‘He never slapped me’, Sreesanth

A day after the ghost of 2008 ‘Slapgate’ tumbled out, controversial fast bowler S Sreesanth on Saturday sought divine blessings by visiting the Sai Baba shrine in Shirdi, Maharashtra.

Sreesanth, on Friday, revealed that all the ‘Slapgate’ claims were far from truth as he was never slapped by his then India teammate Harbhajan Singh. Instead, Sreesanth said that he was elbowed by the senior off-spinner.
Sreesanth said he wants to move forward and won’t speak more on the issue.
“I don’t want to say anything more as I am playing in IPL. I just shared my feelings and came here to do the same. I want to do well in the matches ahead. I want to work hard to make a comeback to Indian side for the South Africa tour,” he said.
Before speaking to media, Sreesanth wrote about his visit to Shirdi on his Twitter page.
“Om Sai ram..had a gr8 darshan @shirdi ..it’s all gods grace,” he wrote.
Five years after the infamous ‘slapgate’, one of the protagonists of the drama, Sreesanth, has made an explosive claim, saying that the entire incident was planned and that his former India teammate Harbhajan Singh was a ‘backstabber’.
The temperamental Sreesanth made a series of revelations on the 2008 incident on his Twitter page on Friday, creating a fresh controversy in the IPL, a day after Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli were involved in an ugly on-field spat.
“To be whr Iam ..I ve no complaints..but now I want u All to know the truth.He [Bhajji]never Slapped me.the video will show u all..wt he did,” Sreesanth wrote in a series of expletives-laden tweets.
“All blamed me for getting emotional ..??c mon who doesn’t get emotional whn u know the person who u worship is a backstabbing person Nd ..,” he tweeted.
“Disgusting ..that’s all I can say..u should get hold of the video..them u all will know te truth..wht he did is completely out of control,” he said.
Sreesanth, who is currently playing for Rajasthan Royals, demanded that the videotape of the incident be made public.
“I don’t want Bhajji to feel bad now..I need to tell the truth to the world..wht happend was bad..it’s not my fault at all..and all media ???
The pacer also claimed that Harbhajan did not slap him but elbowed him.
“I want the world to c it..Whn I went to shake hands afte the match..he had lost it..he had already planned to hit me[elbow me]all his anger” he said.
Interestingly, Harbhajan and Sreesanth are due to square off on April 17 in Jaipur, when Rajasthan Royals play Mumbai.
Sreesanth, playing for Kings XI Punjab at that time, and Harbhajan, competing for Mumbai Indians, faced off after the game, an incident that left the pacer in tears. Harbhajan was banned for the rest of the tournament, while Sreesanth was let off with a warning after disciplinary proceedings.

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Heavy fine on Dravid

Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid has been fined 20,000 dollars after his side maintained a slow over-rate during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Kolkata Knight Riders here.

At the end of the match Monday, Rajasthan Royals were assessed to be two overs shy of the required rate after allowances were taken into consideration.

Since it was his first offence of the season under IPL’s Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate offences, Dravid was fined only 20,000 dollars.

For the second offence, he can be fined 40,000 dollars while a third one would lead to a fine of 50,000 dollars and a one-match ban.

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Sachin Tendulkar in 3D

Senior India cricketer Sachin Tendulkar will make his television debut in an animation series called ‘Master Blasters’ in which he will be seen mentoring young talents from across the world.

The 3D computer-generated imagery of action, comedy and adventure animation series would be co-produced by Shemaroo Entertainment and Moonscoop, and the first season will comprise 26 episodes of 22 minutes each.
“The work has started and it will be ready by next year,” a spokesperson for Shemaroo Entertainment said.
In the series, Tendulkar is appointed by The Programme for International Training of Cricket Heroes (PITCH), to head a training camp for the finest young cricket talents from around the world, a media release said.
While coaching and teaching the young hopefuls the finer points of the game, Tendulkar also mentors them to be down to earth.
“I have always been fascinated with the world of animation and have enjoyed watching it with my children. The challenge for the production team will be to ensure that some human values and learnings are imparted while continuing to entertain the viewers through the series,” Tendulkar was quoted of saying in the release.
“It will indeed be a different experience to see one’s own rendition on the animated screen, performing larger than life action much beyond the limitation of the real world,” he added.
The adventurous Master Blasters series, featuring Tendulkar, along with twelve kids, is animated with fun filled, 3D comedy action and cricket.

