Mumbai Lose Again!!

What an Innings by Adam Gilchrist..Brad Haddin must be thankful To GOD that Adam Gilchrist called of retirement early as the way Gilchrist played yesterday was a mark of a marauder.Adam didnt play well in the first three matches as in the true sense one doesnt have time to settle down and one has to fire from the second ball if not the first one..VVS lAksman did play well but IT WAS Adam's innings which made him comfortable and he could play second fiddle and the way he wanted to play..With Herschelle Gibbs doing a piece of Commentary when speaking to Arun Lal during the match was speaking of 6 Sixes in a match and also pointed out that Adam could play well in the match and Herschelle got one of his predictions right..

However Mumbai looks in distress and with the next match versus the strong Sourav led team ,Mumbai would be hoping to win the match although chances against Kolkata Knight Riders seem to be at an all time low.


Adam Gilchrist ignited the DY Patil Stadium with the fastest century of the tournament as the Deccan Chargers raced to their first win. The battle between the two bottom-ranked teams was a no-contest once Gilchrist teed off, and Deccan charged to an emphatic ten-wicket victory in the first major game at the stadium.

Andrew Symonds had got a century off 47 deliveries the previous game but Gilchrist needed only 42 as he decimated the weak Mumbai Indians' attack on a small ground. The intent was aggressive right from the word go, and Gilchrist made use of short deliveries in the first over from Ashish Nehra, dispatching one over square leg and the other through cover point.





Pulls and cuts were played with ease as Mumbai's quicker bowlers erred in their length, and after six fours, Gilchrist hit his first six, lofting Sanath Jayasuriya over deep midwicket. Siddharth Chitnis, the off-break bowler making his Twenty20 debut, was spared by going only for 12 in the last Powerplay over, but Shaun Pollock, leading Mumbai in Harbhajan Singh's absence, was taken apart once the field restrictions were off.

Gilchrist savagely pulled Pollock over the deep backward square-leg boundary for consecutive sixes, the first bringing up his first Twenty20 fifty. The shot that followed pierced the off-side boundary, and Gilchrist then nonchalantly moved across the stumps to launch one over long leg, making it 23 for the over.

Abhishek Nayar's arrival was greeted with three sixes, the third over midwicket brought up the hundred, and more astonishing was the fact that he had reached the mark as early as on the stroke of the tenth over. From then on, victory was just a formality, and Deccan reached their target with 44 balls to spare, both indication of the fury that had been unleashed. At the other end, VVS Laxman scored just 36 in a stand of 155, easily the highest of the tournament. Mumbai might have been at the receiving end, but the home crowd too cheered what had been an enthralling innings. Ninety-six of Gilchrist's 109 came through boundaries, making it a busy day for the Deccan cheerleaders, who were sporting a new outfit.

A new home ground and a new captain surely didn't bring about a turn of fortunes for Mumbai, and Deccan justified Laxman's decision to field first by restricting them to 154. Laxman's captaincy had come under the hammer after three consecutive losses, but on Sunday he was right on the ball. He was quick to shuffle around his bowlers, who to their credit, backed up their captain's decision with some good bowling.

It was only the string of 30s from the middle order that helped Mumbai reach 154. Pollock made a run-a-ball 31 to revive the innings, but it was the quickfire 34s from Abhishek Nayar and Dwayne Bravo that ensured the Mumbai bowlers had a decent total to defend.

Sanath Jayasuriya and Luke Ronchi had failed to make an impression in earlier games, and they were kept quiet once again, despite the short boundaries, by RP Singh and Nuwan Zoysa. Ronchi hit three fours, but fell attempting to slash a wide delivery angled across from RP, edging straight to Laxman at slip.

Sanjay Bangar was brought on in the fourth over, perhaps to help Zoysa change ends, and Ajinkya Rahane, another Twenty20 debutant, pulled straight into the hands of Pragyan Ojha at deep square leg. The next move from Laxman though was a masterstroke. Shahid Afridi was brought on in the final over of the Powerplay, and he had Robin Uthappa caught behind. At the end of six overs, Mumbai were tottering at 27 for 3.

Jayasuriya had made only 4 of his first ten deliveries, and one pitched short from Zoysa fetched him his first boundary, which came off his 14th. But, once again Afridi did the damage, Jayasuriya got a top edge as he tried to power a googly through the leg side. The onus was then on Pollock to hold the innings together, but he too couldn't stay till the end.

Nayar smashed three sixes in his 19-ball innings, as 45 runs came in the overs 14 to 16. But he top-edged to Gilchrist while trying to hook Zoysa. Bravo too managed to find the gaps, and was out for 34 off the last ball of the innings as Mumbai finished on 154. However, with the form Gilchrist was in, even 254 would have been tough to defend for Mumbai, who now have four losses after four games, and sorely need Sachin Tendulkar to return.

Kolkata Lose Third Match.

Matthew Hayden's second half-century of the IPL sealed an easy win.

