Okay, so today I wanted to talk about who the real “baap” of the IPL right now is. You hear it all the time, right? “So and so is the baap!” People online throw that word around like candy.
Started simple. My dumb brain went: “Alright, gotta figure this baap thing. Who owns the league right now?” Not about money, but influence, impact, fear factor, you know?
First step was just looking at names that popped into my head immediately. Virat Kohli? Obviously. Dude scores centuries like they’re warmups. Then Jasprit Bumrah – makes batsmen dance like puppets with his yorkers. Hardik Pandya? Big captaincy talks, hits big. MS Dhoni? Come on, the OG. Even now, the crowd just loses it. Rohit Sharma, another big leader. Suryakumar Yadav? Crazy shots, game-changer.
- Kohli (Bangalore)
- Bumrah (Mumbai)
- Hardik (Gujarat, but moving everywhere lately)
- Dhoni (Chennai)
- Rohit (Mumbai)
- SKY (Mumbai)
Then I thought, stats gotta tell the real story, right? Pulled up some numbers, just the top scorers and wicket-takers from the last few seasons. Kohli smashing records again, Bumrah near the top of wickets. Fine. But…
Got stuck fast. Just looking at top numbers felt too basic. Is scoring the most runs the ONLY thing that makes you the “baap”? What about Dhoni, who barely bats sometimes? The whole stadium chants his name. That’s crazy boss energy!
Made it worse – I actually asked a couple friends who watch loads of cricket. Big mistake. Absolute disaster. One guy yelled “Kohli, period!” over coffee. Another guy kept saying “Bumrah can win a game on his own, easy!” Someone else was like “Without Dhoni calming things down, Chennai’s engine just sputters!” Total chaos.
Then it hit me. This “baap” thing isn’t some trophy you win. It’s messy and emotional. Different people see it totally differently. The batsman lover? Kohli or SKY maybe. The fast bowling nut? Definitely Bumrah. The old-school Chennai fan? Still Dhoni, probably. And Hardik? People love him, people hate him, people argue constantly about his leadership. That’s a kind of power too!
Tried to force it. Sat there thinking “Okay, who gives ME that feeling?” You know, where just seeing them in the middle makes you sit up and go “Uh oh, things are about to happen.” Honestly? Kohli’s intensity is terrifying. Bumrah’s death bowling is ice-cold. Dhoni’s mere presence? Whole different level of control. Couldn’t pick just one.
Finished up feeling kinda stupid. Wanted to name one king, one clear “baap”. But the IPL? It’s like a damn superhero team up. There are several bosses walking around, each owning their corner. You get legends like Kohli and Dhoni still doing their thing, absolute giants like Bumrah changing games in 6 balls, and maybe a new boss like Hardik trying to carve his space. Asking for one name? Forget it. It’s the whole darn bunch ruling things right now.
