Tag: Ajinkya Rahane

KKR flexes fan engagement with Amul’s Train Like a Knight

MUMBAI: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is serving up a fitness masterclass with Amul presents Train like a Knight, a new digital series that’s set to give fans a peek behind the curtain of professional cricket training. Forget just watching the game; KKR wants you to live it, protein shake in hand.

Recognizing that cricket is more than just sixes and wickets, it’s a test of discipline, endurance, and peak performance, KKR, in partnership with Amul Protein, is launching a six-episode series that delves into the nitty-gritty of player fitness. Think intense workouts, dietary deep dives, and mental conditioning sessions that would make a yogi sweat.

Episode one, featuring Ajinkya Rahane, is already dropping jaws (and maybe a few dumbbells), offering a glimpse into the kind of grind it takes to play at the highest level.

To watch the Ajinkya Rahane episode click here

“Our collaboration with Amul Protein is more than just a partnership—it’s a testament to our commitment to inspiring fitness and showcasing the holistic preparation of our athletes,” said Knight Riders Sports group chief marketing officer Binda Dey “Through Amul presents Train like a Knight, we’re breaking down the barriers between fans and players, offering an authentic look at what it takes to compete at the highest level of professional cricket.”

But this isn’t just a flash-in-the-pan series; it’s a year-long fitness fiesta. KKR plans to expand Train like a Knight into a full-blown program, complete with exclusive events, workshops, and enough merchandise to turn every fan into a mini-athlete.

With Amul Protein’s nutritional muscle, Train like a Knight promises to be an engaging, informative, and downright sweaty journey into the world of professional sports prep. Get ready to train, fuel, and, well, live like a Knight.

March 31, 2025
Knight Riders Zidd Ki Nahi Hadd sets season’s tone

MUMBAI: The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), holders of three Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) titles, have revealed their seasonal campaign, Zidd Ki Nahi Hadd.

The campaign showcases the entire KKR team, including captain Ajinkya Rahane, vice-captain Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, and Sunil Narine. Head coach Chandrakant Pandit and team mentor DJ Bravo also feature, emphasising the Knight Riders’ determined and audacious approach on the cricket field.

Zidd Ki Nahi Hadd is designed to galvanise both supporters and players, setting the stage for a highly charged season for the defending champions.

The Kolkata Knight Riders are set to resume their campaign against the Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday, 26 March.

The campaign can be viewed via the following link:

Ziddi hai ye bande, ye zidd ki nayi hadd khud banate hai! pic.twitter.com/vS0szDoVxY

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 25, 2025

March 25, 2025

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023 LIVE on JioCinema and Sports18 Khel

Mumbai: The next generation of superstars will be seen in action as Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy starts 16 October, LIVE on JioCinema and Sports18 Khel. Several IPL and India stars will feature in the tourney that will see 38 teams vying for the top prize.

The tournament has been the nursery for many future India players. The tournament will be played in five cities – Mumbai, Jaipur, Ranchi, Mohali and Dehradun – and all the knockout matches will be staged in Mohali.

Top cricketers like Yash Dhull, KS Bharat, Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane, Washington Sundar, and Tilak Verma, among many others, will be looking to guide their teams to the ultimate glory.

Defending champions Mumbai will be led by Rahane and have a solid cast of players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube, Sarfaraz Khan and Tushar Deshpande. Tamil Nadu, the most successful team of the tournament, will be led by Sundar with Sai Sudarshan, Vijay Shankar and T Natarajan part of the TN side that has won the tournament thrice since its inauguration.

Delhi features captain Dhull along with Ishant Sharma and Suyash Sharma, while Karnataka will feature Mayank Agarwal and Devdutt Padikkal, among others.