I have always felt that it was a good result for Kolkata as there were some predictions making the rounds that those who win this encounter could get complacent in the latter stages and in a way Kolkata can now sort the weaknesses and play accordingly ...What was great was the dedication of Ashok Dinda who ran after every ball at sweeper and it was heartening to see his committment..Its absolutely amazing to see Wriddhiman Saha ,another local boy to come up with good performances.Anyway Dhoni's boys have done well and the next encounter between them could turn the tables ...And Sourav Ganguly will bounce back..



Chennai Super Kings went on top of the table after an efficient performance from the bowlers - reckoned to be the team's weak link - set up a convincing nine-wicket victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders. After Kolkata were restricted to 147, Matthew Hayden's superb unbeaten 70 ensured there were no hiccups in making it three wins out of three.

Jacob Oram and Muttiah Muralitharan were the stand-out bowlers for Chennai, but the Indian bowling contingent backed them up well. Oram nailed the explosive pair of Bendon McCullum and Ricky Ponting early to give the huge home crowd something to shout about. Muralitharan's restrictive spell - he finished with figures of none for 12 from four overs - then frustrated the visitors and ensured Oram's good work wasn't wasted.

Kolkata were reeling at 70 for 5 after ten overs, with all their marquee names dismissed, and in danger of getting bowled out without utilising their full quota of overs. Laxmi Ratan Shukla, though, ensured they avoided that embarrassment as his late-order hitting earned 39 runs off the last four overs.

The early impetus for Kolkata was provided by Brendon McCullum, who silenced the crowd with some brutal hitting. There were no half-measures as he raced to 24 off 12, reclaiming the orange cap for the tournament's leading scorer in the process, before holing out to Suresh Raina at extra cover off Oram. Ricky Ponting's dismal run continued, falling for a duck as he drove his first ball straight to Raina at cover.

Kolkata's other wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha took the baton from McCullum, making a streaky, quickfire 27 - a top-edge off Manpreet Gony flew over the wicketkeeper for four and a similar shot off the next ball went for six. His luck then ran out and he was bowled by a ball that jagged back in.

Despite losing wickets, Kolkata's run-rate still hovered around ten after six overs, and with David Hussey and Sourav Ganguly in, a big score was still on the cards. The next four overs, though, emphatically handed the advantage to Chennai, as only 11 runs were given away and both Hussey and Ganguly were removed.

Ganguly, who had been starved of the strike when McCullum and Saha were blazing away, was cramped for room by Muttiah Muralitharan's leg-stump line and struggled to get the ball away. He finally fell for a scratchy 12, in the 10th over, gifting a catch to S Badrinath at cover after failing to pick a slower one from Joginder Sharma.

For a team which has run up scores over 200 in both their games so far, this was a straightforward chase. Hayden and Parthiv Patel, while not at their fluent best, put on the biggest opening stand of the tournament as they motored to 66 in 8.2 overs, peppering the offside boundary. While this was nearly the same number of runs Kolkata had managed at a similar stage, by keeping their wickets in tact, Chennai made sure they were well in control of the game.

Ajit Agarkar then demonstrated his penchant for taking wickets again, getting Patel to top-edge a catch to Ishant Sharma at fine leg. Hayden had struggled early on with his timing but soon displayed his trademark power-hitting, going on to his second consecutive fifty. He and Dhoni, who promoted himself to No. 3, eschewed the risks and calmly chipped away at the target, never allowing the run-rate to get out of hand. Towards the end, with the result beyond doubt, they opened up to take Chennai home with 19 balls to spare.

THE business of IPL

Cricket is a sport that to me is played in the Subcontinent..The emotions ,the drama and the scornful remarks that the cricketers have to face are unimaginable more so In India.Cricket was always special to India starting from Maharaja Ranjit Singhji who played for England in late 1800s and then India winning the Prudential World Cup in 1983 under the leadership of Kapil Dev made Indians proud of their overseas victory when India during those times were looked down upon by the West and when the first Maruti 800 Car was rolled out which was considered as royal luxury then.India then got more and more recognized and while other sports dwindled in the international circuit ,Cricket never took a backseat..


Money was a big hurdle but Jagmohan Dalmiya changed this during the 1996WC where television rights proved to be a money spinner and from then on BCCI is now among the richest sporting bodies in the world.

Underpaid athletes and maladroit administration ensured that sports other than cricket didn’t get enough public interest ..The fact that recently India failed to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and I am talking about the hockey team will obviously ensure that the public stays hooked on to cricket as there is no other alternative where Indians can proudly say “Jeetega bhai Jeetega India Jeetega”

The English premier league is very popular in urban areas of India which shows that with the right package and the right people and a visible scope of rooting for a team ensures that any sport under any format is and can be a success.


Cricket has now entered the entertainment industry and with integration of media and sports Cricket has turned into a industry by itself where anyone associated with it certainly ends up making munificent amounts of Money .Cricket may lose its originality with Test cricket being in the sidelines and 50-50 cricket also being given less importance ..20-20 cricket which has different connotations and one being Chaddi cricket could either revolutionize the 22yard game or prove a disaster if not managed properly in collaboration with the best brains in the business and the former cricketers keeping aside Ego and other obstacles that could jeopardize Cricket.


