The IPL, with instant millionaires and lashings of Bollywood stardust, begins its second season on Saturday, thousands of kilometres from home and with controversy raging in its slipstream.

Fans and critics would expect nothing else from this revolutionary form of Twenty20 cricket; it’s either wake-up call or death knock.

With security unable to be guaranteed in India for a sport which is now a frontline terror target, organisers were forced to shift the five-week, eight-team, 59-match tournament to South Africa.

For Eden Gardens and Wankhede, now read Wanderers and Centurion.

Befitting a competition conceived in one of the world’s more volatile sporting regions, the IPL splashes the cash and shrugs off the consequences.

The tournament will not feature any Pakistan players, banned by their own government in the aftermath of November’s terrorist attacks in Mumbai which sparked a deterioration in relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Meanwhile, IPL chairman Lalit Modi, under fire for shifting the event to a different continent, will require his own beefed-up security after reports his life was under threat from India’s underworld.

The IPL’s riches have not been entirely successful in their seduction techniques.

Much to the delight of the traditionalists, the likes of Australians Nathan Bracken, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds will miss the first three weeks because of the ODI series against Pakistan in the UAE.

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey and Mitchell Johnson have opted out of the IPL entirely, preferring to concentrate on the forthcoming Ashes.

Others have no such reservations, however, seeing their talents auctioned off to the highest bidders.

England stars Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff were sold for $US1.5 million ($A2.08 million) dollars each, bankrolled by the new rich of India’s staggering financial transformation.

Pietersen was bought by liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s Bangalore Royal Challengers while Flintoff went for the same price to Chennai Super Kings.

However, both men are required for England’s home series against the West Indies, so will play IPL just for the first two weeks.

Amongst other stars to command huge auction fees were highly-rated South African Jean-Paul Duminy, bought for $US950,000 ($A1.32 million) dollars by industrialist Mukesh Ambani for his Mumbai Indians team to play alongside Sachin Tendulkar.

Shane Warne’s Rajasthan Royals, the 2008 champions, who are partly owned by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, created a stir when they picked up 34-year-old South African Tyron Henderson for $US650,000 ($A900,000) dollars.

Bangladesh seamer Mashrafe Mortaza, whose base price was $US50,000 ($A69,000) dollars, went to Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders for $US600,000 ($A834,000) dollars.

There will be some intriguing line-ups. Warne can call upon old adversary Graeme Smith, the South Africa skipper.

Pietersen, who turned his back on his native South Africa to play in England, has Proteas wicket-keeper Mark Boucher alongside him at Bangalore along with Indian stalwarts Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble.

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was purchased by the Chennai franchise for $US1.50 million ($A2.08 million) in 2008, has Flintoff, Muttiah Muralitharan and Makyaha Ntini.

Delhi Daredevils will be led by Virender Sehwag with a squad which includes the 40-year-old Glenn McGrath.

So far, South African fans seem to be sold on the concept.

The IPL claim tickets for Saturday’s opening double-header in Cape Town between the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals versus Royal Challengers Bangalore, were sold out within hours of going on sale.
Source – news.brisbanetimes.com.au

Kolkata Knight Riders pace spearhead Ishant Sharma has supported his coach John Buchanan’s multi-captaincy idea.

Ishant said the innovative theory could actually help his Indian Premier League side do well in the second season.

Sourav Ganguly was not amused with the idea but Ishant said there was no harm in having four captains as their different ideas could help the team overcome last year’s failure.

“Sourav Ganguly is a good captain but sometimes you need new ideas which Buchannan theory can generate,” he told News24 Channel.

“Buchannan is a very good coach and bit of support from other players can turn the things around for KKR,” he said.

The lanky fast bowler said his IPL side will miss the services of experience Australia captain Ricky Ponting and Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar.
Source – espnstar.com

IPL franchise outfit Kings XI Punjab expect to break even in 2010 after this year’s Twenty20 event could not be held at home.

The second edition of the IPL was shifted to South Africa after the T20 extravagnaza clashed with the general elections.

“We hoped to break even this year before the tournament was shifted to South Africa. By next year we will be very close to break even,” industrialist Mohit Burman, one of the co-owners of the team told a media conference at a function organised to announce team’s title sponsors ‘Emirates’.

