The collective object of ridicule leading into the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League were a side that, for starters, dropped the plurality from their name. Rising Pune Supergiants became Rising Pune Supergiant. In a starkly unpopular move, they demoted their captain, MS Dhoni. Steve Smith being named his replacement - one who was the lead black hat in Australia's four-Test tour of India - ensured they were now the popular be'te noires. The final straw then was the INR 14.5 crore investment in England all-rounder Ben Stokes. The move left, some in awe, some in envy, and others, jeering.
IPL 2017 REVIEW
The joke on RPS lay on the naysayers in the end
They were a side that chopped and changed at the start, but had figured out the right combination, eventually playing unchanged sides unless forced. © BCCI
After 47 days of the IPL 2017, though, what Pune did successfully, was join the bandwagon of busting the myth of batsmen being the sole match-winners in the Twenty20 format. Struggling at first to get their combinations right, they barely tweaked it in the second-half. Languishing in the bottom half after a handful of games, with the threat of history repeating itself in their second year, they finished as runners-up in the tournament, from last but one in 2016.
It was hardly the case of individualistic brilliance; more the case of a myriad of pieces that came together to complete their puzzle. It started at the top, with the exceptional, and evident,