Date	Day	Time	Fixtures		Venue
16-Oct-23	Mon	11:00 AM	Madhya Pradesh	Nagaland	Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun
16-Oct-23	Mon	4:30 PM	Delhi	Uttar Pradesh	Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun
16-Oct-23	Mon	11:00 AM	Baroda	J&K	SMS Cricket Stadium
16-Oct-23	Mon	4:30 PM	Haryana	Mumbai	SMS Cricket Stadium
16-Oct-23	Mon	11:00 AM	Manipur	Railways	JSCA Cricket Stadium
16-Oct-23	Mon	4:30 PM	Punjab	Saurashtra	JSCA Cricket Stadium
17-Oct-23	Tue	11:00 AM	Delhi	Madhya Pradesh	Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun
17-Oct-23	Tue	4:30 PM	Nagaland	Tripura	Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun
17-Oct-23	Tue	11:00 AM	Meghalaya	Mumbai	SMS Cricket Stadium
17-Oct-23	Tue	4:30 PM	Chhattisgarh	Haryana	SMS Cricket Stadium
17-Oct-23	Tue	11:00 AM	Andhra	Punjab	JSCA Cricket Stadium
17-Oct-23	Tue	4:30 PM	Gujarat	Saurashtra	JSCA Cricket Stadium
19-Oct-23	Thu	11:00 AM	Tamil Nadu	Tripura	Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun
19-Oct-23	Thu	4:30 PM	Karnataka	Madhya Pradesh	Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun
19-Oct-23	Thu	11:00 AM	Chhattisgarh	Hyderabad	SMS Cricket Stadium
19-Oct-23	Thu	4:30 PM	Baroda	Mumbai	SMS Cricket Stadium
19-Oct-23	Thu	11:00 AM	Goa	Gujarat	JSCA Cricket Stadium
19-Oct-23	Thu	4:30 PM	Punjab	Railways	JSCA Cricket Stadium
21-Oct-23	Sat	11:00 AM	Delhi	Karnataka	Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun
21-Oct-23	Sat	4:30 PM	Nagaland	Uttar Pradesh	Abhimanyu Cricket Academy, Dehradun
21-Oct-23	Sat	11:00 AM	J&K	Mumbai	SMS Cricket Stadium
21-Oct-23	Sat	4:30 PM	Hyderabad	Mizoram	SMS Cricket Stadium
21-Oct-23	Sat	11:00 AM	Manipur	Punjab	JSCA Cricket Stadium
21-Oct-23	Sat	4:30 PM	Arunachal Pradesh	Goa	JSCA Cricket Stadium

Catch all the live action from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on 16 October 2023, Monday, 11:00 AM onwards, LIVE & exclusive on JioCinema and Sports18 Khel.

October 14, 2023

Ranveer Singh roped in as face of My11Circle

MUMBAI: Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, online gaming company Games24x7 has roped in Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh as brand ambassador for its fantasy sports platform My11Circle. The actor's appointment comes close on the heels of My11Circle signing Ajinkya Rahane as its brand ambassador.

Ranveer Singh will unveil the new campaign for My11Circle on 6 April 2021.

“Forming teams comprising the best players is one of the most engaging pursuits for cricket fans like me. It provides an immense vicarious thrill and calls upon one to use one’s knowledge of the sport derived from skilled analysis of past performances and playing conditions. I hope that this creative and energetic campaign will extend the game playing experiences on My11Circle to more sports enthusiasts,” the actor stated.

Games24x7 co-founder & CEO Bhavin Pandya said, “Films and cricket are two of India’s biggest passions. With the start of the T20 season, we are extremely proud to have Ranveer Singh on board. His energy, passion for cricket and excellence at his craft epitomise young and aspirational India. The new campaign led by Ranveer Singh will be a tribute to young Indians and their ardour for the game.”

The actor is the latest addition in the group of My11Circle’s brand ambassadors, which also includes former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, Indian Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, legendary batsman VVS Laxman and allrounders, Shane Watson and Rashid Khan.

Founded by Bhavin Pandya and Trivikraman Thampy in 2006, Games24x7 is an India-headquartered online gaming platform with a portfolio that spans skill games and casual games. The company specialises in using behavioural science, technology, and artificial intelligence to provide awesome game playing experiences across all its platforms.

April 3, 2021
YouNeedCharacter’s CricketPang comic animation signs Ajinkya Rahane as the brand ambassador

MUMBAI: Global character creation and animation production company YouNeedCharacter (spearheaded by CEO Minsu Song) has recently signed Indian cricket player, Ajinkya Rahane as the brand ambassador for CricketPang. As a part of their promotion, marketing, and branding initiative, Ajinkya Rahane has been roped in as the ambassador for India for ‘CricketPang’ – The soon to be launched original animate series.

YouNeedCharacter is a company that creates animation and educational content with its original characters and is currently planning and producing ‘CricketPang’, a tv animation based on Cricket. It is currently in the final production stage and as the first stage of the launch, the comic series will be aired in India. Followed by other major countries.

CricketPang has signed with popular OTT platforms in India and is in talks with local companies to start its services in March 2021.