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Indo-Pak match tickets sold out within 30 minutes

The allocated tickets for the ICC Champions Trophy match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan scheduled on June 15 at the Edgbaston in Birmingham, has been sold out within half an hour of its release for online sales.

‘We’ve been staggered by the interest shown by today’s ticket sales,’ said Tournament Director Steve Elworthy, adding: ‘The allocation of tickets for India v Pakistan sold out in under 30 minutes, with tickets released for other matches, including the final, also selling-out. The tickets that were released today sold very quickly.’

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I am not god of cricket, says Sachin

He might be revered by billions of fans but Sachin Tendulkar insists he is ‘not god of cricket’ as many would like to call him as he does ‘make mistakes’ unlike the almighty.
‘I am not God of cricket. I make mistakes, God doesn’t,’ Tendulkar said at a promotional event on Wednesday.

The 39-year-old cricketer, who has almost all the batting records that are there to be taken under his belt, said growing up he wanted to be a combination of Sunil Gavaskar and Vivian Richards.
‘I wanted to be like Sunil Gavaskar as a kid. When I grew up and started watching players from outside, someone who attracted me was Vivian Richards. Everything that he did was effortless. I always thought I should be a combination of these two,’ Tendulkar said, while answering questions from children.
The diminutive Mumbaikar, considered the most complete batsman in modern cricket, recalled the agonising wait he endured before getting to his 100th international hundred last year during the Asia Cup.
‘When I got to my 100th international century, I was not jumping or celebrating. My first question to God was why did it take so long? What did I do wrong? With a billion plus people waiting for this, it shouldn’t have taken so long,’ he said.
‘Where did I fall short? I used to practice hard, maybe harder. I got close to getting a hundred in the semifinal against Pakistan (in the 2011 World Cup) but at that stage, everybody’s focus was on the World Cup. After that it was a big disappointment. But such is life, it is always better late then never,’ he said.
Asked what he would have been had it not been a cricketer, Tendulkar quipped he didn’t really have much of a choice.
‘I don’t think there were many options for me, in school, the kids better not follow me. It’s good to study. I tried maintaining a balance between my studies and cricket but it didn’t work. I thought cricket was something which gave me sleepless nights. Such was my love for the game,’ he said.
‘(But) at one stage in my life, I would go to the terrace with a tennis racquet in one hand and a cricket bat in the other. For 20 minutes it would be racquet, the next 20 would be cricket. I enjoy tennis.
‘It is difficult for me to imagine a life without cricket. If at all - tennis,’ said the veteran, who is often seen at the Wimbledon and other Grand Slams.
On wearing the national jersey and the effort he put in to earn it, Tendulkar said, ‘Wearing the
India jersey and cap was the ultimate thing for me. After that it didn’t matter if I had 10 pairs of jeans or 20 T-shirts. That journey to play for India was incredible.
‘I look back, being pushed around in trains and buses but I would be there well before practice started,’ he recalled.
Going down memory lane, Tendulkar said he thought his first Test, against Pakistan,
would be his last as he found it hard to deal with the pressure.
‘The difference between standard of play (in Ranji and Tests) was way too much. I thought this is my first and last Test. When I came back to the dressing room, I was in tears. I thought it was way too good for me. After that I spoke to a few players, they told me not to worry,’ said the batsman, who got hit by a Waqar Younis bouncer but continued to bat in a bloodied T-shirt.
‘I wonder how did I survive for so long,’ he added.

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‘IPL not my comeback platform’, Gambhir

Out of favour India opener and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Gautam Gambhir Tuesday refused to take the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a stage to make his comeback.

“I don’t play for individuals but for a team called KKR. I am a part of the team which is the defending champions. I don’t see IPL as my comeback platform,” Gambhir told media persons ahead of KKR’s opening IPL encounter against Delhi Daredevils Wednesday at the Eden Gardens here.

Gambhir said his team, being the defending champions, was not under pressure. Rather the tag gave them the confidence to play fearless cricket.

“Being the defending champion doesn’t bring pressure, rather it gives you more confidence,” said Gambhir.

