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Tag: Sunil Gavaskar

  • Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) announces its exceptional line-up of panellists for India tour of England featuring Sourav Ganguly, Sunil Gavaskar, Ashish Nehra and more

    Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) announces its exceptional line-up of panellists for India tour of England featuring Sourav Ganguly, Sunil Gavaskar, Ashish Nehra and more

    MUMBAI: The official broadcaster of the India tour of England, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), announces its all-star panel line-up and programming initiatives for the series, beginning from 3rd July 2018 till 11th September 2018. The series, spanning a little over two months, comprises three T20s, three ODIs and five Test matches which will be played across nine venues in the U.K.

    SPN’s celebrated live wraparound show, Extraaa Innings comes back for the high-octane bilateral cricket series, between two of the best cricket teams in the world, with a whole new look. Apart from the rethought set design, the show will now feature personality-driven segments for a healthy dose of entertainment and increased fan engagement to bring the Indian touch to the analyses.

    Showcasing pre, mid and post-match analyses of the tour, Extraaa Innings will feature expert insights from an impressive line-up of cricketing personalities like Sourav Ganguly, Ashish Nehra, Sanjay Manjrekar, Graeme Swann, Sunil Gavaskar, Harsha Bhogle, Gaurav Kapur, Deep Dasgupta, Vivek Razdan and Alan Wilkins. To ensure an unparalleled viewing experience for fans across India, the series will be broadcast with English and Hindi commentary on SONY SIX and SONY TEN 3 channels respectively.

    The Sports cluster of SPN also unveils its marketing campaign, ‘Kya Hoga Iss Baar’. The 40-second campaign film has been inspired by the uncertainty that comes when India tours England. Every time India has toured England, the results have bordered on extreme. From ecstatic and memorable victories to forgettable defeats (especially in Tests), Indians have witnessed it all. 

    ‘What would happen this time around?’ was the obvious question that was asked about the upcoming tour. This message has been conveyed in a tongue-in-cheek way while building enough intrigue for viewers to tune in. The film ends with a cheeky line with reference to the incident during India’s famous NatWest trophy win when Ganguly waved his shirt from the balcony at Lord’s.

  • Men@10’s unique content to help Living Foodz sustain its position, says Amit Nair

    Men@10’s unique content to help Living Foodz sustain its position, says Amit Nair

    MUMBAI: Watch your favourite lifestyle shows this month, as Living Foodz’ ‘Men@10’ has got under way; it airs every Monday to Friday between 10 – 12 midnight. Living Foodz business head Amit Nair said, “Living Foodz has sustained its position in the lifestyle genre, owing to its unique content. Our shows are also enjoyed by male audiences in India.”

    Living Foodz has emerged as one of the most preferred channels in the lifestyle genre, amongst Indian men. Television remains the one of favourite mode of entertainment for Indian males and Men@10 promises to fill the need gap in male-targeted lifestyle entertainment. The segment will feature food content that will have a generous dash of sports, travel and lifestyle themes that resonate with men within the 21 – 40 age group. ‘Men@10’ is an exclusive property which will include an exciting line-up of popular shows such as:

    Taste Match, with legendary cricketer Sandeep Patil, where he is joined by a star-studded line-up of cricketers including Brett Lee, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Sourav Ganguly, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, among others. The series unravels locker room secrets, heartwarming anecdotes and success stories of India’s favourite cricket idols. The show will air at 10 PM, Monday-Friday.

    Femme Foodies, Asia’s first food truck reality TV show, hosted by Chef Ranveer Brar, Anahita Dhondy and Shagun Mehra, where the trio judge the culinary prowess of 10 female contestants. The winner takes home a state-of-the-art, premium food truck. The show will air at 10. 30 PM, Monday- Friday.

    Taste Down Under with Chef Vicky Ratnani unravels the culinary wonders of Australia and takes viewers on an Aussie adventure. Through the show, viewers can explore Australia’s extraordinary landscapes, pristine white sand beaches, ancient tropical rainforests, and exquisite café culture, and enjoy a multicultural culinary experience. The show will air at 11 PM, Monday- Friday.

    Rocky & Mayur’s Food Xpress, with India’s favourite foodie duo Rocky & Mayur. On the show, the pair are set out on an exciting and incredible journey to discover India’s spiciest, most exotic and most expensive food. The show will air at 11.30 PM, Monday-Friday.

  • Cricketing legends to speak at Aaj Tak conclave in London

    MUMBAI: India’s No. 1 Hindi news channel- Aaj Tak, is bringing the legends of cricket together on a mega cricket platform– Aaj Tak Salaam Cricket 2017 on 31st May in London to brainstorm and predict the winner of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2017.

