Indian Premier League Teams - Deccan Chargers

The Deccan Chargers are an Indian Premier League team based in Hyderabad-the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Appropriately, the logo of the chargers is a raging bull. Indeed, the chargers hope to raze all opposition on their way to a consecutive IPL title in 2010. Composed of a star-studded line-up and a reputed coaching staff, Deccan are almost guaranteed to reach the semi-finals of the third IPL edition.

Owned by Deccan Chronicle and established in 2008, Deccan's team colours (from 2009) are midnight blue and silver, with blue being the dominant colour. Previously, the team used beige and black. The Chargers have two home stadia in Hyderabad-the Rajiv Ghandi International Cricket Stadium (Home of the Hyderabad Cricket Association/ capacity 55,000) and the ACA-VDCA Stadium (46,000). However, because of a controversial decision to move matches out of Hyderabad for security reasons, the Deccan Chargers will play their home games at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur (Capacity, 45,000) the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai (Capacity, 55,000).

== Brief IPL history ==

Deccan made their IPL debut in 2008 as favourites to win the title. They had Shahid Afridi, Andrew Symonds, Herschelle Gibbs, Adam Gilchrist and Chaminda Vaas in their 2008 squad. However, in the first season, Deccan failed spectacularly, earning the wooden spoon at the bottom of the IPL standings. 2009 was a year of change for the Chargers-change which started from the top with Australians Darren Lehmann and Adam Gilchrist taking over the role of coach and captain respectively. West Indians Dwayne Smith and Fidel Edwards joined Deccan's ranks, propelling them to the title in IPL 2009.

== Star attractions of the Chargers Brigade for 2010 ==

Adam Gilchrist (captain, AUS), Andrew Symonds (AUS), Ryan Harris (AUS), Chaminda Vaas (SL), Herschelle Gibbs (SA), Scott Styris (NZ), Kemar Roach (WI), Dwayne Smith (WI), VVS Laxman (IND), RP Singh (IND), Fidel Edwards (WI), Venugopal Rao (IND) and Rohit Sharma (IND).

== Deccan Coaching staff==

Head Coach: Darren Lehmann

Assistant Coach: Kanwaljit SIngh

Fielding coach: Mike Young

Physiotherapist: Dr. Sean Slattery

Conditioning coach: Steve Smith

== Players ==

Batsmen: Adam Gilchrist (captain and wicketkeeper), VVS Laxman, Herschelle Gibbs, Rohit Sharma, Rahul Sharma, Azhar Bilakhia, Monish Mishra, N Yadav, DB Teja, T Suman, Anirudh Singh

All rounders: Andrew Symonds, Mitchell Marsh, Dwayne Smith, Venogopal Rao, A Reddy and B Sumanth

Bowlers: Kemar Roach, RP Singh, Chaminda Vaas, P Ojha, Ryan Harris, Harmeet Singh

* Fidel Edwards is currently injured, after aggravating an injury in the 2009 Airtel Champions League

With the biggest hitters in world cricket and a bevy of handy all rounders and strike bowlers, opposing teams might find it difficult to halt the charge of the bulls from Hyderabad in IPL 2010.

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Indian Premier League - Reasons For Its Popularity

With the ability to fill cricket stadiums, attract between 7 million and 24 million television viewers for a single match, the Indian Premier League's (IPL's) popularity is beyond question. IPL commissioner, Lalit Modi, would have been pleasantly surprised at the resounding success of a tournament that only aimed to out-perform the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). The success of the IPL is not down to chance but a combination of factors and circumstances.

== IPL's appeal to the Indian market ==

With a population exceeding one billion and a cricket-mad society, India is the most lucrative market for cricket in the world. The Indian Premier League is essential an Indian tournament that was meant to be played with India. The IPL's popularity owes a great deal of its lustre by being attractive to a large percentage of cricket fans in India. In the 2008 edition of the IPL, the stands were packed to capacity as the locals turned out in droves to support their local franchises. Even when the 2009 IPL was held in South Africa, viewership was still worthy enough because it still got traction with Indian viewers.

== The T20 product ==

Since its introduction in England, the T20 product took off-even before the Indian Premier League was formed. Domestic T20 competitions were the rage in England, South Africa and the West Indians already, demonstrating that there was a vibrant, untapped market for the shorter form of the game. The shortest form of cricket is exciting and action-packed. Viewers and spectators do not have to spend an entire day watching a game and it makes use of the prime time slot nicely, so folks can enjoy a match after work and still have time left over. The T20 game eliminates the meandering middle overs of the 50-over game and accentuates the pressure. With only 120 legal deliveries in an innings, the pressure is one from the start. Cricket fans already loved the T20 format-the IPL merely took advantage of the tide.

== Use of star players ==

Even before the IPL, fans loved the idea of seeing the best players from around the world. Recall the Super Series that pitted the mighty Australians against an ICC World team comprised of superstars from other cricket playing countries. The IPL brought together international stars on the Indian circuit. Fans got to witness Sanath Jayasuriya and Sachin Tendulkar opening the batting in a team that included Dwayne Bravo and Shaun Pollock.

Other stars like Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Jacques Kallis populated IPL teams, in addition to the star Indian players like Harbhajan Singh, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag-the list can go on and on. Even when the international players in the IPL were not stars, the IPL franchises were able to recruit the best T20 players from other leagues who made a name for themselves in the IPL. The use of star players from around the world increased the global appeal of the tournament.

== Other innovations ==

The IPL included some novel innovations that kept followers interested. The concept of an auction for players was something new to cricket. The prices the players fetched in the auction added to the spectacle and excitement of the tournament. IPL organisers involved Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty in the franchise initiative with great success and integrated dancers, music, and ensured that each franchise was geographically linked to an area. As such, the Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians were based in Chennai and Mumbai respectively, facilitating parochial support. Such innovations were carefully done in order to maximize the appeal of the IPL to the Indian market and the global audience as well.