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Dravid: Rajasthan better equipped for death overs

Rahul Dravid, the Rajasthan captain said on Tuesday that death bowling is not a worry for them in T20-League-6 as not only their experienced bowlers are back, but also they have a good backup after signing some more exciting players.

Dravid, also acting as the coach this season said, "Last year, we were hampered by injuries to our main bowlers Shaun Tait, Kevon Cooper and Sreesanth. Moreover, Shane Watson was not available for most of the matches and that meant that the responsibility of bowling death overs was shouldered by rather inexperienced bowlers."

At the launch of official fan wear collection of the team, Dravid also said, "We had to pay price for that but this time we are better equipped. In the auctions, we went for Fidel Edwards and James Faulkner under our backup plans."

"Edwards can generate good pace like Tait and Australian youngster James Faulkner has been doing well in this version of cricket. Sreesanth too is fit and available. He has been bowling very well at the nets and practice matches. He is eager to prove himself and that is why he slogged in the nets even after the practice match. So this time we won't be facing the heat in death overs," said the captain.

Dravid also hinted that Shane Watson is likely to bowl in the tournament but mentioned that the actual decision lies with the Aussie all-rounder. "I feel at some point of time he will bowl but he will have to decide himself. He is such an imposing player and a person that his presence alone is great for us. He is an asset for us whether he bowls or not. He will be reaching Delhi on the morning of April 6 and would miss the first match (against Delhi) but would be available for the rest."

However, the skipper did not reveal who will open with Ajinkya Rahane. "Yes, we will have to think a lot about that matter but it also means that we will have more options to choose from. Ajinkya and I did a pretty good job at the start. We are planning out some new strategies which cannot be divulged here," he said.

Dravid, who scored 462 runs, including two half-centuries in the previous edition of the tournament, was asked whether he was concerned about the poor-form of Rahane and Watson in the last Test series. He replied, "Who says they are in bad form? I don't want to "jinx" Ajinkya. He has been batting very well in the nets and the practice matches, and Shane too can bounce back any time."

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Sangakkara: Politics will not curtail spirit of the game

Kumar Sangakkara, the Hyderabad skipper thinks that preventing Sri Lankan players from playing matches in Chennai in the sixth edition of the T20 Cricket League is not going to "curtail" the spirit of the game.

T20-League governing council last week decided to withdraw top Sri Lankan players from all the Chennai matches after intense political pressure from Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa as she refused to host them in view of the prevailing anti-Sinhalese sentiments in the state.

When asked at an event in Hyderabad, how politics has affected the participation of Sri Lankan players in Chennai, he replied, "Politics in this case has restricted our presence, our belief to play in every part of India. But I don't think, sports and the spirit of cricket is ever going to be curtailed by such prejudice."

"The buildup has been different and difficult for Sri Lankan players. But at the end of the day they are here to play T20-League. The Sri Lankan Cricket Board has made it clear that no Sri Lankan players will be (playing) in Chennai," Sangakkara said. He also mentioned that "India is much more than Chennai and Tamil Nadu and I think the rest of India has been very welcoming of us".

"We are here to play cricket representing Sri Lanka and also on behalf of our franchisee."

Arjuna Ranatunga had asked the Sri Lankan players to opt out of the tournament over this matter, when queried about Ranatunga's stance, Sangakkara replied, "It's been a divisive issue back home as well. But this is not a nation-vs-nation issue. It's only a state issue...and I don't think it is the entire state (Tamil Nadu). So, we just got to put it in right perspective."

He further added, "Foreign policies are not going to be dictated by that and had it been a nation-vs-nation issue then Sri Lankan players would not have been here."

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Ryder's absence means more responsibility:Unmukt Chand

Delhi batsman Unmukt Chand said on Sunday that the absence of New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder, who is recovering in the hospital after being attacked outside a Christchurch bar, would put additional responsibility on the team in the T20-League. "Jesse's incident was unfortunate. We really feel sad for it. His absence would mean additional responsibility. We have to rise to the occasion," the 20-year-old Delhi youngster said.

Ryder went into medically-induced coma after being attacked twice. He is believed to have suffered serious head injuries after the assaults and has now been moved out of the intensive care as his condition was improving. Local media quoted doctors as saying that Ryder suffered a fractured skull and a collapsed lung.

