Ravi Shastri IPL Playoffs Picks & Interview 2024
Ravi Shastri, a key figure in some of India's most memorable cricket moments, brings a wealth of experience to his predictions. With 80 tests and 150 one-day internationals under his belt, he also led India to their most successful period as a test team during Virat Kohli's captaincy. His insights are always worth listening to, as shown in our recent IPL 2024 interview .
Adding onto this, we recently had the pleasure of sitting down with this cricketing great to get his perspective on this Indian cricket season .
How Does the IPL 2024 Playoffs Work?
However, before we move on to that, it's worth remembering how the playoffs are structured in the IPL to assist you as you watch your favourites play in the Indian Premier League .
Here's a detailed breakdown of how the playoffs work:
Top Four Teams Qualification: At the end of the league stage, the top four teams in the points table qualify for the playoffs. The rankings are based on the number of points accumulated during the league matches, with the net run rate used as a tiebreaker if teams have equal points.
Playoff Matches:
Qualifier 1: This match is played between the teams that finished first and second on the points table. The winner of this match goes directly to the IPL final.
Eliminator: This match is played between the teams that finished third and fourth on the points table. The loser of this match is eliminated from the tournament.
Qualifier 2: The loser of Qualifier 1 and the winner of the Eliminator face off in this match. The winner of Qualifier 2 progresses to the final.
Final: The final is contested between the winner of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier 2. The winner of this match is crowned the IPL champion.
This structure rewards the teams that perform well during the IPL league stage by giving them a better chance of making it to the final while still providing an opportunity for the lower-ranked playoff teams to compete for the title.
Ravi Shastri's IPL 2024 Playoff Predictions & Scenarios
Whilst Shastri has recently provided his thoughts and IPL picks to win , he admits that picking a winner of this competition is far from easy. Firstly, the format means that anybody can win a game of Twenty-Twenty cricket.
However, he does back CSK to win should they reach another final. MS Dhoni might be 42 years old and past his silky best, but he is an icon in India, and for good reason. His temperament is second to none, and in the words of Shastri himself, "you can't rule out a team that has MS Dhoni." He also praises the consistent performances of players like Jos Buttler and Ravi Ashwin for the Rajshatan Royals despite their recent dip in form. They have lost their past three games but are still more than good for the playoffs.
We also asked him what he thinks of RCB's chances of making the playoffs. Shastri believes they have every opportunity, especially considering Virat Kohli's form. He acknowledges that they are coming up against a CSK side who simply know how to win, so this will always be a challenge, but if their players stand up on the day, nothing is stopping them from going all the way.
They are the most in-form team in the league, so they have a good chance even though they are up against a CSK side with lots of experience and a winning pedigree. RCB will be hoping that Kohli continues to fire on all cylinders to bolster their playoff chances.
Who Has Impressed Ravi Shastri In The IPL 2024
With so much upcoming cricket , we needed to ask Ravi Shastri about the state of the IPL. We could have talked for hours, but the great man's time was limited. Here are some of the highlights from our interview.
Rishabh Pant was playing his first game since his car accident over one year ago, and not to our surprise, Shastri was quick to heap praise on the mercurial wicketkeeper batsmen. He commends Pant's resilience and mental strength, which he believes are key factors in his impressive performance in this IPL.
"He has not played competitive cricket for a long time, but to come back and put in the kind of performance he has in this IPL is a testament to his skill and also his mentality."
He also reserved special praise for Australian and now SRH captain Pat Cummins, stating that what the man has done for Australian cricket speaks volumes. He has also noted that SRH is now one of the better teams at utilizing the powerplay stages.
"Surprisingly, many teams have changed their captain this season, so picking the one who impressed me the most is tough. But, if I have to pick one, it will be Pat Cummins. What he has achieved as an Australian captain speaks volumes about his leadership skills. He has swiftly turned around the fortunes of an SRH team that finished bottom of the table last year, and now, they have set a standard for other teams on how to bat during the powerplay".
We are always intrigued about who will dominate the cricket stage in years to come, so we also asked Ravi Shastri which debutant he was most impressed by.
"Abhishek Sharma of Sunrisers. His aggression and approach in the first six overs are exciting, and if he keeps it up, it won't be long before he gets called up to the senior team".
We also wanted to gauge his reaction to Rinku Singh's omission from India's T20 World Cup squad.
"Rinku is an amazing player and has performed for India when he was given the opportunity. Unfortunately for him, KKR's top order has batted so well that his opportunities were limited this IPL season. He will be hoping to help his team win the IPL to ease the pain of missing out on the T20 WC squad. He is young and will have many more opportunities to play for India in the future".
For more tips, here at Stake.com, our experts have given their IPL picks and predictions . With this wealth of knowledge, you'll be well equipped to make informed decisions as you watch the pinnacle of the IPL 2024 season live and free on our platform .