== Conclusion ==

The list of reasons for the IPL's success can go much further, but the main reasons are its star attraction (in the ownership and players), market, the product offered and well-considered innovations. Arguably, the major draw of the IPL is its international appeal and global following that was demonstrated in the success of the second edition, which South Africa hosted.

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South Africa - Venue For the Indian Premier League Cricket (IPL) Tournament

First played at county level in England during 2003, Twenty20 is the latest version of the ancient English game of cricket. An innings consists of 20 overs and bowlers can only bowl a maximum of four overs each. The action packed game lasts three hours and is shorter than a baseball game.

Fears for the safety of players in India has presented cricket fans in South Africa with a golden opportunity. The second series of the Indian Premier League Cricket tournament will be played in SA from 18 April - 23 May 2009 and the economy could be improved by a much needed R 100 million, according to economists. An estimated 400 players and Indian officials visiting SA for five weeks will inject about R 12 million into hotel turnover, and that's not counting the numerous fans who will travel from India to support their teams. Around 30 000 hotel rooms will be occupied during the 59 matches while domestic flight between the host cities will probably be overbooked. South Africa will be one of the few countries where tourism is not in the doldrums in 2009.

Together with the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup which kicks off in SA in mid-June this year, the IPL Cricket constitutes a fantastic dress rehearsal for the FIFA 2010 World Cup. It gives South Africans an opportunity to test the accommodation arrangements, airports, public transport as well as the often criticized safety and security aspects of hosting such large sports events. But IPL's Lalit Modi said that the Indians had complete confidence in the security situation in SA. England was considered as a possible venue but its unpredictable weather made South Africa the obvious choice. The SA public loves cricket and SA hosted the first Pro20 World Cup successfully, which counted in South Africa's favor.

The matches in SA will be spread over six venues countrywide with the opening match scheduled for Newlands in Cape Town. Ticket prices will be extremely affordable with the most expensive tickets costing around R 220.

All said this tournament promises to be a cricket bonanza for local and international fans alike.

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Indian Premier League 2010 Auction

The IPL 2010 auction was not expected to be as exciting as the previous two auctions. After all, all the major players like Kevin Pietersen, Jaques Kallis and Sachin Tendulkar were already on the books of the franchises. However, there was some anticipation, since 12 Pakistan players, including the likes of Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul, were part of the 2010 auction. The IPL 2010 auction also included returning players from the Indian Cricket League-providing some big name prospects like Shane Bond and Mohammad Kaif.

Although the auction for the third IPL edition was less anticipated than the previous two, its repercussions were far greater. It was defined by surprise selections (or non-selections) and adequate controversy. The big story from the auction was that not a single IPL franchise bid for a Pakistan player. However, the non-selection of prominent players like Brad Haddin, Graeme Swann, Doug Bollinger and Shakib Al Hasan were also a feature of auction 2010.

== Auction results ==

When the dust settled, the player movements were as followed:

Kieron Pollard ($750,000 + undisclosed sum in silent bid): Mumbai Indians

Shane Bond ($750,000 + undisclosed sum in silent bid): Kolkata Knight Riders

Kemar Roach ($720,000): Deccan Chargers

Wayne Parnell ($610,000): Delhi Daredevils

Mohammad Kaif ($250,000): Kings XI Punjab

Eoin Morgan ($220,000): Royal Challengers Bangalore

Damien Martyn ($100,000): Rajasthan Royals

Justin Kemp ($100,000): Chennai Super Kings

Adam Voges ($50,000): Rajasthan Royals

Thisara Perera ($50,000): Chennai Super Kings

Yusuf Abdulla ($50,000): Kings XI Punjab

Ashok Meenaria (Rs 800,000): Royal Challengers Bangalore

Harshal Patel (Rs 800,000): Mumbai Indians

Harmeet Singh (Rs 800,000): Deccan Chargers

Kings XI Punjab began bidding with $700,000 because they bought West Indian, Adrian Barath, for $50,000.

== Highlights ==

The highlights of the draw were the non-selection of Pakistan players, good international players and the prices fetched by Kieron Pollard, Shane Bond, Kemar Roach and Wayne Parnell. Four franchises-Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore-had silent bids for Pollard. Mumbai made the highest bid and acquired the services of the big hitting batting all rounder for 2010. Pollard's final price was a well-kept secret. Deccan and Kolkata submitted silent bids for Shane Bond, with Kolkata being successful on that occasion. Three franchises bid for fast bowler, Kemar Roach while only two bid for Wayne Parnell. The 2010 auction would likely be remembered for the periods or marked silence when the auctioneer announced certain names.

== Notable ommissions ==

With only 11 slots available and 66 players in the auction, it was inevitable that many players would be disappointed. Indeed, the IPL 2010 auction was more about who was not picked than who was actually auctioned. In addition, the IPL franchises had a limited number of slots and a restricted purse as well. The owners claimed to base their selections on availability and the needs of the team, hence the omission of the following key players:

Shahid Afridi, Brad Haddin and Graeme Swann were in Pool A-the pool with the highest base prices. Their non-selection was a shock. Shakib Al Hasan, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Doug Bollinger, Sohail Tanvir, Phillip Hughes, Kamran Akmal, Umar Gul and Rana Naved were other notable omissions-a commonplace occurrence in that auction.

== Conclusion ==

Although the IPL 2010 auction ran according to form with the bidding on Pollard, Bond, Roach and Parnell, it was overshadowed by the omitted players and the controversy, dubbed the "conspiracy of silence", surrounding Pakistan players.