    The 08th edition of the bi-annual cricket tournament, second in importance only to the Cricket World Cup is scheduled to start on 1 June, 2017 in England. Eleven former Captains, Five Members of Champions Trophy Winning Teams and other superstars of the game will converge at the largest Cricket event being held just before the start of the tournament.

    Prominent names from cricket word would include: Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Shane Warne, Michael Clarke, Nasser Hussain, Graeme Smith, Kumar Sangakkara and Brendon McCullum. Legends Like these are now in London at Salaam Cricket 17’.

    The day will start with the session – Master Stroke by Sunil Gavaskar, Former Captain & Member of the World Cup Winning Indian Team. This will be followed by a session by Australian Cricket Legend Shane Warne- Wow Warne!

    The Champions of Captains session will be attended by former Captains- Michael Clarke, Australia, Kumar Sangakkara, SriLanka, Graeme Smith, South Africa and Mohammad Azharuddin, India while Sourav Ganguly, Shane Warne & Michael Clarke will share their views during session Warnie, Pup and Dada Show.

    Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith, former England skipper Nasser Hussain, former Pakistan captains Rameez Raja, Amir Sohail and former Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar will also speak at the event alongside Ganguly, Warne, Clarke and Azharuddin.

    There will be a big clash between India and Pakistan before the match on June 4th as captains Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, Mohammad Azharuddin, Rameez Raja and Aamir Sohail clash off the field in the session Superhit Muqabla-Indo-Pak Captains .

    The cricket conference will be an all-day affair and it would be a chance for cricket aficionados to listen to some of the most well respected minds in the game.

  • IPL ’17: Mumbai Indian tickets go live, exclusive for JioMoney users

    MUMBAI: Mumbai Indians today, through its website, commenced the online ticket sales for its home games in the upcoming Vivo Indian Premier League 2017.

    As Mumbai Indians’ official partner, JioMoney brings an exclusive six-day window for its users and Mumbai Indians fans. Starting today till 21 March, Mumbai Indians’ fans using JioMoney can be among the first to book vantage seats for the Mumbai Indians home matches at Wankhede Stadium. Starting 22 March, tickets will be available for purchase through various other online payment modes.

    Mumbai Indians third home game, i.e. 16 April Vs Gujarat Lions is dedicated to Reliance Foundation Education For All (EFA) where Mumbai Indians reserve the entire stadium for its NGO partners’ underprivileged children.

    Mumbai Indians tickets are priced from Rs 800/- (Sunil Gavaskar Stand) to Rs 8,000/- (Sachin Tendulkar hospitality Stand), while the corporate box tickets range between Rs 12000/- to Rs 30000/-. The commencement date for Box office ticket sales will be announced later.

    Rohit Sharma led Mumbai Indians will kick off the season against Pune on 6th April in an away match. Mumbai Indians home matches are scheduled as : 9th April Vs KKR; 12th April Vs SRH; 16th April Vs GL (EFA match); 24 April Vs RPS; 1 May Vs RCB; 6th May Vs DD; 11th May Vs KXIP.

  • Anil Kumble to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

    Anil Kumble to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

    MUMBAI: Former India captain and one of the most versatile wrist-spinners to ever play the game Anil Kumble, and Betty Wilson, one of the greatest women’s cricketers of all-time, will be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 match between India and South Africa at the MCG on 22 February.

     

    Kumble, with 619 Test wickets, is the third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket after Muttiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708), while his 337 wickets in ODIs ranks him in ninth position on the all-time list of most successful bowlers in that format. Kumble captained India in 14 Tests between 2007 and 2008, winning three and losing five.

     

    In the 138-year history of Test cricket during which 2,156 Tests have been played to date, Kumble is one of only two bowlers after England’s Jim Laker to have taken all 10 wickets in an innings. He achieved this feat against traditional rival Pakistan in New Delhi in February 1999.

     

    Kumble made his Test debut in 1990 in Manchester and his final appearance was in New Delhi in October-November 2008. During his career, Kumble played 132 Tests and 271 One-Day Internationals. Apart from his 619 Test and 337 ODI wickets, Kumble also scored 2,506 runs in Tests and 938 runs in ODIs.

     

    Wilson, a former Australia batter, played 11 Tests between 1947 and 1958 in which she scored 862 runs at average of 57.4 and took 68 wickets at 11.8 per wicket.

     

    On her debut against New Zealand at the age of 26 in 1948, she scored 90 and took four for 37 and six for 28. In her second Test, she scored 111 against England, becoming the first Australia woman to score a Test century against England, and took nine more wickets. Against England in 1957-58, she became the first cricketer, male or female, to score a century and take 10 wickets in a Test. Wilson passed away on 22 January 2010, aged 88.

     

    Kumble and Wilson will be formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the innings break in the India versus South Africa match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday 22 February. International Cricket Council (ICC) director and chairman of Cricket Australia, Wally Edwards, will present Kumble with his commemorative cap, while Wilson’s commemorative cap will be received by her nephew, Ken Wilson, from ICC chief executive David Richardson.