Chand, the former under-19 captain of the Indian team that won the World Cup last year, told media after practice here, "I have played well in Ranji matches this season. I have to maintain this form. I hope I would be able to retain the form I displayed in Ranji matches." Asked to comment on the absence of Kevin Pietersen and Ryder, Chand said, "Yes, they will be missed big time." Asked whether he would be batting in one of those positions, Chand said, "The team management has not told me anything so far. I will bat in whatever position the they ask me to."

Commenting on KKR, he said being champions they have a very good team. Chand especially complimented West Indian off-spinner Sunil Narine, who will be playing for the home side for the second time. "Sunil Narine is a difficult bowler to face," Chand said.

Asked about the Eden Gardens, Chand, who had played here earlier, said, "It is a famous venue in the cricket world. It is a matter of prestige to be able to play at this venue."

Chand informed that Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene, who will be leading Delhi, had a good practice session on Sunday. While most of the members of the side have already arrived in the city, former skipper Virender Sehwag, Johan Botha, Morne Morkel and Irfan Pathan will join the team on Monday.

The tournament begins here with Delhi taking on Kolkata at the Eden Gardens on April 3.

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Watson will decide to bowl or not: Brad Hodge

Rajasthan batsman Brad Hodge on Sunday said he was not sure whether allrounder Shane Watson would be bowling in the upcoming T20 Cricket League and added it was up to the Aussie all-rounder to take a call.

Watson was restricted solely to batting duties during Australia's recent 0-4 whitewash against India in the Test series as a part of an injury-prevention plan so that he could be available as an all-rounder in full capacity for the Ashes series in July.

"I'm not sure. He might start bowling from third or fourth match. But it is up to him to decide if he wants to bowl or not. The Rajasthan team management is considering strategies in both cases. He would be available for entire T20-League and it would be good to see him bowl," Australia batsman said.

Watson had decided to put bowling on the backburner after injuring his calf during the Sri Lanka series, but while watching Indian skipper MS Dhoni bludgeon the Aussie attack in the first Test he was convinced to eventually bowl again.

Hodge said that Watson is a dominating player and his presence would certainly lift Rajasthan.

"He is a dominating player. He might not have done so well recently but can change the face of the game," he said.

Stating that Watson would put the 'homework gate' episode behind him when he takes the field for the Royals, Hodge said:

"He would be happy to be with the Royals after what happened to him a few days back. He has a place for the Royals in his heart. Nice things (also) happened to him in the last week. He was blessed with a baby. He would be looking to get back into good form."

Hodge, meanwhile, felt that the pulling out of the Sri Lankan players from Chennai matches would not give the Chennai any undue advantage.

"I don't think they would be getting any major undue advantage out of this. We have only one Sri Lankan player in Kusal Perera. We still have 10 players to select from. Every team has to play only one match in Chennai so I don't think that it is such a big advantage for them."

Talking about Ricky Ponting and other Australians playing for the other T20-League teams, Hodge said they have mutual respect for each other.

"We will have to play against fellow Australians but would like them to do well till our Rajasthan win the match," he said.

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Ponting: 'Monkeygate' memory won't affect MI

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting is very keen to put his best foot forward both as skipper and player for Mumbai in the T20 Cricket League, a tournament in which he took part only for a while in its inaugural edition in 2008.

"Obviously, I am very excited to be back in T20-League. I said when I had finished playing last time, hopefully I will be able to come back and play again. The way things have worked out -- with my retirement from international cricket and finishing off the domestic season for Tasmania and playing well -- have given me the opportunity to be back here," said the Aussie at his first media conference here today.

He said retirement from the hectic international schedule has given him time to concentrate on T20 leagues.

"The reason I did not come back to T20-League 2 and 3 was because I had too much international cricket on at that time. And now that I don't have international cricket, the opportunities for me to play in these domestic tournaments are really opening up.

"I am going to be here for a couple of months and then have a two-month stint at Surrey and another month or five weeks at the Caribbean Premier League as well. Now my whole focus is to make sure that I am the best player and best leader for Mumbai for the next two months.

"Luckily I had the chance to captain Australia for a long time. I have got a really good idea of what makes good teams successful. And they are all the things I will be bringing to the table in Mumbai," said Ponting.