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The Indian Premier League - Underbelly of Sleaze Money

The Indian cricket league has fired the imagination of people all over the world. For once cricket which was poor sport in relation to golf and football has become at par with them. This is no doubt because of the Indian cricket league; cricket has become the power house of the game as far as finance is concerned.

But all is not rosy and underneath the underbelly black money and flaunting of foreign exchange regulations is perhaps more the rule than the exception. Some time back Mahesh Bhat that intelligent Mumbai producer had produced 'Jannat' a movie with cricket and its nexus with betting and match fixing as its background. The movie brought out the connection between black money and cricket.

'Jannat' was only a story, but the sad part is that it is turning out to be real. The toll has been heavy to start with. Shashi Tharoor the Junior Minister in the Indian cabinet had to resign last month. Whether he had any significant role to play or was only a front man may not be established. But the result of Tharoor's resignation has wide ramifications. Available evidence certainly suggests that all is not well with the financial dealings of the premier League.

The matters that need to be probed are no longer limited to the last auction where the Kochi team were the winners, but needs to cover the entire league which is under a cloud of suspicion. A clean up of the cricket establishment led by the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and its child the IPL has become essential. The BCCI has acted and suspended Lalit Modi as the CEO of the ICL. But this may not be enough to find out the route of black money from the Gulf into this game.

Cricket in India is more of a religion and has a tremendous following. Thus when the idea of the IPL was mooted it was thought that it would give a much needed boost to cricket at the grass roots level. More money was expected to flow in and the lgame of cricket was expected to benefit with better pay packets for cricketeers at the grass roots level. But the organizers were perhaps too naive or careless and allowed slush funds and sleaze money to flow in as a natural corollary.

The Income Tax sleuths and the Intelligence Bureau are on the track. But seeing their past record not much can be expected,as the names involved are so big that the entire political equation will go for a somersault.

However the IB has confirmed that money has come in from the gulf. This is a disturbing thought and one is perturbed that a gentleman's game is reduced to such dire straits. It is a pity that an intelligent man like Shashi Tharoor also became part of this syndicate. But there are many more in the wings whose identity is hidden. The game needs to be nurtured carefully, otherwise the gains of the last 2 years may just be a mirage. The fear that gangsters holed up in the Middle East with their betting rackets may capture the league can not be dismissed out of hand.

Cricket is a gentleman's game and the world over is associated with fair play and good conduct. It will be a disaster if this noble game is allowed to degenerate into a haven for sleaze money and betting syndicates. The present lot of people at the helm has some hard decisions to make. Some steps have been taken like the suspension of Lalit Modi, but a lot more needs to be done. Will they have the courage for it? It will not be easy and the concerned persons may just be hoping that the dust settles down. If this happens there is a real chance that everything will go under the carpet. That will be sad indeed.

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Indian Premier League Teams - Royal Challengers Bangalore

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is an IPL franchise team based in Bangalore, India. Dr. Vijay Mallya, an Indian businessman and billionaire, is the owner of the franchise, which was established in 2008 as an original IPL team. The logo of the Royals is a simple shield with the gold letters RC on a red background in the centre, surrounded by a gold circle. Bangalore's watchword is "strategy". Given their runner-up finish in IPL2, it is likely that their long-term strategy for building a solid T20 team is bearing fruit.

As found on their logo, the Challengers use a red kit with golden yellow trimmings and strips. For the third edition of the IPL, RCB will use the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which has a capacity to seat approximately 50,000 persons. Established in 1969, the Chinnaswamy Stadium is operated by the Karnataka Cricket Association.

== Brief IPL history ==

RCB had a real challenge in their first IPL season, as an abysmal run of form saw them finish next to last in the group stage. Although they had players of the calibre of Anil Kumble and Jacques Kallis in their squad, the Challengers only managed to win 4 matches out of 14 in 2008. In 2009, change was on the horizon as former South Africa coach, Ray Jennings, took over the mantle from Venkatesh Prasad. RCB showed a marked improvement in IPL 2, although that had little to do with the efforts of the most expensive player in the league, Kevin Pietersen. Under the captaincy of Indian stalwart, Anil Kumble, Bangalore went straight to the finals to challenge Deccan Charges-only to lose a tight match by a mere six runs.

== Star attractions of the Royal Challengers Bangalore for 2010 ==

Anil Kumble (captain), Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen (ENG), Robin Uthappa, Virat Kohli, Jacques Kallis (SA), Ross Taylor (NZ), R van de Merwe (SA), Mark Boucher (SA), Eoin Morgan (ENG) and Cameron White (AUS)

== Coaching staff==

Head Coach: Ray Jennings (SA)

Assistant Coach: Vijay Bharadwaj

== 2010 Kings XI Punjab Squad ==

=> Batsmen

Virat Kohli, Robin Uthappa, Rahul Dravid, Ross Taylor, Kevin Pietersen, Manish Pandey and Eoin Morgan

=> All Rounders

Dillon du Preez, Jacques Kallis, Roelof van der Merwe, Cameron White, Praveen Kumar, Balachandra Akhil, Sridharan Sriram, Steven Smith

=> Wicket Keeper

Mark Boucher and Shreevats Goswami

=> Bowlers

Anil Kumble (Captain), Dale Steyn, Vinay Kumar, Ahimanyu Mithun, Bhuvanesh Kumar

== Outlook ==

The strength of the Royal Challengers team lies in its batting. The bowling attack is good but it lacks the depth and quality that could endure 14 IPL games in two months. Injuries to players like Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis would leave the bowling considerably weaker. Notwithstanding that, the RCB franchise is a serious challenger for a semi-final spot and possibly another Champions League place. They would surely love to get the opportunity to compensate for their abysmal run in the Airtel Champions League after their promising runner-up finish in IPL2.