Besides Emirates, with whom they have tied up multi-million dollar deal for three years, Kings XI have also tied-up with Gulf Oil, Nimbooz, Netlinkblue, Reebok, Springbok International, Royal Challenge, Dabur Glucose D and Orbit.

More sponsors this time

The number of sponsors for Kings XI this year is more than what they had got last year which was the then highest among all the eight franchise outfits, it was announced.

But getting these sponsors on board this year was a struggle because of the economic downturn, admitted Bollywood actress and co-owner Preity Zinta.

“A lot of deals we were planning got affected. We were close to signing up a few sponsors which got canceled as the event was shifted to South Africa. However, as they say everything happens for the best and we have some top brands on our T-shirt”, she said.
Source – espnstar.com

“Munaf (Patel) did a good job last year. Sidharth Dwivedi is also there and then we also have Shaun Tait this year, so overall I think we would be able to cover up well for Tanvir though I must say he did exceptionally well last year,” Salunkhe said.

Salunkhe who would primarily be in the side as a leg-spinning all-rounder who can use the long handle when the need arises said that he would be looking to bowl a tidy line and length and would primarily focus on control.

“Right line would be crucial”

He said that conditions in South Africa would not assist spinners much and that is why landing the ball in the right areas would be the key.

“South African conditions would not assist spinners so I would try to bowl a good line and length. Control would be the key and I am looking forward to the challenge,” he said.

Salunkhe who plays for Mumbai in the domestic circuit then spoke about his relationship with skipper Shane Warne and what he learnt from the wizard of spin during the IPL’s first edition.

The Mahela dismissal

He also narrated the famous Mahela Jayawardene dismissal during their match against Kings XI Punjab.

“Warne got rid of Kumar Sangakkara and then when I went to congratulate him he asked me to get Jayawardene’s wicket. I was surprised but then he told me what to do and I finally lapped up the wicket”.

“He is a master of the game. He has taught me a lot of things like the slider, the winning attitude, confidence.”

“The only thing which the skipper said was to go and get the batsmen. ‘Do not think about anything else.’ He gave so much confidence that each of us wanted to deliver more than our abilities,” said Salunkhe.

“We are under no pressure”

Salunkhe who has played six T20 matches and has picked up a wicket with a not so impressive economy rate of 9.75 said that the team is under no pressure, though they are the defending champions.

“We will play with the same kind of attitude and would definitely do well this time again,” he said.

Speaking about his career, the 27-year-old said that the IPL matured him as a player.

“I was a novice cricketer when I won the ‘Cricket Star’ competition and was sent to Leicestershire to train but now after the IPL I have learnt a lot and I think I have matured a lot as a cricketer as well. Playing with such biggies and sharing dressing room with players like Warne and Graeme Smith has certainly helped,” concluded the all-rounder.
Source – espnstar.com

Kings XI Punjab captain Yuvraj Singh has admitted that his team’s depleted bowling stocks is a worry ahead of IPL.

Australia fast bowlers Brett Lee and James Hopes were both called up for national duty for the series against Pakistan leaving their availability for the IPL limited to about two weeks in May.

Kings XI’s leading bowler S Sreesanth has already been ruled out due to injury, but Yuvraj Singh is confident the rest of the squad would lift their game.

“We have a good team this season although the worry is the pace department,” Yuvraj said.

Yuvi banking on batting

“However, our batting is pretty strong. We have Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene who are available for the whole tournament.

“We also have Ravi Bopara this year and he can bowl a bit.

“I’m sure they would all rise to the occasion.”

Yuvi keen to repeat his T20 WC exploits

Yuvraj dazzled with the bat during India’s triumph in the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007 and Yuvraj is keen to return to the scene of one his greatest exploits.

“I didn’t do too well on the tour of New Zealand,” he said.

“Obviously, you can’t score big in every series when you are a stroke-maker but I hope to make amends in the IPL. I am keen to test my skills with the bat.

“The pitches in South Africa are all good for batting perhaps with the exception of Durban. The wicket there is a bouncy.

“But individual feats look nice only if your team does well. It’s important to consistently win matches.”
Source – espnstar.com