Ponting is very excited to be playing alongside Sachin Tendulkar, against whom he has played many times at the international level.

"To be captain of any franchise is exciting but to think that I am the captain of Mumbai and I will be playing alongside Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh, some of the guys I have had great battles over the years, as well as some of my Australian team mates and some of the young local Indian talent I have come across in the last couple of days is great.

"With Mumbai now, we have John Wright, a successful ex-India coach, and Anil Kumble, a successful Indian captain and a very very good Indian player and leader. Obviously me coming into the set up, we have put together a really strong leadership group, if you like," said Ponting.

"And if you think of some of the other guys we have around like Sachin and Harbhajan, we have got a lot of experience and lot of skill around the team. I think it is very exciting for the tournament," added the 38-year-old Tasmanian who retired with 27,000 runs in Tests and ODIs.

He also said that the entire team is excited about the opening game against Bangalore on April 4.

"As far as I am concerned, there is no better franchise to be with and no better team to be with than the Mumbai. The three days that I have been here, there has been a lot of excitement around the boys and around the team and the way we have trained over the last three days, it has been exciting. It's fair to say that everyone in our squad is excited about our opening game on fourth.

"I think the biggest challenge so far has been getting the squad of players together. We have got international players playing all around the world and a lot of those guys are coming together a lot late. We fly to Bangalore tonight," said the former Australian skipper.

"I am excited to be around the group again. I think a build up to any series is always a lot of fun but when it is a series and a tournament as big as the T20-League it adds a little bit more. The excitement has been high around that group and I am looking forward to start of the tournament," he added.

Even though he has not played T20-League, except for a brief while in 2008, Ponting has been following it from whereever he was when the tournament was on.

"Of course I have followed it (T20-League). I am one of those people who follow cricket all around the world. It doesn't matter what series is being played...whether it is the T20-League or the Test series in India or Test series in England, then I am always keeping a very close eye on what is happening."

Ponting was optimistic that this could well be the season when MI break the jinx of not winning the coveted title.

"Mumbai have a pretty proud tradition in T20-League of finishing up the top and being in the semi-finals. We obviously haven't won the tournament yet but hopefully this year is our year," he said.

Though he has quit international cricket, Ponting has been playing domestic cricket quite a lot.

"My wife thought that once I retire from international cricket things would start to slow down but I have actually been playing more. To tell the truth I have been away from home a bit more. I think that just goes to show my love for the game," he remarked.

Asked whether the "Monkeygate" episode would have any effect in the Mumbai dressing room, he replied, "No, no. We are all friends for the next few months. That's one thing I have made very clear to the guys already. Sachin and Harbhajan have not been around the team yet. We will meet up with those guys. We are one, the Mumbai are one." Ponting and MI team's chief mentor Anil Kumble were the rival captains in the controversy-marred Sydney Test of January 2008 when Australian team member Andrew Symonds accused India's Harbhajan Singh, of racial abuse.

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AB de Villiers to miss T20-League opener

AB de Villiers proposed to his girlfriend Danielle Swart at the Taj Mahal during last year's T20-League. And now a year on, the South African cricket star has tied the knot with his long-time acquaintance in Johannesburg on Saturday. Swart, 24, who lives and works in Cape Town, met de Villiers six years ago at her father's lodge in Limpopo (north South Africa).

However, there will be little time for de Villers for his honeymoon as the batsman is set to appear for his local franchisee Titans in the semifinals of the national Twenty20 tournament. This means that his T20-League team Bangalore will miss his services at least for their opening encounter against Mumbai on April 4.

It is also possible that he could potentially land in India only after April 10th, if the Titans qualify for the final, which is scheduled for April 7. In de Villiers absence, either Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan or Tamil Nadu's Arun Karthik will do the wicketkeeping duty.

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Sehwag also uncertain for Delhi

Already missing a few key players due to injuries, Delhi Daredevils may suffer another setback as explosive batsman Virender Sehwag is a doubtful starter for Wednesday’s Indian Premier League opener against Kolkata Knight Riders due to a back problem.

“He is having back spasm. We have no idea when he’s joining the side the side. We will take a call after he’s here,” coach Eric Simons said hinting that the team is prepared to play without the swashbuckling opener.

The team will also miss out on last season’s Purple cap holder Albie Morkel, who bowled Titans to a semis place in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge in the South Africa domestic cricket.