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An Indian Cricket Paradox Resolved

Maybe the reasons for the decision are not exactly right. But a paradox is definitely resolved now.

Rahul Dravid, the former Indian cricket captain who was called the wall for his solid anchoring, last played a one day international (ODI) in October, 2007. His defensive approach was no longer considered to be suitable for ODI cricket and so was axed.

But, the IPL (Indian Premier League) that came into being in February 2008 made Rahul Dravid one of the five highest paid icons. IPL is twenty20 meaning you have only twenty overs to build an innings in a match. Naturally, this is supposed to be tougher than ODIs where you have fifty overs. Now, if you are unfit for fifty over match, how on earth could you be considered not only fit but fit for an icon too for twenty20 cricket. A paradox was thus created.

After India's debacle in the T20 world cup of 2009 there was continuous talk about Rahul's 'experience' and 'solidity'. Rahul is kind of a player whose dogged anchoring in building an innings never gets highlighted in so many wins of Team India. Some dashers who get the momentum from him manage to win the man of the match awards. The Wall always remains abandoned at the end.

On August 16, 2009, Rahul Dravid makes it to the 15 of Team India selected for the ODI Tri-series in Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy in South Africa, both scheduled for September, 2009.

Rahul is past 36. Under his captaincy the Royal Challengers did miserably in IPL-1. Though in IPL-2 the same team worked wonders, Rahul was no longer the captain and his performance showed only sporadic brilliancy. There were two major mistakes in the T20 debacle; selection of unfit Virender Sehwag and somewhat forcing Rohit Sarma into the role of an opener. While Sehwag only contributed to the team's low morale and never played a match, Rohit was a string of abject failures. And that made the selectors look for 'experience' and 'solidity'.

A paradox is resolved indeed. But how paradoxical it turns out to be in the final reckoning remains to be seen.

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Indian Premier League Teams - Rajasthan Royals

Iconic Australian leg-spinner, Shane Warne, and IPL franchise team, Rajasthan Royals, are almost synonymous. Warne, the player/coach of Rajasthan Royals is indeed the King of wrist spin and Jaipur (the base of the Royals) was a princely state under British rule. The logo of the Royals is a majestic looking emblem with two lions on either side of two Rs. Rajasthan underscored their status by winning the inaugural IPL.

Blue and gold are Rajasthan's basic colours, with blue being the dominant hue. Emerging Media are the majority owners of the Royals, while Shilpa Shetty, of Bollywood and Celebrity Big Brother fame, and her husband are co-owners of the franchise. For the third edition of the IPL, Rajasthan has two home venues-the Sawai Mansingh Stadium (SWS) and Sardar Patel Stadium (SP). SWS is a 30,000-seater venue in Jaipur while SP is a 48,000-seater stadium in Ahmedabad.

== Brief IPL history ==

Rajasthan Royal had a fairytale run in the inaugural IPL. They were rank outsiders for the title, having one of the weakest squads on paper. No one expected them to make it to the semi-finals even. On the back of bamboozling spin and astute captaincy/coaching from Shane Warne, the Rajasthan Royals squeaked past Chennai Super Kings in a thrilling last-ball victory to cop the first IPL crown and justify their billing as Royals. However, the Royals were ignominiously dethroned in IPL2, failing to reach the semi-finals of that event.

== Star attractions of the Rajasthan Royals for 2010 ==

Shane Warne (AUS), Graeme Smith (SA), Shaun Tait (AUS), Dimitri Mascarenhas (ENG), Morne Morkel (SA), Johan Botha (SA), Damien Martyn (AUS), Yusuf Pathan and Munaf Patel

== Coaching staff==

Head Coach: Shane Warne(AUS)

Performance Coach: Jeremy Snape (ENG)

Physiotherapist: John Gloster (AUS)

== 2010 Kings XI Punjab Squad ==

Batsmen

Graeme Smith, Adam Voges, Damien Martyn, Michael Lumb, Swapnil Asnodkar, Faiz Fazal, Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Syed Quadri, Amit Paunikar, Sumit Narwal

All Rounders

Yusuf Pathan, Shrikant Wagh, Shane Watson, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Abhishek Raut

Wicket Keeper

Naman Ojha

Bowlers

Shane Warne (Captain), Shaun Tait, Johan Botha, Morne Morkel, Munaf Patel, Siddharth Trivedi, Kamran Khan, Amit Singh

Just as in their first season, the Rajasthan Royals have an average team on paper. Apart from Munaf Patel and Yusuf Pathan, the Indian players on the team are unknown and untested. Shane Warne bolstered the batting by buying compatriot and former teammate, Damien Martyn, in the IPL 2010 auction. Given that the IPL 2010 is back in India, Rajasthan might be able to use more homegrown talent more effectively in familiar surroundings. At the outset, a semi-final spot seems to be a royal battle for Rajasthan.

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Indian Premier League 2010 - Back In India

The last two editions of the Indian premier league has made a unexpected impact on the mind of the people. People love to see the match of IPL rather than watching a 3hr movie. After the last tournament, which was held in South Africa IPL is coming back to India in March 2010 with more passion and glamour.

The auction of the player for the Indian premier league 2010 was held in India on 19th January 2010. There were 66 players for the final auction list after the selection of the players by the franchises. The highest bid player of Indian premier league was Kieron Pollard, the all rounder of West Indies and Shane Bond, fast bowler of New Zealand, who was bought for $750,000. Mumbai Indians bought Kieron Pollard and Kolkata Knight Riders took the Shane Bond. The most dramatic part of the auction was that not a single Pakistani player was bought by any franchises for the premier league 2010.