“India is a country of cricket. It is the nation’s favorite sport and famous cricket players along with Bollywood actors are some of India’s most influential role models. Among the cricket players, Ajinkya is a top-class player who is loved and respected by the Indian audience. He has garnered around 7 million followers on Facebook. I am extremely happy and think it is very important that such an excellent and famous player has shown interest and has become the brand ambassador of CricketPang.” Said CEO of YouNeedCharacter CEO Minsu Song, “With Ajinkya, we not only plan to promote the CricketPang animation but also initiate activities keeping public interest in mind. Through these initiatives, we intend to support cricket by securing scholarships for promising young cricket players in India.” He added

Rahane said. “An animation series on Cricket will be very interesting for children, especially when the narrative is interesting and the characters are cute. I feel an animated series like this will appeal to kids and it is a great way of promoting the sport. It is an interesting concept that convinced me to associate with the launch of CricketPang in the Indian market. I hope to have a long-standing association with the brand.”.

The interest in the IP is high, considering the tremendous response that the recently launched CricketPang Kindergarten App (an educational app for kindergarten-age children) has received. Despite the pre-airing of the CricketPang animation, the app has exceeded 100,000 downloads in India. With CricketPang’s official YouTube channel, ‘CricketPang TV’ that launched in mid-January exceeding 18,000 subscribers and 4 million views, the scope for early childhood education platform business is quite promising. Most of the views are from countries that are passionate about cricket such as India, Bangladesh, and so on. The possibility for successful commercialization locally is becoming clearer. Discussions with major Indian publishers to publish a series of CricketPang books are on the cards. The publication is to be expected soon. In addition, CricketPang has signed with Rooh Entertainment, a renowned brand marketing agency in India, for their brand marketing and licensing business. .Rutika Malaviya, Founder – Rooh Entertainment will be building and launching the CricketPang Brand Licensing Program in India, which we believe is something to look forward to.

YouNeedCharacter plans to raise awareness in a short period of time by broadcasting the series through local media channels, conducting local marketing, and actively promoting partnerships with various local companies in India. In particular, the association with Ajinkya is expected to have a meaningful impact on the initial launch process. A collaboration of a cricket-themed animation and a star cricket player is expected to show interesting results.

March 10, 2021
ELSA Corp India appoints cricketer Ajinkya Rahane as brand ambassador for India, Middle East, ANZ & SAARC

MUMBAI: ELSA Corp India, a global Edu-tech company, has today announced the appointment of Indian cricket test team vice captain Ajinkya Rahane as its brand ambassador for India, Middle East, ANZ and SAARC. ELSA Speak is a Mobile App, which uses speech recognition technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to help language learners improve their English pronunciation.

The announcement was made through a web conference in the presence of Rahane along with ELSA Corp country head India Manit Parikh.

Rahane will be endorsing the brand’s mobile application. This association aims to popularise ELSA Speak amongst Indian individuals who want to better their English pronunciation.

Commenting on the announcement ELSA Corp country head India Manit Parikh said, “Ajinkya Rahane is a self-made man and is revered to be one of the most influential cricketers of our times. He is the perfect example of an individual who has worked hard not only on his core craft, but also on his personality, his confidence and how he carries himself on the field and off the ground. At ELSA,we have created an ecosystem of learning where individuals can master spoken English and become confident speakers, thereby helping them excel in the field of their choice. Ajinkya is the perfect embodiment of the ‘ELSA way of life’ and therefore he is the best fit. We are looking forward to a great partnership with him.”

Rahane said, “Communication on the field is very vital in the sport of cricket and playing the sport at a professional, international level, we need to be equipped to communicate effectively with key stakeholders – international colleagues, fans and media. Since English is a language commonly used in international cricket circles, it becomes very useful to be able to understand and speak the language. ELSA is a great communication tool that equips individuals by helping them learn the right pronunciation of words. I have used the app for a while now and I believe it can be a great resource to many who have not learnt English as their first language."

ELSA Speak is an AI-powered app aimed at an estimated 1.5 billion language learners in the world to learn to speak English more fluently, thereby changing their careers and lives. ELSA uses proprietary speech technology with deep learning and AI to detect people's pronunciation mistakes with 95 per cent+ accuracy. The app listens to the way language learners pronounce words, sentences or conversations to pinpoint exact errors and provide real-time feedback on pronunciation mistakes with specific suggestions on how to improve.