“They are playing semis tomorrow and if they make final [on April 7] we may miss him for another game,” Simons added.

The Daredevils are already missing English batsman Kevin Pietersen who had been ruled out for the entire season owing to a knee injury.

They will also miss Jesse Ryder since the big-hitting is badly injured following a brutal assault in a Christchurch bar.

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Kolkata take on Delhi in IPL opener Today

Eyeing a repeat of their success last season, Kolkata Knight Riders will open their title defence with a clash against a depleted Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League today.

Expectations will be high from the home side as they would aim to become only second team to win back-to-back titles. Only Chennai Super Kings have won consecutive trophies (2010 and 2011).
For Delhi, who are yet to win the title, it would be a season to make amends as they look at life without English swashbuckler Kevin Pietersen who has been ruled out for the entire tournament due to a knee injury.
Delhi will also miss out on explosive Kiwi batsman Jesse Ryder who was to begin his $300,000 contract before a brutal assault in a Christchurch bar left him hospitalised.
Last season’s Purple cap holder, Morne Morkel (25 wickets), who bowled Titans to a semis place in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge in the South Africa domestic cricket, will also miss out on the opener.
And if that was not enough, Virender Sehwag is also a doubtful starter for the tournament-opener as he is down with back spams.
‘He is having back spasm. We have no idea when he’s joining the side the side. We will take a call after he’s here,’ coach Eric Simons said.
Having recovered from jaundice, KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir will be eager to start on a winning note under conditions best suited to them.
It would be an important season for the India opener, who went through a rough patch and was discarded for the four-Test Australia series. The left-hander would be keen to be back among runs.
Among the foreign recruits, KKR will miss Brendon McCullum, who is down with a hamstring problem, while the recently-married Sakib al Hasan is yet to report to the side.
West Indian mystery spinner Sunil Narine, the second leading wicket-taker behind Morkel with 24 scalps, was instrumental in KKR’s success last season.
KKR will now hope to unleash another ‘mystery’ spinner in Lankan offie Sachitra Senanayake in the upcoming season.
Jacques Kallis will lend experience to the middle order, while the home grown players of Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Manoj Tiwary, Manvinder Bisla and Debabrata Das would also come in handy.
KKR also have a balanced pace-spin attack. Brett Lee, who will double up as a bowling mentor in absence of Wasim Akram, will lead the pace attack with fellow Aussie James Pattinson.
Laxmipathy Balaji, who was most economical last season, will add variety to the attack along with the part-timers in Rajat Bhatia and Shukla.
Besides Narine and Senanayake, the team also has Indian left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla, who though would face competition for a place in the XI.
If the absence of the big names was not enough, the Daredevils would have to deal with the poor form of David Warner and Virender Sehwag as both of them would look to get into their rhythms.
Skipper Mahela Jayawardene is coming from an injury lay-off and he too would look to get into the groove sooner.
In such a scenario, it’s the exuberance of U-19 winning skipper Unmukt Chand, who has two successive centuries for Delhi in the just concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, that would come to fore.
West Indian big hitter Andre Russell will look to play the role of a finisher. Till Morkel joins the side, the pressure would be on the Indian trio of Ashish Nehra, Umesh Yadav and Irfan Pathan.
That Yadav and Pathan are coming back after injuries would be a point of concern.
In the sixth season, nine teams will battle it out in a total of 76 matches, over a period of seven weeks with summit clash slated for May 26.
Rajasthan Royals were the first champions, in 2008. Deccan Chargers won the title in 2009, when the tournament was played in South Africa. Chennai Super Kings won back to back titles in 2010 and 2011 while Kolkata Knight Riders scaled the summit last year.

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Grand opening ceremony of IPL-6

The City of Joy opened its heart to the cricket world as a dazzling Bollywood-style opening ceremony kicked off the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here yesterday, with American rapper Pitbull and superstar Shah Rukh Khan stealing the limelight.