Two new guidelines has been set up for when team can take their two-and-a-half minute strategic time out in IPL 2010. The bowling team can use it in between sixth and eighth over while the batting side can choose the same in between 11th and 16th over.

The mid inning strategic time out has also been changed, because of the criticism occurred in Indian premier league 2009. It has been reduced from seven-and-a-half minute per side. Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman has accepted that the time out has been revised just because important players like Sachin Tendulkar has stated that long break hampered the team's momentum. So get ready for the great excitement in IPL 2010.

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Indian Premier League Teams - Delhi Daredevils

The Delhi Daredevils are the Delhi franchise of the Indian Premier League. The logo of the franchise is a fiery ball and its motto is "Dare to succeed." Although Delhi has not as yet dared to reach the final of the IPL, they hope to blaze all comers-more with the bat than the ball, unlike what their logo suggests. The Daredevils have four Indian stars in their squad and a handful of reliable international players to complement them. Like every other franchise, they are serious contenders for a semi-final spot-but they are not expected to reach the 2010 final.

Owned by GMR Chronicle and established in 2008, Delhi's team colours are dark blue and red. Their home stadium is Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi-a ground with a rich history in India, having been established in 1883. The Delhi District Cricket Association owns and operates the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 48,000.

== Brief IPL history ==

Having been formed in 2008, the Delhi Daredevils do not have as rich a history as the home stadium. However, in the first IPL season, Delhi seemed to have an enviable squad, with Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir opening the innings and a strong bowling attack with Glenn McGrath, Mohammed Asif and Daniel Vettori. However, Delhi flattered to deceive as they only managed to make the semi-finals. Like their logo suggested, the Daredevils were on fire in 2009, dominating the league and finishing atop the standings. However, they faltered in the semi-finals and only qualified for the 2009 Airtel Champions League by virtue of their stellar finish in the group phase.

== Star attractions of the Daredevils squad for 2010 ==

Gautam Gambhir (captain), Dinesh Karthik, Virender Sehwag, Ashish Nehra, Tillekeratne Dilshan (SL), David Warner (AUS), AB de Villers (SA), Wayne Parnell (SA), Dirk Nannes (AUS), Moises Henriques (AUS), Farveez Maharoof (SL), Paul Collingwood (ENG)and Andrew McDonald (AUS)

== Delhi staff==

Head Coach: Greg Shipperd (AUS)

Assistant Coach: David Saker (AUS)

Trainer: Rob Walters

Physiotherapist: Justin Steer

Assistant physiotherapist: Benjamin Shipperd

Manager: Aashish Kapoor

Performance analyst: Trent Woodhill

== 2010 Delhi Squad ==

Batsmen:

All rounders: Andrew McDonald, Farveez Maharoof, Moises Henriques, Shashi Ranjan and Rajat Bhatia

Bowlers: Ashish Nehra, Amit Mishra, Aavishkar Salvi, Pradeep Sangwan, Umesh Yadav, Sarandeep Singh, Dirn Nannes, Wayne Parnell, S Ladda

The Delhi daredevils have arguably the best top order in the IPL. The first-choice bowling attack is quite strong, although a couple injuries could leave their attack susceptible to violent batting of the superstar batsmen from other franchises. Delhi can expect another strong finish in the group stage. Whether they can erase the disappointments of the previous IPL seasons by reaching the final at least is left to be seen.

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Indian Premier League - Club Cricket, But Incredible Marketing Success

What a dream run! Indian Premier League (IPL) has taken centre stage in the world of cricket. Who would have believed that a couple of years ago? Indian Club Cricket holding sway in global arena!!! The second installment of IPL drama had cricket aficionados crying for more. The runaway success of the tournament was there for all to see. Global audiences watched scintillating cricket thoroughly mesmerised, while we in India rejoiced that our religion (cricket) has finally got global recognition. Full credit goes to Lalit Modi and his IPL management who made this dream come true.

What did one like most about the tournament? The first answer that jumps to mind is "everything". If you fail to agree with me then read on. We will proceed step by step on a journey of critical analysis of this juggernaut called IPL.

Quality of Cricket. There is no denying the fact that quality of cricket being offered on IPL stage is world class. Barring T-20 World Cup there is no other platform where you can find half as many world class cricketers displaying their cricketing skills. In fact IPL may be considered better than T-20 World Cup by many. That is because the argument goes like this. T-20 World Cup doesn't feature some swashbuckling senior stalwarts that IPL does. Case in point are irresistible veterans like Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble et al.

Fanfare. The build up to IPL tournament is simply breathtaking and you wouldn't like to miss out on the hype created for all the gold in the world. Because it is this build up which sends your adrenalin rushing leaving you to contend with goose pimples. The propaganda machine of IPL and its teams rev up your expectations for some blood curdling duels on the cricket field. And bang! The show starts with gala Opening Ceremony and teams baying for each others' blood. Taking cue the organisers throw in every trick in the book to regale crowd as the tournament progresses. Who would want to miss out on such world class fanfare that IPL offers? Not me.

Glamour. IPL organisers deserve a salute to be able to attract so much glamour and glitterati on one stage. You name it and you have it! Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty, Mukesh Ambani, Vijay Mallaya, Katrina Kaif, and the list keeps unfolding. Then you also have some big international band playing for you at the tournament. And glam girls as Cheer Leaders act as icing on the cake. Do you want to miss any of it? I doubt.