With money pouring in from all possible revenue generators ,sponsors in their hunt for maximum visibility with a great brand usually laoth from infusing money in other sports which indirectly lose out in the battle in the survival of the fittest which in this case is Cricket.

In other countries,Football is religiously followed although there is sufficient craze for other sports too..In the US,baseball is a huge game whereas back home in India baseball events In the US is not even aired in India let alone people being aware of the game.Basketball is another sport where players become household names and I was a big fan of basketball and it was only later I loved cricket more than anything else simply because we had a basketball court in school and I was a part of the strong basketball team where everyone aspired to play for La Lakers or Sacramento Kings .

In the UK,John Wilkinson was all over British papers as he was the main man behind England’s success in the Rugby world cup in 2006.Now how many of you know that Rahul Bose who is a well known actor in Bollywood is the captain of the Indian Rugby team..

Countries across the world have a sporting culture which Indians are deprived of.Most of the Breaking news in News channels is associated with Tendulkar reaching a fifty or Ganguly being dropped from the ODI squad which ceases to amuse me as I myself swear by cricket.

Now Lalit Modi being the IPL Commisioner who is being credited with making billions of dollars even without a single bowl being bowled might destroy the White Attire cricket from the game may be 20 years down the line in an effort to make colossal amounts of money and globalise the game .I myself is in an tricky situation as I want more countries to take part in this game of cricket and dream of a Brazil playing Against India with cricket being a global game but at the same time I would also want to see the Likes of Sourav Ganguly scoring a classy 87 on a dusty and variable bouncy pitch where other batsmen find it difficult to hang around.


But the IPL fever Is catching on.Did the Ipl fever catch you or are you waiting for the next test match to be played ? please do write your comments and suggestions for my blog and certainly bookmark it for new updates and articles.

Mumbai Indians.

The Mumbai Indians team was the most expensive team and the owner of the team is the Second Richest Indian and he is none other than Mukesh Ambani according to the latest Forbes Rankings.The Mumbai Indians have the most prized possession in the form of Sachin Tendulkar and with the presence of Harbhajan Singh ,Robin Uthappa and Sanath Jayasuriya Mumbai Indians could find themselves at the top of the IPL standings if most of these star performers click together.

The Mumbai Indians have not won the first match against the Royal Challengers which is disappointing but the Tournament is long so there is every possibility of making a strong comeback.

I would like to pick my Fab Five who could make a difference for their team during the 45 day extravaganza.

1.Sachin Tendulkar-



Sachin Tendulkar is synonymous with Cricket just as Pele is to Football..Sachin Tendulkar by the time he retires would break and set records which would be close to impossible for the future cricketers to overhaul.Sachin has the most number of centuries in both forms of the game and he also is the leading run scorer in ODIs and is on the verge of surpassing Brian Lara for the most runs in Test Cricket.Sachin has some unfinished business in the shortest version of the game and he would be itching to do well.Sachin could also be handy with his off and leg breaks and add some variations to the team apart from leading the Mumbai Indians side.

2.Sanath Jayasuriya-



He has been for many years now the bane of the bowlers world wide,more so the Indian Bowlers ,especially between 1996-2002.The great Sri Lankan will be the dynamite on which the Mumbai Squad will he hoping to explode .Jayasuriya can hit on the up,cut over point for six,loft the bowlers over the head and play the trademark flick over square leg for a six..More than the runs he can put up on the board ,it is the devastating manner in which he can score them can puncture the confidence of the bowlers .He is also a regular spinner which means more spin options for the Mumbai Team.

3.Robin Uthappa-



One of the stars for India in the T20 WC in South Africa,Uthappa can delight and destroy.If he holds back his instinct of shuffling too much early on which makes him a candidate for an LBW then he can really take away the game from the opposition Team and smack balls at will regularly out of the park.Uthappa is a brilliant fielder too which can certainly keep the running of the opposition batsmen in check.

4.Harbhajan Singh-


Harbhajan Singh is coming off a very successful tour of Australia .He might have some acrimonious relationships with the Aussies but that could be a great motivating factor in bringing out the best in him when he bowls against Symonds especially.Harbhajan could be a handy bat apart from his economical bowling so don’t be surpised if he does a cameo and powers his side to a win .
5.Lasith Malinga-



Lasith Malinga was one of the stars of the 50-50 WC 2007 and his slinging action caused lots of trouble for even the Top batsmen to play .Lasith Malinga could be a handful as his quick pace and his ability to reverse swing the ball could drive the batsmen to play silly shots and gift their wickets..

The Mumbai Indians Squad


Captain-Sachin Tendulkar


Indian Players-Harbhajan Singh,Robin Uthappa,Abhishek Nayar,Ajinkya Rahane,Ankeet Chavan ,Ashish Nehra,Dhaval Kulkarni,Gaurav Dhiman,Manish Pandey,Musavir Khote ,Pinal Shah,Rohan Raje,Saurabh Tiwary,Sidharth Chitnis,Swapnil Singh,V Yelligeti,Yogesh Takawale,Rajesh Pawar.