The city let its hair down with SRK, Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone grooving to the desi moves, leaving the healthy turnout at the Salt Lake Stadium enthralled.
It reached a crescendo when the evening’s biggest attraction of them all, Pitbull, took to the stage. The 120,000 capacity football stadium transformed into a magical kaleidoscope of Rabindra Sangeet, Bollywood dance, songs and, above all, unfettered enthusiasm as the 2013 leg formally opened with all the nine team captains taking the ICC Spirit of Cricket Pledge, ‘Play hard, play fair’.
Flying drummers, Chinese percussionists, fireworks were the some of the other attractions that were on offer for the event.
After that a collection of balloons rose slowly and smoothly into the hot air above to the sound of drums, music and the cheers of people, with a performer carrying the winner’s trophy. The 1-hour and 45-minute extravaganza, which was high on entertainment, have surely made the 60,000-plus turnout forget the controversial build up cash-rich T20 league.
The opening though, at times, appeared to have fallen short of the standards Shah Rukh Khan had promised prior to the event. Divided into six segments, the evening began with SRK doing a poetic rendition of popular Rabindra Sangeet Aguner Paroshmani with the popular poetry ‘Where the mind is without fear ” being played in the background. As is the tournament’s wont, the build-up to this edition, too, had been blighted by controversies, but the gala opening has put to rest all apprehensions.

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IPL, A cradle at old age home!

Is the Indian Premier League (IPL) a home for the aged or a pre-school for those hoping to play international cricket some day? The truth lies somewhere between the two perceptions.

Players like Adam Gilchrist, Scott Styris, Mathew Hayden, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Shane Warne, all retired from international cricket but chose to keep a lean on quick-bucks T20 league.
What is it that pulls these veterans to play a format which has since its inception been proclaimed to be the young man’s game? Is it the money?
Lucrative contract for a year or two does sound appealing. Fewer overs to bat, bowl and field and with the tournament taking place once a year and for a period of 45 days. They hit pay dirt!
So is it then that the IPL is what Major League Soccer (MLS) is to a European footballer? A place to make your last quick buck before the sun sets on the career?
This is where all the IPL positives come in. The older players, who now can’t make the cut at the international level, have a chance to do their last hurrah. Joining them are teens and brash young men eager to rub shoulders with them, sharing the dressing room.
Four international stars current and yore in each team juxtaposed with Indian internationals and the budding domestic talent — what else can one ask for? The young brigade is eager to imbibe as much as they can from the old guard who have done it all at the highest level.
For the cricket-crazy Indians, the fare is mouthwatering. Where else could they see some of the big names of the game either competing together or facing off?
The league, to its credit, has given the world quite a few stars or at least short-listed them for the future.
Players like Shane Watson, Dirk Nannes, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Faf du Plessis, Kevon Cooper, Steven Smith, Shaun Marsh have all done well in the IPL and then made a mark at the international level.
There are many others who have shown promise but fell by the wayside swayed by the bright lights, dimmed by the parties, left wonderstruck by the cheerleaders, the money and the rockstar lifestyle.
Manish Pandey, Saurabh Tiwary, Rahul Sharma, Manpreet Gony, Yusuf Pathan all shot up like meteors but came crashing. They all still can steady themselves and rise again to expected heights. The game is a great leveller!

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Tendulkar practises with Ponting in tow

In a rare spectacle, batting greats Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting on Monday found themselves training for the same team with the former Australian captain glued to the batting grind of his Mumbai Indians teammate ahead of their side’s Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign.

Tendulkar, who had struggled in the recent home Test series against England and Australia, had a two-hour long batting stint at the National Cricket Academy with captain Ponting keeping a close watch on him ahead of MI’s IPL campaign opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 4.
Tendulkar spent the longest time at the nets while Ponting, Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik batted for under 45 minutes.
A padded up Tendulkar faced the throwdowns with straight bat for nearly 20 minutes on the NCA centre pitch, while Ponting exhibited his array of strokes, including his trademark pull shots.
Once Ponting decided to wind up, Tendulkar, wielding two different bats, slipped into the nets and faced Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha who were bowling in tandem. The veteran batsman concentrated on playing more with the straight bat on either side of the wicket.
Occasionally, he unleashed his trademark shots like backfoot punch and hoick over square-leg fielder. He also constantly chatted with Harbhajan and Ojha.
While Tendulkar was playing his strokes at the nets, Ponting was studiously watching the veteran Indian bat for close to an hour, a spectacle which turned out to be a treat to watch for those present.
Ponting was also seen having animated discussions with Harbhajan and other teammates and MI chief mentor and former India captain Anil Kumble.
After facing the likes of Harbhajan and Ojha, Tendulkar picked up his other bat and walked up to the adjacent net to face club bowlers. While his teammates took some time to rest, he went on knocking the balls.
On the other corner, Karthik faced the throwdowns on the concrete pitch focusing to get his cover drives and short-arm pull shots right.
Rohit padded then up and faced the throwdowns on the centre pitch to test his wrist-work on either side of the wicket.