What most of us may fail to register are two major spin offs that IPL is giving to India. Firstly it is building Brand India in the eyes of global population. India's Club Cricket being played on foreign soil as far removed as South Africa! And that too so successfully that IPL becomes the centre point of all activities of that country!! Even the General Elections in South Africa took a back seat to IPL fever that gripped the country. World media and by extension world public are bound to wonder. To cap it all this venture called IPL is worth $ 2 billion, may be more. In just two years such an adventurous venture is already a financial success. I wouldn't blame the global populace, especially the sporting world, if it sits up and takes notice.

The second commendable point that IPL has scored is by garnering loads of goodwill for India through charity. Generous donations given by IPL to various organisations enhancing educational and sporting facilities in South Africa is simply magnanimous. Such gestures will take IPL and India a long way in building bridges of friendship across nations.

Now the question arises as to what would we like to see different in IPL-3. Well on all aspects discussed above, we would like to see IPL doing better and bigger. That said there is also a dream that somehow IPL should reach out to non cricket playing countries and spread our religion further. With IPL anything is in the realm of 'possible'. So lets pray and hope that Lalit Modi and company can pull off this last bit of magic. Cheers to Lalit Modi! Cheers to IPL! And cheers to Indian cricket fans!

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Indian Premier League 2010 - Most Expensive Players

While the IPL 2010 auction only produced two bids in excess of the player cap of US $750,000, the IPL franchises already had a bevy of expensive cricketers. West Indies all rounder Kieron Pollard and New Zealand pace bowler Shane Bond were the only two additions to the list of well-paid players on the IPL books. The auctions for the previous editions fetched higher prices because no cap was implemented then. Therefore, we do not have a good idea of how expensive Pollard and Bond really are. However, we can still identify the most expensive players in the league.

In the first two editions of the Indian Premier League, five players had icon status. This status allowed them to be compensated 15% more than the highest played player in their team. Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly were the five designated players. Although the icon concept would not be used in 2010, it is very safe to say that these players are among the most expensive in the league.

Andrew Flintoff (England), Kevin Pietersen (England), Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Andrew Symonds (Australia) are the millionaires in IPL 2010. In 2008, Dhoni fetched a price of US $1,550,000.00, while Symonds cost $1,350,000.00. In the 2009 auction, Flintoff and Pietersen became the most expensive IPL players, as they each fetched $1,550,000.00. Given that the silent bids for Kieron Pollard and Shane Bond in 2010 were unknown, Pietersen and Flintoff remain the most expensive IPL players.

Sanath Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka ($975,000), Irfan Pathan ($925,000), Brett Lee ($900,000) of Australia, Jacques Kallis ($900,000)of South Africa and Ishant Sharma ($950,000) are the players in the $900,000 - $1,000,000 bracket. Considering the profile of players like Kallis and Lee, the franchises got a bargain in the process. Ishant Sharma might not be as celebrated a player as Kallis, but he fetched a higher amount from the bidding process.

Other players who have substantial contracts in the IPL are:

RP Singh ($875,000)

Harbhajan Singh ($850,000)

Robin Uthappa ($800,000)

Chris Gayle, West Indies ($800,000)

Kieron Pollard, West Indies ($750,000 + silent bid balance)

Shane Bond, New Zealand ($750,000 + silent bid balance)

Rohit Sharma (750,000)

Many other players earned contracts beyond their initial or base price in their respective IPL auctions. This article highlighted those with contracts worth a minimum of $750,000.00. Rumour has it that Kieron Pollard's contract cost Mumbai Indians in excess of US $1,000,000.00. Given that he had four franchises bidding for his services in 2010, it is quite likely that the tall six-hitter is much closer to the top of the list than his $750,000.00 suggests.

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Cricket in the Times of Indian Premier League (IPL)

When India won the cricket worldcup in 1983 under the leadership of Kapil dev Nikhanj, I was barely fifteen years old. Cricket was a passion during those times and the Indians who were the underdogs for the tournament turned out to be the dark horses of the hour at Lords. These heady days of cricket were the times when the West Indians ruled the roost. The famed pace battery of the Windies were held with respect and fear even by the best of the batsmen. Even test cricket was played with pride and passion. It is debatable if test cricket is needed at all, at this time of twenty twenty era of hit out or get out attitude. It must be said that 20-20 matches have opened up a plethora of opportunities for youngsters. Money and politics have started polluting the true spirit of cricket. The image of Kapil dev asking for water, choked by emotion after a ball hit by him killed a bird in Australia lingers in mind and brings back memories of the good old days. True, gone are those times when only a few stalwarts stood tall in cricket. Now we have a number of players in the fray which is a good sign.

It can be said that the times when cricket was viewed as a gentleman's game are gone with the exception of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar. Test cricket in its original self has burned itself out. Exceptions were the all rounders of the 80's like Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan and India's very own Kapil dev. With the advent of one-dayers, focus shifted to hard hitting and defensive bowling. Kapil, no doubt infused patriotism by his heroics in the field and inspirational leadership. The sad fact is that nobody has emerged as replacement for this legendary cricketer. India's world cup victory in 1983 still remains India's greatest sporting achievement. This victory was soaked in the sweat and blood of a bunch of inspired cricketers from the subcontinent. The fact that even the Pakistani players joined the celebrations in the Indian dressing room speaks in volumes of what cricket could do in terms of camaraderie, to the subcontinent. Lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then but the true spirit of cricket seems to be buried under the sands of time.

IPL has raked up lot of controversy since its introduction in 2008. It has reached a stage where its chairman has been sacked and a Union minister lost his job. Cricket has been glamorised and its very fabric has underwent drastic changes. Now money and power plays a prominent role in cricket. Along with this political involvement has changed the very face of cricket in India. The public viewing of cricket has undergone major changes with even cinemas giving the viewers a chance to watch it in the theatres. The change, be it for the good or the bad is irreversible. Probably in future cricket could even be played indoors! The Indian passion for sports was fueled by hockey in the 70's and cricket in 80's. Now shorter versions of cricket and new age hockey turfs have changed it all.