ELSA Speak is used by BPO/KPO, hospitality, aviation, retail, banking, call centres, schools, colleges, vocational training institutions and more in India and internationally. ELSA is the first startup in Asia to be funded by Google’s Gradient Ventures.

In the midst of Covid2019 and supporting PM Narendra Modi, ELSA announced a subscription grant worth Rs 56 crore for students in India.

Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment

May 6, 2020
‘The future of Indian cricket is shining bright’

Mumbai: Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly said that the transformation of the Indian cricket team began with players having confidence in their own abilities. “We were a bunch of talents but we did not know how to win Test cricket. That culture needed to change. India always had great batsmen, but we needed fast bowlers who could take 20 wickets,” he said.

BCCI CEO Rahul Johri said that the cricket body’s job was to give the cricketers best infrastructure. “Based on the feedback received from them, we have ensured that when the Team goes to England this summer, they play the first after spending almost a month there,” he said.

He also said that BCCI is planning a five-year-long calendar scheduling every tournament in advance. “So you will know which tournament is happening when in next five years,” he said.

Recounting his success during the recent tour of South Africa, vice-captain of Indian cricket team Ajinkya Rahane said that the key to success was thinking that they were playing in home ground. “In Johannesburg, I had the opportunity to become and hero and I played with a lot of discipline,” he said.

Sourav Ganguly had another explanation behind Rahane’s success. “He bats at no 5 in Test as I also did. Batting at no 5 and 6 in India is the most dangerous, but it’s the reverse outside the country. That’s the reason No 5 batsmen do well abroad,” said Ganguly.

Captain of the Under 19 World Cup winning Indian team Prithvi Shaw said that he had miles to go and this was just a beginning of his career.

Ganguly appreciated the BCCI’s decision to raise the match fee of the domestic cricketers from Rs 10,000 a day to Rs 35,000 and demanded that the fee must be raised further.

“We are the best team in all formats. The central contract focuses on domestic cricket because that’s the bedrock of Indian cricket. Now players get their fee on match day and don’t have to wait for one and a half year,” said Johri.

Rahane also praised his captain Virat Kohli and said that he did not want to change Virat’s aggression as it got the best out of him.

Ganguly added that the domestic structure of Indian cricket has improved the quality of Indian team and it now has bowlers who can take 20 wickets. Shaw said that he would like to lift the senior world cup some day.

March 10, 2018
IPL auction: Gayle to play for KXIP, Unadkat most expensive Indian player

MUMBAI: KXIP played its cards perfectly by making a bid of Rs 2 crore at the end of the auction for the distructive Chris Gayle.

Sri Lanka fast bowler Dushmanta Chameera was snapped up by RR for his base price of Rs 50 lakh.

The highlight of the day, however, was Jaydev Unadkat. The seam bowler became the most expensive Indian player after RR bought him for Rs 11.50 crore. Unadkat has over taken Manish Pandey and KL Rahul, who were bought for Rs 11 crore each on Saturday.

Uncapped Indian spinners also got big money when RR bought Gowtham for Rs 6.20 crore. The other big buys on Sunday were Sandeep Sharma, who went to SRH for Rs 3 crore.

Several international players failed to find takers on Sunday. All the unsold players can be brought back in the auction if franchises ask for them. Ben Stokes remained the top buy with RR buying the England all-rounder for Rs 12.50 crore and keeping him in the company of his former Pune teammates Steve Smith, Ajinkya Rahane and Rahul Tripathi.

Interestingly, CSK’s team composition is similar to what it was before the ban. They do, however, still lack the strike bowlers and struggled on Sunday to grab any of the attacking options. R Ashwin moved to Kings XI Punjab in the course of the bidding.

There was some big money for India’s under 19 cricketers as Kamlesh Nagarkoti was bought for Rs 3.20 crore by KKR.

Some of the big international names that went unsold were James Faulkner, Josh Hazlewood, Hashim Amla, Lasith Malinga, Ishant Sharma and Martin Guptill.

MI retains Krunal Pandya for Rs 8.80 cr

The first upcapped batsman in the eighth set was Surya Kumar Yadav with a base price of Rs 30 lakh. MI eventually snapped him up for Rs 3.20 crore.