Overseas Players-Shaun Pollock,Loots Bosman,Sanath Jayasuriya,Lasith Malinga,Dilhara Fernando,Ashwell Prince,Luke Ronchi,Dominic Thornley.

Coach-Lalchand Rajput.

Kings X1 Punjab

The Kings X1 Punjab was roped in by a consortium of investors which included Ness Wadia who owns the Bombay Dyeing Group as well as the Britannia brand of Biscuits ,The Apeejay Surrendra Group and to give it the glam quotient Preity Zinta came in.The Kings X1 Punjab has a good mix of local talent like Karan Goel and 20-20 specialists like Yuvraj Singh in its ranks.

I would like to pick my Fab Five who could make a difference for their team during the 45 day extravaganza.

1.Yuvraj Singh-



The dashing left hander who is the captain of the team as well will be its lynchpin ,Yuvraj is possibly the most explosive batsman in this format of the game.His exploits in the T20 World Cup are still fresh in public memory.From 20 T20 games Yuvraj averages 28.05,but his strike rate of 139.11 that makes him a potent weapon.


2.Brett Lee-



The 31 yr old Aussie fast bowler is the best in the business.Over the years,Lee has developed into a complete bowler who can move the ball both ways without cutting down on speed.He also possesses a well concealed slower delivery which is a pretty handy ball when the batsmen go for the leather.Lee will be the spearhead of the team and in current form could be a devastating in the IPL.

3.Kumar Sangakkara-



Coming into the Sri Lankan side as replacement for Romesh Kaluwitharana,the 27 year old wicket keepers batsmen has carried the legacy of the island nation churning out explosive players who excel in dual roles.His strike rate of 142.39 in T20 ,which is even better than Yuvraj’s ,is a testimony of his talent in this format of the game.


4.S Sreesanth-



S Sreesanth is known for his dancing moves and his angry young man look but he certainly is no stranger when it comes to picking up wickets with the seam position upright which makes him a dangerous bowler to play when he gets it right.He is wayward at times but no one can discount on the breakthroughs he can provide during crucial stages of the match.He would form the pace attack along with Brett lee and hope to create havoc on opposition ranks.

5.Ramnaresh Sarwan-



Sarwan is riding high on his success as he scored some important runs and played a crucial role in beating Sri Lanka back home.Sarwan might not be the dasher but he certainly can add that element of solidity in the middle order .Ramnaresh is also quick on the field and could add zing to the team which is lacking in other teams.



Kings X1 Punjab Squad-

Captain- Yuvraj Singh


Indian Players-Irfan Pathan,Piyush Chawla,Sree Santh,Ramesh Powar,Sahil Kukreja,Wilkin Mota,Yash Gandhi,VRV Singh,Karan Goel,Uday Kaul,P Dharmani,Sunny Sohal,T Srivastava,Ajitesh Argal,Rishi Dhawan,Mohd Mudasir,Nitini Saini.


Overseas Players-Brett lee,Simon Katich,James Hopes,Luke Pomersboch,Kyle Mills,Ramnaresh Sarwan,Kumar Sangakkara,Mahela Jayawardene.


Coach –Tom Moody

Royal Challengers Squad

The Royal Challengers Might be named Royal But the team composition is far from being Royal .Picked up by the Liquor baron Dr Vijay Mallya ,The Royal Challengers team didn’t spend their money well as the team mainly comprised of players not suited for the shortest version of the game mainly because of their classical style of play.The Team has an acute shortage of players who can really slog although Misbah Ul Haq and Cameron White are proven T20 performers .The absence of allrounders could pose a problem for the Royal Challengers.

The Royal Challengers should be looking for a top 4 finish at the least but winning the championship could be a tough task .


I would like to pick my Fab Five who could make a difference for their team during the 45 day extravaganza


1.Misbah Ul Haq-



The cool and calm Pakistan Player was left out of the first round of the player’s auction.One bad shot prevented him from being the Hero of Pakistan and the Player of the Tournament..The Right Hander is innovative in the way he devices new shots and can up the ante at will.Misbah has an average of over 50 from nine T20 internationals with a strike rate of 127.

2.Mark Boucher-



Mark Boucher has been a name to reckon with as he has had a fantastic wicket keeping record and to further add to his CV his batting is good as any regular batsmen and he has been the cornerstone of the South African Team .He played a crucial role in chasing down the 434 total set up by Australia and his brisk scoring has made him an indispensable player.He has a strike rate of 84 in ODIs which goes to show how handy a player he can be down the order .

3.Praveen Kumar-



He’s the new face donning India colours and one of the success stories of the Tri- series triump Down Under.An exceptional swinger of the new ball ,be it red or white ,he was snapped up by the Bangalore team which seemed to be one of the positives in the selection process.Praveen comes from a family of westlers and his built certainly suggests his rich sporting lineage.Praveen also knows how to swing the bat and could be a handy player for the Royal Challengers.

4.Cameron White-



Cameron White has quite a big reputation Down Under and until that splendid innings by Brendon McCullum the other day Cameron White held the highest score in a T20 match.Cameron White could be a major player for the Royal Challengers as his phenomenal strike rate of 200 could push any opposition to the brink of defeat.He is also a handy spinner so could be a great bonus to the team.

