but looks fitter than he has in years, leads the run-getters' list by a distance, and puts the fear of God in most bowlers. No Dad's Army here.
"Man On The Silver Mountain", Rainbow
"I'm a wheel, a wheel, I roll, I can feel - you can't stop me turnin'." Sums up Hayden's career in lyric. He's 37 but looks fitter than he has in years, leads the run-getters' list by a distance, and puts the fear of God in most bowlers. No Dad's Army here.
2: Brendon McCullum
"Passive", A Perfect Circle
Little substance, little emotion, too little production. What happened, Baz?
"Passive", A Perfect Circle
Little substance, little emotion, too little production. What happened, Baz?
3. Sourav Ganguly
"Where is the Love?", Black Eyed Peas
No matter what Ganguly does, it seems he's always got someone on his back. He was Kolkata's highest run-scorer last season, but they said he couldn't play Twenty20. He's been called a geriatric in the slide-and-dive era. Before this season's IPL started, Ganguly was threatened by John Buchanan's multi-captain theory; just what is it with Australian coaches going after him? Then Kolkata fell apart, and plenty of critics targeted Dada. It's a cruel, cruel world.
"Where is the Love?", Black Eyed Peas
No matter what Ganguly does, it seems he's always got someone on his back. He was Kolkata's highest run-scorer last season, but they said he couldn't play Twenty20. He's been called a geriatric in the slide-and-dive era. Before this season's IPL started, Ganguly was threatened by John Buchanan's multi-captain theory; just what is it with Australian coaches going after him? Then Kolkata fell apart, and plenty of critics targeted Dada. It's a cruel, cruel world.
4. Shane Warne
"Don't Forget My Number", Milli Vanilli
For the one and only Sheikh of Tweak and Lewd Textspeak, Shane Keith Warne, whose fingers have been as famous for tweaking the ball as they've been infamous for keying in dirty messages to the fairer sex.
"Don't Forget My Number", Milli Vanilli
For the one and only Sheikh of Tweak and Lewd Textspeak, Shane Keith Warne, whose fingers have been as famous for tweaking the ball as they've been infamous for keying in dirty messages to the fairer sex.
5. Rajasthan Royals squad
"Clampdown", The Clash
The song that should play every time this team has to hold on to the advantage late in a game as the opposition rallies to pull the rug out from under their feet, or when they look gone for all money but turn around and shock us all. Warne's a genius all right and under him his team have stunned a couple of sides this season.
"Clampdown", The Clash
The song that should play every time this team has to hold on to the advantage late in a game as the opposition rallies to pull the rug out from under their feet, or when they look gone for all money but turn around and shock us all. Warne's a genius all right and under him his team have stunned a couple of sides this season.
6: Jesse Ryder
"Somebody Get Me a Doctor", Van Halen
To help him score again.
"Somebody Get Me a Doctor", Van Halen
To help him score again.
7. Harbhajan Singh
"Fight Music", D12 and Eminem
At 18, he was dismissed from the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore after he complained about the food. In just his second ODI, he gave Ricky Ponting a proper Punjabi send-off, bleeped-out expletives and all. He's cheesed off numerous cricketers, mostly of the Antipodean inclination, and even slapped an Indian team-mate. Let this one blare out loud in South Africa for cricket's scrawniest bully and controversy's favorite child.
"Fight Music", D12 and Eminem
At 18, he was dismissed from the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore after he complained about the food. In just his second ODI, he gave Ricky Ponting a proper Punjabi send-off, bleeped-out expletives and all. He's cheesed off numerous cricketers, mostly of the Antipodean inclination, and even slapped an Indian team-mate. Let this one blare out loud in South Africa for cricket's scrawniest bully and controversy's favorite child.