The highest big for an under 19 cricketer was Rs 3.20 crore, the player being Kamlesh Nagarkoti—his base price was Rs 20 lakh. Krunal Pandya was retained by MI for Rs 8.80 crore using RTM against RCB’s bid. His base price was Rs 40 lakh. Nitish Rana (base price Rs 20 lakh) went for Rs 3.40 crore to KKR. Darcy Short (Rs 20 lakh) went for Rs 4 crore to RR. Jofra Archer (Rs 40 lakh) was snaffled by RR for a not too insignificant Rs 7.20 crore.

Current under 19 cricketer Shubman Ghill (base price Rs 20 lakh) went for Rs 1.80 to KKR. Mayank Agarwal, with a base price of Rs 20 lakh, went to KXIP for Rs 1 crore. Rahul Tripathi with a base price of Rs 20 lakh went for Rs 3.40 crore to RR. Manan Vora (Rs 20 lakh) went to RCB for Rs 1.10 crore.

Indian under 19 captain Prithvi Shaw (Rs 20 lakh) went to DD for Rs 1.20 crore.

RCB retain Yuzvendra Chahal

The seventh set of the IPL auction included the spinners. The first spinner to go under the hammer was Piyush Chawla with a base price of Rs 1 crore and was sold to CSK for Rs 4.20 crore but KKR used RTM against the CSK bid. CSK, however, managed to grab the best deal of the day buy bidding Rs 1 crore for Imran Tahir. Karn Sharma with Rs 2 crore base price sold to CSK for Rs 5 crore. Rashid Khan, Afghanistan leggie with a base price of Rs 2 crore, was sold to KXIP for Rs 9 crore but SRH used their RTM to thwart the bid.

New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi, Australia’s Adam Zampa and West Indian spinner Samuel Badri, all leg spinners, all went unsold.

The most awaited spinner in this set, Yuzvendra Chahal (base price Rs 2 crore) was first bought by DD for Rs 6 crore but RCB used RTM to retain the player. Kuldeep Yadav, the Indian spinner went for Rs 5.80 crore to RCB but KKR used their RTM and retained the player. Amit Mishra was sold to DD for Rs 4 crore.

In the fast bowlers’ set, Mohammed Shami, with a base price of Rs 1 crore, went to SRH for Rs 3 crore but DD used its RTM to grab the player. Kagiso Rabada, the South African tearaway, was retained by DD using RTM against CSK’s bid of Rs 4.20 crore.

Mitchell Johnson, Josh Hazlewood go unsold

Set six of the auction started with the bowlers and the first one on the list was Mustafizur Rahman with a base price of Rs 1 crore. He was sold to MI for Rs 2.20 crore. Mitchell Johnson and compatriot Josh Hazlewood with the same base price (Rs 2 crore)failed to evoke any interest from the franchises.

Fellow Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins, however, was sold to MI for Rs 5.40 crore. RCB picked up India fast bowler Umesh Yadav (Rs 1 crore) for Rs 4.20 crore. Ishant Sharma, with a base price of Rs 75 lakh, also went unsold.

RR pick up Sanju Samson for Rs 8 cr

Set five of the IPL auction started with the wicketkeepers to be auctioned. A total of 11 wicketkeepers were on the list. Parthiv Patel, with a base price of Rs 1 crore, went unsold; England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow also went unsold. South African keeper Quinton de Kock went to RCB for Rs 2.80 crore (base price Rs 2 crore).

Wriddhiman Saha, with a base price of Rs 1 crore, went to SRH for Rs 5 crore. India wicketkeeper and batsman Dinesh Karthik went to KKR for Rs 7.40 crore. Robin Uthappa with a base price of Rs 2 crore went to MI for Rs 6.40 crore but KKR used their RTM and snatched him from MI.

Sanju Samson with a base price of Rs 1 crore went to RR for Rs 8 crore.

CSK won the bid for Ambati Rayudu with Rs 2.20 crore. His base price was 50 lakh. Sam Billings (base price Rs 1 crore) and Naman Ojha (Rs 75 lakh) failed to get picked up by any of the franchises.

Jos Buttler (base price Rs 1.50 crore) was sold to RR for Rs 4.40 crore.

IPL auction: RCB splurge Rs 7.4 cr on Chris Woakes

RCB spent a whopping Rs 7.4 crore to acquire England fast bowler Chris Woakes. His base price was Rs 1.5 crore. Meanwhile, Yusuf Pathan was sold to SRH (base price Rs 75 lakh) and Collin Munro (Rs 50 lakh) went to Delhi Daredevils.

