SL players to go: Who will miss whom?

The dilemma now stays as National Duty versus Money. Yeah, “Come back home” says the Sri Lankan Cricket Board to all its players playing in the IPL. Controversy seems to be playing a role here, as this decision is guessed to be taken after the ill-treatment to Rajapaksa and Co during the Finals of WC.

Chennai Super Kings ready for a super start

Chennai Super kings is easily the best franchise in the first three seasons of the mega blockbuster T20 event IPL – This statement at least in my eyes does not need any further proving. Anyway let me relate to you CSK’s eventful journey till this season.
In the inaugural IPL season in 2008, CSK started as an obvious favourite owing to its magical skipper MS Dhoni who already had tasted success as the Indian T20 captain in inaugural T20 WC in year 2007. Based on some consistent performances from both the skipper and the young gun Suresh Raina, the Men in Yellow saw themselves battling in the Final which unfortunately did not go their way and they lost by the closest possible margin.

Royal Challengers up for the challenge

If the first season of IPL for the so called “Test team” was awful and horrific, then the Season two of the tournament was Spledid and Superb, ending up as the runner ups. But, season three looked to be of decent and they fared well. And what now, they have roped in all the important players and stars who were earlier a part of Delhi Daredevils and some really talented young players. This team retained Virat Kohli in all expenses of letting out Kallis, Taylor and other big guys.

Knight Riders- The new Avatar!

After three humiliating IPL seasons Shahrukh Khan left no stone unturned for KKR team selections this year. He did his best in bagging the best performers around. This team of KKR is 100 percent new, fresh,better and formidable comparing the previous seasons. However the team has taken a tough decision by leaving Sourav Dada aside, who was their icon Cricketer in the last 3 seasons, even though his performances were not up to the mark. 

Fierce Mumbai Indians will have a go

Well, you know much about this particular team- The Mumbai Indians. Not many players have changed but some very good guys have joined this already awesome troop.

Okay, lets just have a small recap of what happened to Ambanis’ team in the past season. The first season was anything and everything that they would have forgotten. Sachin Tendulkar’s injury, Harbhajan’s poor Captaincy and Sreesanth controversy, then Shaun Pollock taking the responsibility. Finally, they found some rhythm as Tendulkar returned back ending awful moments. But, sadly they didn’t reach the semifinals. 2009 was no way like Season 1. They got in some key players in the Auction and Transfer window and let out some unwanted players. To be very brief, they fared better than 2008 for sure, obviously. Season 3 of IPL is much to talk about and the finalists Team Mumbai. They played superbly with Sachin top scoring for them. Being the runner ups, they qualified and played the CLT20. Now, its time to watch one of the favourites in this season- Mumbai Indians.

Time for IPL after the Mega tournament

Finally, the Mega tournament of Cricket has arrived at its Destination. What comes out of this 43 day Voyage is the Excitement and Jingoism of some less than 1.2 billion Indian Population (Less than 1.2 billion because there are some Anti- Indian supporters who according to me should be chased out of the country) and apthy of other supporters who were disappointed at last.

The buzz was created all before the World Cup and the stage was set for Team India.Lets not dig into the failures of India, as being positive, as the World Champions, all the failures were overlapped by the mighty success, all of which mattered the most, at last.

True. This World Cup is for the Master Tendulkar. What a moment! The Extreme Moment of exultation, Team India filled with jubliance, the matter of Pride, the feeling of ecstasy on the faces, the time when Gary Kirsten became an Indian, the time when Sachin was carried all over the stadium and above all, Dream of a billion people coming true!

The adrenaline was pumped up 3 days ago when we saw Captain Dhoni scoring six of the last ball. Yet, till today we are cherishing the moment and we will cherish it as long as it is.

But, all of a sudden, we might have to turn our eye balls to some match fixing and money making in the business for the next 55 days. Yeah, the Indian Profit League kicks its mega “Money Making” journey soon on April 8^th.

So, its time for us to enjoy non- stop Movie kind of Entertainment every day till May 28^th. Don’t expect some Cricketing action going on, but some thing which takes away your time. Its not going to be like the World Cup what so ever, here is our IPL with no jingosim but a time where every dog will have its day, every Tom, Dick and Harry will get a chance score runs and take wickets. Nothing more! But yes, it is going to be good.

Some unknown players will play, New players will handle pressure, Match winners will be discovered and above all a team will be crowned to Champions. Along with all, money well be made. Enjoy the so called “Bharat Bandh”. May the best team playing win.

 

Geoff Marsh- Coach of Pune Warriors

Former Australian opener Geoff Marsh has been roped in as the Coach of Sahara Pune Warriors for the Indian Premier League Edition 4.

New Formats for IPL 4

The Indian Premier League saw a disappointing number of spectators mainly because of the longness of the tournament.

We had 8 teams and 60 games this year. Then what do you expect next year? Lalit Modi planned 10 teams and 94 games!!!.Who will watch all 94 games?

SOLUTION:-

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has planned 2 alternative methods credit to NBA.

TWO NEW WAYS:-

1. 10 teams will be divided into two groups, Each of the groups will follow the current away and home method.  The top 3 teams from each group would proceed to a new League- Super Six. Then, the top 4 teams in Super 6 will go to the semis. Poor thing is that the teams which don’t qualify for Super 6 will get only 8 games.
2. The 10 teams would still be in two groups. But, here each team would play the other four in its group twice, once at home and once away, it would also play each team from the other group once. The top four teams at the end of this process would then advance to the semifinals. So, here each team gets a minimum of 13 games.

Asin to become Brand Ambassador of Kochi team?

Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif.etc.etc. Is it enough of Bollywood in IPL? No it isn’t. Because Asin will join the club.

One of the most emerging actress, Asin whose native is Kerala wants to support the Kochi team itself. But the announcements have not yet come from the team owners.

But Reports said:-

Following this, they approached the actress and finally convinced her to be part of the promotional events planned for the cricket team, which will take the field for the next season, in 2011.

Kochi Stadium gets ready for IPL

A new cricket stadium with 50,000 capacity is being built in Kochi under Kerala Cricket Association at Eda Kochi which will be ready only in 2012. So it is not for the Indian Premier League 4.

So, all the renovation works are going on in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, near Kaloor junction which has hosted some ODIs and football matches.

The Greater Cochin Development Authority(GDCA) has intended to finish the renovation works in Nehru Stadium for which the government has sanctioned Rs 4 crore 20 lakh to replace the wornout chairs at the venue.

A total of 22,400 pieces, installed when the stadium was built in 1996, need to be replaced and all the replacement works will start out in two weeks time.

Meanwhile, the painting works are being tendered along with the turfing of the surface. The 2.5 lakh square feet ground is being prepared with a drainage facility that will allow water to drain out in 10 minutes. The system covers a circumference of 800 m.

The top layer would consist of a combination of fine gravel, sand and neopit, made of coconut fibres. Layers of sand and gravel would be used to level the field after installing the drainage pipes.

400 truck loads of Sand and 800 of Gravel will be needed to raise the ground by 25 cm.

Just before the IPL 4, The renovated Stadium will face an ODI between India and Australia.