5.Dale Steyn-



Dale Steyn recently climbed atop the Test Rankings for Bowlers following his impressive performance during the last year or so..He was the only bowler who kept on bowling at excess of 140 kph even under searing hot conditions during the recently concluded India-South Africa series.Dale Steyn because of his sheer pace could unsettle the batsmen early on and by the time the batsmen reads him well he might have well completed his quota of four overs and place The Royal Challengers at a comfortable position.

The Royal Challengers Squad-

Captain-Rahul Dravid


Indian Players-Anil Kumble,Zaheer Khan,Wasim Jaffer,Praveen Kumar,Sunil Joshi,B Akhil,Vinay Kumar’Devraj Patil,Bharat Chipli,KP Appanna,B Arun Kumar,Virat Kohli,Srivats Goswami.


Overseas Players-Jacques Kallis,Mark Boucher,Dale Steyn,Nathan Bracken,Cameron White,Shivnaraine Chanderpaul,Misbah-Ul-Haq,Abdur Razzaq,Ross Taylor.

Coach-Venkatesh Prasad.

Hyderbad Deccan Chargers.

The Deccan Chargers is owned by the Deccan Chronicle Group and has some of the most dangerous group of marauding batsmen who can win the match for the Hyderabad Team anyday.The Team comprises of the most expensive overseas player in the form of Andrew Symonds and also has one of the all time great wicketkeepers Adam Gilchrist in their ranks .

The Hyderabad team is not done yet as of now as they also have the fastest centurion in the 50 over game who is known to us as Shahid Afridi and a young Mumbaikar who recently played a crucial role in India winning the Tri series in Australia in the form of Rohit Sharma.With RP singh and Chaminda Vaas to lead the pace attack for the Deccan Chargers ,Kolkata Knight Riders and the Chennai Super Kings will have to slog out to capture the Title.

I would like to pick my Fab Five who could make a difference for their team during the 45 day extravaganza

1.Andrew Symonds-




Andrew Symonds was picked up by the Hyderabad team for a million dollars with a definite reason.He not only can tear apart any bowling any given day but also can roll over his arm and has an uncanny knack of picking up wickets and not to forget his above average fielding skills which makes him a trump card for the Hyderabad Team.He plays at an abnormally high pace in Test cricket and his batting style suits the shortest version of the game perfectly.Andrew Symonds could also unsettle the opponents by using his vocal cords too if needed.

Given the rancor and and bitterness during the Aus-Ind series two months back,he would certainly like to make amends in front of the Indian crowd and win over the hearts of the Hyderabadi team atleast.

2.Adam Glichrist-



Adam Glichrist retired both forms of the game after briefly holding the record for most dismissals only to be later outdone by Mark Boucher.The legacy that he has left behind is truly colossal and will always be remembered as a great gentleman who played in the spirit of the game although his fellow mates never backed of from “mental disintegration” of opponent players.Gilly has always played memorable knocks and his centurion knocks in the last Two 50-50World Cup Finals will go down in history as some of the best under pressure knocks.Adam Gilchrist being a very flexible player given the fact that he opens the innings for Australia in the ODIs and bats lower down the order will certainly be a bonus for the Hyderabad team.

3.VVS Laxman-



The captain has quite a few points to prove.the foremost that he can still carry his weight in the shortest version of the game.That he did not play in the 2003 World cup still rankles the right hander and so does the fact that he was ignored for the ODIs after the South Africa tour,where he was rushed in as the vice captain.He gets a chance to prove his disparagers wrong on many counts.

4.Rohit Sharma-



As I am writing this Rohit Sharma hits a magnificent 60 odd in half the balls faced and takes the Hyderabad to a total of respectability.Having cut his teeth on the competitive Mumbai grounds,he had the pundits effusive with his ability to soak pressure and proved the saying when the going gets tough,the tough gets going.The composure he has displayed in crunch situations is commendable.

5.Chaminda Vaas-



The Sri Lankan continues to flabbergast all with his longetivity.He has been an indefatigable performer ever since he made his ODI debut in 1994.Fourteen years is a long time in international cricket and it is a tribute to his fitness and skill that continues to contribute handsomely to the team’s cause.The Lankan would be looking to make an early impression in the league .

The Deccan Chargers Squad-

Captain-VVS Laksman

Indian Players –Rohit Sharma,RP Singh,Sanjay Bangar,Y Venugopal Rao,N Arjun Yadav Dwaraka Ravi Teja,Pragyan Teja,Pragyan Ojha,D Kalyankrishna,P Vijay Kumar,Haladhar Das,Sarvesh Kumar.

Overseas Players-Adam Gilchrist,Andrew Symonds,Herschelle Gibbs,Shahid Afridi,Scott Styris,Chaminda Vaas,Chamara Silva,Nuwan Zoysa.

Coach-Robin Singh.

Chennai Super Kings

The Chennai Super Kings was picked up by the India Cements Group.The Chennai Super Kings has a nice amalgamation of established international players like Muthiah Muralitharan and Matthew Hayden along with utility players like Jacob Oram and local Indian Boys like Suresh Raina and S Badrinath.