Both players were sold at an identical price of Rs 1.9 crore. Kedar Jadhav was bought for Rs 7.80 crore (Rs 2 crore) and former Australia all-rounder Shane Watson for Rs 4 crore (Rs 1.5 crore) by CSK.

IPL auction: Manish Pandey sold to SRH for Rs 11 cr

Manish Pandey, who has been in and out of the India set up, has been picked by SRH for Rs 11 crore, the same amount as KL Rahul. Meanwhile, Chris Lynn was sold to KKR for Rs 9.60 crore.

The last cricketer of the set, Martin Guptill, went unsold.

Indian cricketer S Badrinath said, “Joe Roots is not IPL material but Chris Gayle and Hashim Amla not being unsold was a big surprise.” Amla wasn’t bought despite making two hundreds in the last season of the IPL.

Brendon Mccullum went to RCB for Rs 3.60 crore. He will fill the slot of Chris Gayle as the opener in the side. Jason Roy was sold to Delhi Daredevils for Rs 1.5 crore.

IPL auction: Joe Root goes unsold in his first season

Joe Root, the English captain went unsold in his inaugural season. The last marquee player of the first set was Yuvraj Singh, who was bought by Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) at a base price of Rs 2 crore. KXIP officials were happy with the deal.

Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan was sold to SRH for Rs 2 crore. Glenn Maxwell, the distructive Australian batsmen, was bought by Delhi Daredevils for Rs 9 crore.

Ex KKR captain Gautam Gambhir was sold for Rs 4.8 crore to Delhi Daredevils while New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was sold to SRH for Rs 3 crore.

IPL auctions: Ben Stokes sold to RR for Rs 12.50 cr

Mumbai Indians used the RTM for Kieron Pollard after Delhi Daredevils bought him for Rs 5.40 crore. Chris Gayle was unsold as no team started the bid. He can be presented again for the auction at the day’s end.

Ben Stokes, the costliest player sold last year for 14.2 crore, is also the costliest player till now with Rs 12.50 crore to Rajasthan Royals (RR).

Chennai Super Kings used RTM for Faf Du Plesis against Kings XI Punjab’s 1.60 crore bid.

Ajinkya Rahane was retained by RR by using RTM against Kings XI Punjab’s Rs 4 crore bid.

Mitchell Starc was sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 9.40 crore; he was previously with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Former Indian cricketer Krishnamachari Shrikant told Indiantelevision.com, “I’m not surprised seeing Chris Gayle not being sold. RCB may use RTM for KL Rahul and Yezuvendra Chahal. Chennai got the South African captain at a very good price.” at Star Sports Studio in Lower Parel Mumbai.

Star Sports has made a whole floor for the live studio feed for diiferent languages. Total of 12 studios that includes five major studios, five micro studios a fan box set-up and a cafe set-up.

After a break of 15 minutes, Harbajan Singh was sold to Chennai Super Kings for his base price of Rs 2 crore.

R Ashwin sold to Kings XI Punjab for Rs 7.60 crore

The auction day has arrived and it’s time for the fans to be glued to their television sets and watch big money being spent on marquee players.

The first player to be auctioned was Shikhar Dhawan at a base price of Rs 2 crore. Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians and RR fought for the player, who was sold to Kings XI Punjab with highest bid of Rs 5.2 crore. Sunrisers Hyderabad, however, used Right to Match (RTM) and grabbed the opportunity at the same price.

R Ashwin was the second player to be auctioned at the same base price of 2 crore. The spinner was sold for Rs 7. 6 crore to Kings XI Punjab.

January 27, 2018
Smith to lead Motorola-backed Rising Pune Supergiant, Ben Stokes on board

MUMBAI: Heralding a new edition of Indian Premier League with renewed hope and vision in their second season, Rising Pune Supergiant, made a dashing entry into the 10th season of IPL, with their dynamic new Captain, Steve Smith and spirited middle order batsman Ajinkya Rahane by welcoming the new addition to the team, England all-rounder Ben Stokes, handing over team jersey in the presence of the team owner, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka.

Goenka said, “I would like to congratulate the team’s think tank for putting up a good side for the upcoming season of IPL. I welcome Ben Stokes in our family. Steve Smith has performed well for last one year, his leadership inspires and will help the team work together as a unit.”

The newest addition to the side English all-rounder, Ben Stokes said, “Playing for Rising Pune Supergiant is definitely going to be a high point of my career. This is a chance which I will work towards my team’s advantage with stalwarts like MS Dhoni, Faf du Plessis, Ravichandran Ashwin and Steve Smith, to learn and enjoy the games at the same time.’’