The main criticism was that cricket is a time consuming game and it reduced productivity. But 20-20 cricket has to some extent managed to dispel these apprehensions. Even though the fact that cricket is national game is undisputable, it remains to be seen how far the IPL will help in national integration. Money is major factor that plays a role in cricket and BCCI is the richest board in the cricketing world. Money, politics and glamour is a potent mixture and cricket is now in the cluches of this lethal combination. How far this formula mixed with cricket will survive remains to be seen. The common man sees fun and excitement in this fantasy flight but quietly and surely many businesses and businessmen are reaping huge profits. So how far this will benefit economy of the state remains to be seen. This doesn't mean that IPL is an entirely a wasteful exercise benefiting only the rich and powerful with glamorous overtones but could be used to tap resources in the game effectively.

Cricket must survive whether it is IPL or not but we must make sure that IPL does not swallow the cricketing spirit and sportsmanship. Sport doesn't mean winning always. Cricket in this sense is great leveler. Modern day cricketers and BCCI should play a prominent role in moulding the game in and bring back its true spirit. Cricket is a powerful sport in the national sense and IPL can channelised in the proper manner to make a more fruitful and beneficial experience for the players and the general public.

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Indian Premier League Teams - Kolkata Knight Riders

The Kolkata Knight Riders is the Kolkata franchise of the Indian Premier League. The logo of the franchise is a blazing helmet-a hybrid of a knight's helmet and a batsman's helmet. The Prince of Kolkata, Sourav Ganguly, leads the Knights into battle for the 2010 season. With the departure of John Buchanan as coach, KKR hopes that the Ganguly/Whatmore combination brings success to the Kolkata franchise.

KKR's motto is "We will do it, Fight for it, Win it," but they have done more fighting than doing or winning in the first two IPL seasons. It is a surprise that Kolkata remains a popular brand in the IPL despite its lack of success. However, Shah Rukh Khan, the living Bollywood Legend, is the co-owner of the franchise. The pairing of Khan and Ganguly, rumoured to be volatile, certainly helps to make the Kolkata franchise marketable-given the icon status of both men. The famous 90,000-seater Eden Gardens is the home of the Knight Riders, ensuring that the franchise's coffers are filled by attendance alone.

== Brief IPL history ==

Established in 2008, as one of eight original IPL teams, the Kolkata Knight Riders had a poor on-field showing in the debut IPL. Controversy and tabloid-like speculation defined their season, instead of stellar cricket on field. Although KKR included Brendon McCullum, Ganguly and Shoaib Ahktar in 2008, they failed to reach the semi-finals. 2009 was even worse for Kolkata, as they finished at the bottom of the heap-winning a paltry three games out of 14.

== Star attractions of the KKR for 2010 ==

Sourav Ganguly (captain), Chris Gayle (WI), Ishant Sharma, Brad Hodge (AUS), Ajit Agarkar, Charl Langeveldt (AUS), Brendon McCullum (NZ), Angelo Matthews (SL), Ajantha Mendis (SL) and Murali Kartik

== Coaching staff==

Head Coach: Dav Whatmore (AUS)

Assistant Coach: Vijay Dahiya

Bowling Coach: Wasim Akram (PAK)

Physiotherapist: Andrew Leipus (AUS)

== 2010 Kings XI Punjab Squad ==

Batsmen: Kumar Sangakarra (captain/wk), Adrian Barath, Mohammad Kaif, Mahela Jayawardene, Shaun Marsh, Ravi Bopara, Bipul Sharma, Tanmay Srivastava, Karan Goel and Manvinder Bisla (wk)

All rounders: Irfan Pathan, James Hopes, Yuvraj Singh, RS Sodhi

Bowlers: S Sreesanth, Brett Lee, R Powar, A Singh, L Ablish, V Malik, Y Abdulla, P Chawla, S Srivastava

Having a group of world-class all rounders and a few strike bowlers, the Kings XI Punjab seem to wear the crown with the ball. The batting is still very strong, but the success of the Kings in 2010 seems to depend on how well they contain opposing batsmen with their attack. They stand a good chance as any of making the semi-finals but their lack of T20 star power makes them outsiders for the title in IPL 2010.

FIFA WORLD CUP

Cricket in the Times of Indian Premier League (IPL)

When India won the cricket worldcup in 1983 under the leadership of Kapil dev Nikhanj, I was barely fifteen years old. Cricket was a passion during those times and the Indians who were the underdogs for the tournament turned out to be the dark horses of the hour at Lords. These heady days of cricket were the times when the West Indians ruled the roost. The famed pace battery of the Windies were held with respect and fear even by the best of the batsmen. Even test cricket was played with pride and passion. It is debatable if test cricket is needed at all, at this time of twenty twenty era of hit out or get out attitude. It must be said that 20-20 matches have opened up a plethora of opportunities for youngsters. Money and politics have started polluting the true spirit of cricket. The image of Kapil dev asking for water, choked by emotion after a ball hit by him killed a bird in Australia lingers in mind and brings back memories of the good old days. True, gone are those times when only a few stalwarts stood tall in cricket. Now we have a number of players in the fray which is a good sign.

It can be said that the times when cricket was viewed as a gentleman's game are gone with the exception of the likes of Sachin Tendulkar. Test cricket in its original self has burned itself out. Exceptions were the all rounders of the 80's like Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan and India's very own Kapil dev. With the advent of one-dayers, focus shifted to hard hitting and defensive bowling. Kapil, no doubt infused patriotism by his heroics in the field and inspirational leadership. The sad fact is that nobody has emerged as replacement for this legendary cricketer. India's world cup victory in 1983 still remains India's greatest sporting achievement. This victory was soaked in the sweat and blood of a bunch of inspired cricketers from the subcontinent. The fact that even the Pakistani players joined the celebrations in the Indian dressing room speaks in volumes of what cricket could do in terms of camaraderie, to the subcontinent. Lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then but the true spirit of cricket seems to be buried under the sands of time.