Chennai Super Kings has won several polls conducted in several News channels and websites as to “Which is the best team in IPL” and there is a strong possibility that Chennai Super Kings Under the Leadership Of MS Dhoni could play at the finals in Wankhede.


I would like to pick my Fab Five who could make a difference for their team during the 45 day extravaganza.

1.Matthew Hayden-



He was the highest scorer in the 50-50 WC 2007 and bullied the bowlers with his dominating and attacking style of play.He was 35 then but he shows no signs of stopping .Matthew Hayden in the recent India Australia Series was the highest scorer for Australia and proved to be quite a thorn in India’s flesh to get rid of.Matthew Hayden scores at breathtaking pace and if he stays on for the first half an hour Chennai is already on the driver’s seat for sure ..


2.Muttaih Muralitharan-



Muttaih Muralitharan could turn the match on its head given his spin wizardry and if he gets his doosra right ,I wouldn’t be surpised if Batsmen retire with their bats up in the air.I haven’t come across Murali being hit for a six at ease by any batsmen and it would be interesting to see many interesting shots being invented to combat Murali better.Murali has always been the trump card for the Sri Lankan Captains and once Murali gets going ,he bags quite a lot of wickets .


3.Jacob Oram-



The swash buckling allrounder would be a regular for the Chennai X1 as he is fluent with both batting and bowling.His Big Hitting came into the limelight during the 50-50 WC 2007 when he took many a great bowler to the cleaners .His bowling has also been top notch picking up wickets at important junctures.His allround ability makes him indispensable to the team and its fortunes.Jacob Oram could come in handy if he bats at lower middle order or during the last five overs of the Team’s innings as he could up the ante at will and try hitting sixes as a warmup session for his bowling spells ..


4.Michael Hussey-



Michael Hussey has the highest Test average of around 80 which is only second best to Sir Don Bradman.Michael Hussey took the place of Michael Beven and there were many question marks about the selection criteria but Michael Hussey showed character and his consistent performances have made him an essential member Of the Australian Squad in both forms of the game.Michael Hussey has had a good series back home versus the Indians and his discerning brain makes him a good candidate for the middle order position .


5.Makhaya Ntini-



The Most loved Sportsperson back home at South Africa could be the bowling spearhead for the Chennai Super Kings .His experience and his good pace could prove to be quite a handful for the opposition teams as they try figuring out how to play him better.Makhaya would be banking on his vast levels of experience to get the better of the other teams and given his level of professionalism ,Makhaya could strike early during the innings and provide the perfect platform for Murali to rip through the middle order.


Chennai Super Kings Squad-

Captain-MS Dhoni

Indian Players-Parthiv Patel,Joginder Sharma,Suresh Raina,Lakshmipathy Balaji,S Badrinath,R Ashwin,Sudeep Tyagi,S B Jakati,S Vidyut,Abhinav Mukund,Napoleon Einstien,Arun Kartik,Jaydev Shah,S Suresh Kumar,P Amarnath,Anirudha Srikkanth.


Overseas Players-Matthew Hayden,Mike Hussey,Stephen Fleming,Jacob Oram, M Muralitharan,Albie Morkel,Makhaya Ntini.

Coach-Kepler Wessels.

Rajasthan Royals Squad.

Rajasthan Royals was snapped up by the Emerging Media and it turned out to be the most inexpensive franchise.

Lalit Modi being the Commissioner of the IPL and also being the Head of the Rajasthan cricket Team thought of floating a Rajasthan Team.but The Rajasthan team lacked ownership which had buffer cash in its reserves and also the acumen to get the best cricketers suited for the T20 game .Although the Jaipur Team has an attacking player in the form of Graeme Smith ,the rest of the player just make up the numbers .


I would like to pick my Fab Five who could make a difference for their team during the 45 day extravaganza.

1.Graeme Smith-



Graeme Smith recently overtook Hansie Cronje to become the highest capped player as a captain for South Africa.Graeme Smith has been an able leader and under his leadership South Africa climbed atop the Team ODI rankings twice and is currently the NO 1 TEAM in ODIs which is a commendable effort.Graeme Smith is an attacking player and likes to dominate the proceedings which makes him the most valuable player for Rajasthan as he recently broke the highest opening stand with Neil Mckenzie against Bangladesh..

Graeme could provide the initial firepower for the Rajasthan team and his innings could be crucial for the Desert Team.

2.Yousuf Pathan-



Yousuf Pathan is the elder brother of his more famous sibling Irfan Pathan.Yousuf Pathan has done exceedingly well in the Ranjis last year and was the main reason for Baroda reaching the semi finals .He struck a couple of centuries and also took five wicket hauls which catapaulted Baroda his home state atop the Group B standings.Yousuf Pathan played in one T20 international match during the World Cup and scored some 10 odd runs but a huge six was enough to suggest an upcoming talent was gearing up to be playing for India some day in the future in Test and ODI cricket on a regular basis.

His allround abilities make him a good value addition to the beleaguered Rajasthan team.