India’s top order batsman who started his international career with Twenty20 International in the year 2011, Ajinkya Rahane happily spoke about his part in the team, “I am quite in sync with the team structure as this will be my second year with Rising Pune Supergiant. Our team is well balanced with a good mix of talent from both national and international players. Ben Stokes is one of the most talented all-rounder’s in the world and we hope to get good support from him. Imran Tahir’s inclusion is definitely going to strengthen our bowling department and will lend variety to the team.”

After fantastic performance in recent India- Australia cricket series captain Steve Smith has been endowed with a new responsibility of leading the team in this edition of IPL. Leading Australia with his dynamic captaincy in all three formats of cricket since 2015 and ending 2016 successfully after topping the ICC rankings due to his high octane performances throughout the year Steve Smith was the best choice to captain the team who will bring in all his experiences playing for the Australian side.

Steve Smith spoke about his new role, “My experience of playing in India has been wonderful so far. This year we also have a new member Ben Stokes with us who will balance experience and skill in right dose. High and orderly performance with good bowling, fielding and batting will be the benchmark for judging the team. We hope to make Pune proud with good cricket.”

The team also announced Motorola as their Team Sponsor for the 10th edition of IPL which starts on 5 April 2017.

The squad comprises star players M. S. Dhoni, Steve Smith, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Ben Stokes and Faf Du Plessis, supplemented by other Indian and foreign talent.

Rising Pune Supergiant CEO Raghu Iyer said, “We are sure this association will be mutually beneficial for both companies.”

Motorola Mobility India MD and Lenovo Mobile Group country head Sudhin Mathur, said “Rising Pune Supergiant and Motorola are a perfect fit. Both are challenger brands with a focus on breaking limitations to drive performance and innovation, as well as have a culture of being different for the sake of being better.”

March 30, 2017
Star Plus salutes Moms through Dhoni, Kohli and Ajinkya in promos

MUMBAI: Moms are what make each one of us who we are. That’s something we all acknowledge in private, and sometimes in public. The Twenty First Century Corop subsidiary Star India has roped in India’s cricket superstars MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane for a TV campaign for Star Plus in which the trio has dropped their surnames or their own names from their jerseys, replacing it with their respective mom’s names.

The campaign (part of the Nayi Soch initiative) – sure to warm the cockles of many an Indian heart and possibly bring a lump to our throats – rolled out on TV screens just as the one day series between India and the Kiwis commenced.

The intent: Star India says is to push forward the agenda for Indian women, something which it has been doing through its entertainment TV shows and promos. A press release issued by Star India says that the three promos are supported by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and that it (as the Indian cricket team’s sponsor) along with the cricket board is seeking to break the stereotypical societal notions around lineage and identity and the role of women in all our lives.

In the promos, Dhoni, Virat and Ajinkya proudly acknowledge that they derive their identity as much from their mothers as their fathers.

“We at Star India are very happy to partner with the BCCI for an iconic brand initiative of Nayi Soch. Star Plus has been a lighthouse brand for women,” says Star India managing director Sanjay Gupta. “We have always put women first, told their stories and are now set to take it to the next level by challenging orthodoxy and stereotypes that come in the way of progress for women.”

In the MS Dhoni short film, a journalist questions him about the fact that he has put the name of Devki on his jersey. Dhoni responds with the usual calmness and smile on his face:
“Main itne saal se, apne pita aka naam pahen raha tha, tab to aap ne kabhi nahin poocha, ki koi khaas vajaah.”
(“For so many years, I wore my father’s name on my jersey, you never asked me if there is a special occasion.”)

Ajinkya Rahane, in his film, says
“Log kahante hain, baap ka naam roshan karo, lekin mere liye ma (Sujata) ka naam roshan karna itna hi important hain.”
(People say make your father proud and renowned, but for me making my mother proud and well known is as important)

The Virat Kohli film has him saying:
“Aaj mein jo bhi hoon, Mummy ke vajaah se bhi hoon. To zaher si baat hain meri pehachaan bhi, sirf papa ke naam se kyon? Mein jitna Kohli hoon, utna Saroj bhi hoon.”
(Whatever I am today is because of my Mummy. Then the question is why I am known only by my father. I am as much a Saroj as I am a Kohli)

October 16, 2016