8: Aakash Chopra/Sanjay Bangar
"Song for the Dumped", Ben Folds Five
Neither contributed when given opportunities, and their exodus from South Africa was seen as a sign Kolkata Knight Riders would crack down on poor performers. Um, there's a few more in there, JB…
"Song for the Dumped", Ben Folds Five
Neither contributed when given opportunities, and their exodus from South Africa was seen as a sign Kolkata Knight Riders would crack down on poor performers. Um, there's a few more in there, JB…
9: John Buchanan
"Say Goodbye", Chris Brown
What song will they play when everyone's favorite coach leaves the locker room for the last time?
"Say Goodbye", Chris Brown
What song will they play when everyone's favorite coach leaves the locker room for the last time?
8. Chris Gayle
"Hey Ya!" OutKast
Cool cat Gayle's got the hooks all right. Rarely does he show emotion on the field, but when he's batting, it's all about the adrenaline under the cold exterior. "What's cooler than being cool?" Andre 3000 hollahs in this smash hit. And the "fellas" respond: "Ice cold". That's our Gayle for you.
"Hey Ya!" OutKast
Cool cat Gayle's got the hooks all right. Rarely does he show emotion on the field, but when he's batting, it's all about the adrenaline under the cold exterior. "What's cooler than being cool?" Andre 3000 hollahs in this smash hit. And the "fellas" respond: "Ice cold". That's our Gayle for you.
9. Andrew Symonds
"On the Wagon" Green Day
Like the song, cricket's answer to bottle-downer Peter O'Toole is a country-ish charmer. Symonds just can't seem to get enough of the good stuff. One minute he's everyone's favorite; the next, he's headed for rehab. Hic.
"On the Wagon" Green Day
Like the song, cricket's answer to bottle-downer Peter O'Toole is a country-ish charmer. Symonds just can't seem to get enough of the good stuff. One minute he's everyone's favorite; the next, he's headed for rehab. Hic.
10. Tejashwi Yadav
"Fortunate Son", Creedence Clearwater Revival
Ah, politics and Delhi. Yadav, son of Bihar's most powerful couple, has found a place in the Daredevils squad despite not having played a first-class match. It's highly unlikely junior will get a game, but his old man, Laloo Prasad, sure does have some clout.
"Fortunate Son", Creedence Clearwater Revival
Ah, politics and Delhi. Yadav, son of Bihar's most powerful couple, has found a place in the Daredevils squad despite not having played a first-class match. It's highly unlikely junior will get a game, but his old man, Laloo Prasad, sure does have some clout.
11. Sreesanth
"Cry Me a River"
The Justin Timberlake version - just cuz it's breakdancin' Sree, of Slapgate notoriety. Sreesanth, who has not played international cricket for the last 11 months due to various injuries, was overlooked for the World Twenty20, ruled out of the IPL, and instead was appointed "fan mentor", i.e. a sort of glorified cheerleader for the side. Then came the fake-IPL-player blog and with it a new nickname. Fed up by his gyrations near the dugout, Punjab's think tank tossed Sreesanth the new ball, and he was promptly carted around in his first two games. Boo hoo.
"Cry Me a River"
The Justin Timberlake version - just cuz it's breakdancin' Sree, of Slapgate notoriety. Sreesanth, who has not played international cricket for the last 11 months due to various injuries, was overlooked for the World Twenty20, ruled out of the IPL, and instead was appointed "fan mentor", i.e. a sort of glorified cheerleader for the side. Then came the fake-IPL-player blog and with it a new nickname. Fed up by his gyrations near the dugout, Punjab's think tank tossed Sreesanth the new ball, and he was promptly carted around in his first two games. Boo hoo.
12. The "Fake IPL Player" blogger
"Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me?" Keith Urban
With hundreds of thousands of readers, who wouldn't indeed? Or at least until his identity is revealed - if it ever is.
"Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me?" Keith Urban
With hundreds of thousands of readers, who wouldn't indeed? Or at least until his identity is revealed - if it ever is.
Jamie Alter is a senior sub-editor at Cricinfo