3.Shane Warne-



Shane Warne is one of the greatest spin bowlers of all time.He has had his share of controversies although his on field performances has earned him the respect of many great players .Shane Warne given his cunning style of bowling could be a major threat to opposition batsmen but his inexperience at the T20 level and his average performance in ODIs could be a loophole that could give his rivals camps a sigh of relief.


4.Morne Morkel-



Morne Morkel has been a great find for the South Africans and his recent performances against India in Indian conditions could prove to be a huge advantage for Morne Morkel.Morne Morkel could be a major nuisance for the batsmen if he uses his height to his favour.He already being accustomed to Indian conditions has gained invaluable experience and his bowling action being economical could frustrate the batsmen and force them to play risky shots and eventually bag wickets .

5.Mohammed Kaif-



His recent batting performances led UP to many memorable victories including his performances in the Duleep Trophy.His captaincy is top class although untried at the international level mainly because he found himself to be out of favour with the National Selectors.He recently got a India call up which could boost his confidence just before the IPL gets underway.He is the priciest Rajasthan player and he would be willing to justify his price.His fielding skills is something which every Indian player wish for and therefore his dexterity in the field could be a deciding factor and don’t be surpised if he takes a couple of wickets courtesy run outs effected by him.



Rajasthan Royals Squad-

Captain-cum-Coach-Shane Warne

Indian Players-Mohd Kaif,Munaf Patel,Yousuf Pathan,Pankaj Singh,Siddharth Trivedi,Swapnil Asnodkar,Neeraj Patel,Mahesh Rawat,Ravindra Jadeja,Taruwar Kohli,Sumeet Khatri,Anup Revandkar,Dinesh Salunkhe.


Overseas Players-Graeme Smith,Younus Khan,Shane Watson,Dmitri Mascarenhas,Morne Morkel,Kamran Akmal,Sohail Tanveer,Justin Langer.

Kolkata Knight Riders

The Kolkata Knight Riders Team was bought by SRK or Shah Rukh Khan and I do not need to say anything about King Khan who is just all over Television these days riding high on the success of CHAK DE! INDIA and OM SHANTI OM..

The SRK mania still lives on and with SRK at the helm of the KKR TEAM expect some full on entertainment and if the KKR video is anything to go by ,IPL has certainly been encroached by the Bollywood bigwigs.The Kolkata team is a star studded one and with Young guns like Ishant Sharma leading the pace attack and Veterans like Sourav Ganguly slated to open the batting for the Kolkata team,Don’t be surprised if the SRK-DADA team win the IPL .


I would like to pick my Fab Five who could make a difference for their team during the 45 day extravaganza.


1.Sourav Ganguly-



Sourav Ganguly is currently the best batsmen in the world given his stupendous form in the last 16 months .Be it dust bowls or bouncy pitches ,Sourav has stamped his class and has shown his spirit of Dadagiri all over the world with renewed vigour .Although T20 could be a format that Sourav might face some snags early on ,it is not his batting quality that makes me pick him ahead of all others but it is his Leadership qualities that could prove to be a major factor swinging the balance in favour of the Kolkata Knight Riders team..His superior comeback skills is also a great quality that would get absorbed by his teammates and expect strong fightbacks from the Kolkata team even when the team is on a major backfoot.His superior understanding of cricket made the other team owners envy as the Kolkata team picked up star and efficient cricketers whose game is perfectly suited for the T20 format.Ganguly’s mental game is so superior, I find it difficult to comprehend as to how the other teams would outdo Ganguly and his team..


2.Chris Gayle-



He is the only centurion in the T20 international format of the game .He struck a whirlwind century in the first game of the T20WC 2007 and could be the dangerman and someone whom the opposition teams would go on overdrive to configure a plan for him to better understand his strengths and weaknesses.Chris Gayle is sort of a bully and his dominating presence would strike fear in any opposition camps and his strong all round play could be a major headache for the rival camps.He is also known for his GOLDEN ARM as he strikes at important junctures and it is this allround ability of his that Sourav could use to great lengths and more importantly give that added zing to the team.


3.Brendon Mccullum-




He is the most expensive player from the Black Caps and Sourav certainly is a shrewd campaigner to understand a player’s worth.The New Zealand Keeper has had a fantastic 2007 and a major pain for Australia .Brendon McCullum could come in handy in the closing stages if he doesn’t open for the Kolkata Team.As I am writing this he scored the highest score in a T20 game and proved his worth and his callous batting could spell doom for the opposition bowlers as he moves on to gear 6 from the first ball itself .Brendon McCullum is also a very good wicket keeper as he can extend the batting lineup for the Kolkata Knight Riders Team.


4.Ishant Sharma-



He is India’s great Australian discovery.He is the only bowler who swung the favour in India’s balance during the Australian Tour and his rising delivery that comes into a batsman is a major worry for the world’s greats which Ricky Ponting got a taste of.He was India’s highest wicket taker in the Australian ODI series and his ability to bowl express fast is a major bonus and he will be the bowling spearhead for the Kolkata Knight Riders Team .So expect Ishant Sharma to pose quite a lot of problems for the likes of Sachin Tendulkar or a Rahul Dravid.