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Full Schedule of Indian Premier League-6

Indian Premier League-6 will run from 3 April to 26 May 2013 with Kolkata and Chennai hosting the playoffs. Kolkata's Eden Gardens will host the first match as well as the final as they were the champions of the 2012 season. Nine teams would be playing in the sixth season.

Due to protests in the state of Tamil Nadu and the controversy arising from the actions of the Sri Lankan government, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalitha has requested the the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh not to allow any Sri Lankan players, umpires or any other support staff to play in IPL matches to be held in Chennai.
 

 The sixth season of IPL opened in February 3, 2013 with the auction for players. 108 players were on offer but only 37 players were sold for US$ 11.87 million. The Australian all rounder Glenn Maxwell was the only million dollar buy.

Deccan Chargers were ousted from the league almost five-months ago. Instead, Sunrisers Hyderabad will play from the 2013 season onwards on behalf of them as they have almost all the players from the Deccan's 2012 team.

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MCA ban on Shah Rukh Khan stays

Mumbai Cricket Association’s five-year ban imposed on Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shah Rukh Khan last year stands and he will not be able to attend his team’s IPL match against hosts Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on May 7.

‘There is a clause in the agreement we are to sign with Mumbai Indians tomorrow that any person who has been debarred by the association cannot enter our premises. It’s not specific to any single person,’ MCA joint secretary Nitin Dalal said on Sunday.
‘We had informed everyone concerned, including IPL authorities and team owners, about the ban after the decision had been taken,’ Dalal added. The other joint secretary, P V Shetty refused to discuss the matter any further and merely said that ‘the ban stands.’
The Bollywood superstar was banned for five years from entering MCA premises, including the Wankhede Stadium, by the Association’s Managing Committee, headed by the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, on May 18 last year after he was involved in a skirmish with security staff and officials of the cricket body following KKR’s victory over MI two nights earlier.
Khan, however, denied he had misbehaved and maintained he reacted only after children, including his kids, were ‘manhandled’ by the security staff at the stadium.
However, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, had said soon after the MCA decision was announced that a final call on Khan’s ban will be taken by the BCCI.
‘State bodies can only recommend but a final decision has to be taken by the BCCI. When the matter comes to BCCI, the board will decide (on the ban),’ Shukla had told reporters last year.
Meanwhile, it has been learnt that security personnel at MCA have been told by the authorities not to allow Khan into the premises during this season’s IPL, commencing on April 3.

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I don’t like to set targets for myself: Tendulkar

Mumbai Indians’ iconic player, Sachin Tendulkar does not want to set any targets for himself in the Indian Premier League season 6 as the senior Indian batsman is focused on winning the maiden IPL crown for the home team’s loyal fans.

‘I don’t like to set targets for myself, even if I set targets, I like to keep it to myself. I am little superstitious that way,’ said Tendulkar.
‘The (team) target is to win the tournament, that’s what all of us wanted to do. It would be a fantastic gift for all the Mumbai Indians fans. I always wanted to win it. We go out there to win and give our best. Leave the rest to the almighty,’ Tendulkar told ‘Times Now’ on the sidelines of a function.
Tendulkar, who would be playing under the captaincy of former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting this season, said the team has prepared well for the tournament and will go all out to win the trophy.
‘In the earlier seasons also, we always went out to win the tournament but it wasn’t so. Once we got really close and on a couple of occasions, we made it to the semis. All I can promise on behalf of Mumbai Indians team, on behalf of the players, our commitment, focus and dedication will be there.
‘No one can guarantee results but one thing we can guarantee is our commitment. Our commitment will be there and we expect the same kind of support that we have received in the last five years. It’s terrific to have that kind of support which helps us to give our best as a team,’ he added.
Mumbai Indians will start their IPL 2013 campaign on April 4 in Bangalore against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

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