IPL has raked up lot of controversy since its introduction in 2008. It has reached a stage where its chairman has been sacked and a Union minister lost his job. Cricket has been glamorised and its very fabric has underwent drastic changes. Now money and power plays a prominent role in cricket. Along with this political involvement has changed the very face of cricket in India. The public viewing of cricket has undergone major changes with even cinemas giving the viewers a chance to watch it in the theatres. The change, be it for the good or the bad is irreversible. Probably in future cricket could even be played indoors! The Indian passion for sports was fueled by hockey in the 70's and cricket in 80's. Now shorter versions of cricket and new age hockey turfs have changed it all.

The main criticism was that cricket is a time consuming game and it reduced productivity. But 20-20 cricket has to some extent managed to dispel these apprehensions. Even though the fact that cricket is national game is undisputable, it remains to be seen how far the IPL will help in national integration. Money is major factor that plays a role in cricket and BCCI is the richest board in the cricketing world. Money, politics and glamour is a potent mixture and cricket is now in the cluches of this lethal combination. How far this formula mixed with cricket will survive remains to be seen. The common man sees fun and excitement in this fantasy flight but quietly and surely many businesses and businessmen are reaping huge profits. So how far this will benefit economy of the state remains to be seen. This doesn't mean that IPL is an entirely a wasteful exercise benefiting only the rich and powerful with glamorous overtones but could be used to tap resources in the game effectively.

Cricket must survive whether it is IPL or not but we must make sure that IPL does not swallow the cricketing spirit and sportsmanship. Sport doesn't mean winning always. Cricket in this sense is great leveler. Modern day cricketers and BCCI should play a prominent role in moulding the game in and bring back its true spirit. Cricket is a powerful sport in the national sense and IPL can channelised in the proper manner to make a more fruitful and beneficial experience for the players and the general public.

ChelseaFC Premierleague FIFA WORLD CUP

Indian Premier League - Club Cricket, But Incredible Marketing Success

What a dream run! Indian Premier League (IPL) has taken centre stage in the world of cricket. Who would have believed that a couple of years ago? Indian Club Cricket holding sway in global arena!!! The second installment of IPL drama had cricket aficionados crying for more. The runaway success of the tournament was there for all to see. Global audiences watched scintillating cricket thoroughly mesmerised, while we in India rejoiced that our religion (cricket) has finally got global recognition. Full credit goes to Lalit Modi and his IPL management who made this dream come true.

What did one like most about the tournament? The first answer that jumps to mind is "everything". If you fail to agree with me then read on. We will proceed step by step on a journey of critical analysis of this juggernaut called IPL.

1. 
   Quality of Cricket. There is no denying the fact that quality of cricket being offered on IPL stage is world class. Barring T-20 World Cup there is no other platform where you can find half as many world class cricketers displaying their cricketing skills. In fact IPL may be considered better than T-20 World Cup by many. That is because the argument goes like this. T-20 World Cup doesn't feature some swashbuckling senior stalwarts that IPL does. Case in point are irresistible veterans like Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble et al.


2. 
   Fanfare. The build up to IPL tournament is simply breathtaking and you wouldn't like to miss out on the hype created for all the gold in the world. Because it is this build up which sends your adrenalin rushing leaving you to contend with goose pimples. The propaganda machine of IPL and its teams rev up your expectations for some blood curdling duels on the cricket field. And bang! The show starts with gala Opening Ceremony and teams baying for each others' blood. Taking cue the organisers throw in every trick in the book to regale crowd as the tournament progresses. Who would want to miss out on such world class fanfare that IPL offers? Not me.


3. 
   Glamour. IPL organisers deserve a salute to be able to attract so much glamour and glitterati on one stage. You name it and you have it! Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty, Mukesh Ambani, Vijay Mallaya, Katrina Kaif, and the list keeps unfolding. Then you also have some big international band playing for you at the tournament. And glam girls as Cheer Leaders act as icing on the cake. Do you want to miss any of it? I doubt.

What most of us may fail to register are two major spin offs that IPL is giving to India. Firstly it is building Brand India in the eyes of global population. India's Club Cricket being played on foreign soil as far removed as South Africa! And that too so successfully that IPL becomes the centre point of all activities of that country!! Even the General Elections in South Africa took a back seat to IPL fever that gripped the country. World media and by extension world public are bound to wonder. To cap it all this venture called IPL is worth $ 2 billion, may be more. In just two years such an adventurous venture is already a financial success. I wouldn't blame the global populace, especially the sporting world, if it sits up and takes notice.

The second commendable point that IPL has scored is by garnering loads of goodwill for India through charity. Generous donations given by IPL to various organisations enhancing educational and sporting facilities in South Africa is simply magnanimous. Such gestures will take IPL and India a long way in building bridges of friendship across nations.

Now the question arises as to what would we like to see different in IPL-3. Well on all aspects discussed above, we would like to see IPL doing better and bigger. That said there is also a dream that somehow IPL should reach out to non cricket playing countries and spread our religion further. With IPL anything is in the realm of 'possible'. So lets pray and hope that Lalit Modi and company can pull off this last bit of magic. Cheers to Lalit Modi! Cheers to IPL! And cheers to Indian cricket fans!

An economist with specialization in capital market analysis. The author advises Indian stock market participants through a blog site http://archana-archdeb.blogspot.com.