5.Laxmi Ratan Shukla-



He made his debut for India at a very young age of 17 and since then Lady Luck seems to have frowned upon him .It has been 9 years since his debut and now at still a young age of 26 he could be itching to prove his value at such a stage .He has been a prolific scorer for the past 2 months and scored heavily in the run up to IPL.His Big hitting is not known to everyone and don’t be surprised if you see him scoring at breathtaking pace.He is also a good bowler and his allround abilities add an extra option for Ganguly to utilize in a tactical manner.


The Kolkata Knight Riders Squad-

Captain-Sourav Ganguly

Indian players-Ishant Sharma,Akash Chopra,Ajit Agarkar,Murali Kartik,Iqbal Abdulla,Siddharth Kaul,Cheteshwar Pujara,Yashpal Singh,Laxmi Ratan Shukla,Sourashish Lahiri,Rohan Banerjee,Debabrata Das,Wriddiman Saha.

Overseas players-Chris Gayle,Brendon McCullum,David Hussey,Shoaib Akhtar,Ricky Ponting,Umar Gul,Tatenda Taibu,Salman Butt,Mohd Hafeez.

Coach-John Buchanan.

Delhi Dare Devils Squad.

The Delhi Daredevils was bought by the GMR group, which recently won the contract to build the Delhi airport, and is moving up the ladders in the infrastructure industry. Not getting too much into GMR, the Delhi Daredevils has a good combination of attacking batsmen and economical bowlers.

I would like to pick my Fab Five who could make a difference for their team during the 45 day extravaganza.

1.Virender Sehwag-




He is the only Indian to score 2 triple hundreds in the longer version of the game and he is part of an exclusive club with a membership strength of 3 which includes Brian Lara and Sir Don Bradman..But the thing that sets him apart is that he is the fastest TRIPLE CENTURION and the way with which he wields his weapon and bulldozes bowlers all over the park is something which only VIRENDER SEHWAG could do.So expect some pyrotechnics in full flow when he dazzles the crowd all over the world with his merciless batting .



And don’t forget he was the first captain to lead India in a T20 international and the result didn’t disappoint him too.

2.Shikhar Dhawan-






He was the star of the U-19 world cup and his meticulous batting display top of the order during the tournament earned him a place in the Delhi Ranji Side.He recently struck three figure scores in the domestic circuit and in the absence of Virender Sehwag [who was on national duty fighting it out against the Australians a couple of months back] made a puissant combination with Gautam Gambhir for the Delhi Ranji Side which explains Delhi’s Success at the Ranjis last year.

A young talent and IPL could be the perfect springboard in his career to show his talent at the world stage and under the captaincy of Viru could come up with strong performances.

3.Manoj Tiwary-



Manoj Tiwary has been a star in the domestic circuit for a couple of years now.Strong Individual performances backed with some good team work ensured Bengal reach 2 finals in three years although 2007 was disappointing by his standards.He had an average of 99 odd in the Ranjis in 2006 and followed it up with notable performances in Duleep Trophy and The One dayers and earned a call in the India 20-20 squad for the 2007 World Cup..But a shoulder injury kept him away from the limelight for quite some time.Many say he was an expensive buy for the Delhi DareDevils team but Manoj Tiwary with his attacking style of play and leg breaks in addition to being a good fielder could see him as a major player to shift the balances in favour of the Delhi DareDevils team at the IPL .

4.Gautam Gambhir-



Gambhir has certainly matured very fast and with sensible and consistent performances for the past 6 months, Gambhir has cemented his place at the ODI team and is breathing down the neck of Wasim Jaffer for the second opener’s slot..Gambhir was the architect of India’s success story at the T20 WC 2007 as he was the tournament’s second highest scorer and scored a crucial 70 odd runs against Pakistan in the T20 WC 2007 Finals.Gambhir doesn’t come through as a slam bang cricketer but looks deceive as he can up the ante once he gets his feet moving .Gambhir is one batsmen who along with Virender Sehwag would form an ideal mix of caution and aggression as an opening pair.

5.Glenn McGrath-


The Pigeon could be quite a handful for the opposition batsmen as history says he is the most economical fast bowler in the world .His immaculate line and length over and over again posed huge problems for batsmen during the 50-50 WC 2007 as he became the highest wicket taker in the series when cricketing pundits wrote him off.Glenn would look to leave an impression in the shortest format of the game and he is not someone who could be taken lightly by the opposition team..Glenn Mcgrath could turn out to be a star performer for the Delhi Daredevils team.

The Delhi Daredevils Squad-

Captain-Virender Sehwag

Indian Players-Gautam Gambhir,Dinesh Karthik,Manoj Tiwary ,Shikhar Dhawan,Rajat Bhatia,Amit Mishra,MayankTehlan,Mithun Minhas,Yo Mahesh,Pradeep Sangwan,Tejeswi Yadav,Yogesh Nagar.

Overseas Players-Glenn McGrath,A B de Villiers,Shoaib Malik,Mohd Asif,Tilekaratne Dilshan,Brett Geeves ,Daniel Vettori,Farvez Maharoof.

Coach-Greg Shippard.