     

    Kumble, who is now the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee, is the fourth India cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame after fellow former captains Bishen Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar were inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

     

    The process for the selection of players into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame started last year when the ICC chairman invited all the living ICC Cricket Hall of Famers to send their nominations. The ICC Nominations Committee reduced the long-list to 10 men and three women cricketers. The short-list was then sent to the Voting Academy, which included representatives of all the 10 Full Members, media representatives from all the 10 Full Members, Associate & Affiliate Member, women’s cricket and FICA representatives as well as living ICC Hall of Famers. The ICC collated the nominations and forwarded the ballot papers to the auditors who provided the final results.

  • Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography Playing It My Way released

    Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography Playing It My Way released

    MUMBAI: The highest run-scorer in the history of international cricket, Sachin Tendulkar  who retired in 2013 after playing for an astonishing 24 years is back again. Tendulkar along with publishers Hachette India released his much awaited autobiography, Playing It My Way.

    In an hour long event, master of ceremonies Harsha Bhogle took the audience through Tendulkar’s life and the evolution of Indian cricket with interesting on-stage conversations with Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Vasu Paranjpe, and the famed ‘class of ’98’ (with Sourav Ganguli, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar himself). The formal book release saw Tendulkar present the first copy to his first coach and guru Ramakant Achrekar. This was followed by the final session which was a solo conversation with the author himself.

    Talking about the events captured in the book Sachin Tendulkar said, “Playing It My Way’ is a different sort of innings for me, and was in the making for the last three years.  As with the game, I have been honest and sincere in putting together various aspects of my life, and the book is something I hope readers will enjoy.”

    Hachette India managing director Thomas Abraham commented “This is an absolutely outstanding book–at once cricketing history and personal narrative; and will delight every cricketing fan. We are delighted to welcome Sachin Tendulkar to our list and are proud to be publishing this landmark autobiography which we’re sure, like its author will go on to set new records.”

    The book has in fact already set the Indian record for the largest adult hardback orders on day of release with 1,00,000 copies being released by the publishers.  While lucky guests got the chance to purchase early ‘launch’ copies, the book is heavily embargoed and was transported across the country under security for simultaneous release today.

    The book y releases as a hardback and simultaneous eBook from today. An audiobook version will follow early next year as will Indian language versions in Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Malayalam and Bengali.

     

  • Sunil Gavaskar relieved as BCCI interim president

    Sunil Gavaskar relieved as BCCI interim president

    MUMBAI: India’s cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar has been relieved of his duties as the interim BCCI president by the Supreme Court. He was appointed to manage the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2014.

     

    The bench headed by Justice T.S Thakur relieved Gavaskar but appreciated the work he had done of conducting the affairs of both the board and the IPL.

     

    The court also allowed him to seek compensation from the BCCI for the work he had done so far. The move comes after Gavaskar had written to the apex court seeking clarity on his role since the IPL had concluded.

     

    Senior BCCI Vice President Shivlal Yadav will meanwhile continue to function till further orders of the apex court.

     

    The Supreme Court had appointed Gavaskar after taking control of the board on 28 March from current ICC chairman N. Srinivasan who was asked to move aside in the wake of the alleged betting charges against his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan during the previous season of IPL.

  • IPL 7: Ready, steady, Po!

    IPL 7: Ready, steady, Po!

    Just a day to go for that spectacle called the Indian Premiere League and already, the season has seen more than its fair share of twists and turns!

     

    Apart from the fact that the upcoming tournament coincides with the 16th general elections – bringing back the ghost of IPL season two that had to be organised on South African shores because it collided with the polls here – there have been other changes as well. Right from the omission of Pune Warriors India as a franchise (earlier, Deccan Chargers and Kochi Tuskers Kerala faced termination as well) to N Srinivasan losing his chair to cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar being appointed as the BCCI-IPL interim president on the order passed by the Supreme Court.

     

    Also, IPL is down to eight teams just like it was when it first kicked off, with the number of matches down to 60, of which, the first 20 will be played in the UAE and the remaining ones back home beginning 2 May.

     

    So before the action begins, here’s looking at some of the things the franchises need to make note of before they forge ahead:

     

    Maintaining momentum

     

    Back in 2009, when IPL had to shift to South Africa due to general elections, there were a lot of logistical issues that caused trouble for the franchises. While shifting to UAE this time round may look simpler because of the similarity in conditions, the teams will have to do some adjusting when they shift back to India in early May.

     

    The return to India could be more a psychological blow for the teams because while there will be bigger crowds and greater support back home, migrating back to India from the UAE with wins under their belts may prove a daunting task for the teams.

     

    They will have to make the psychological adjustment and rework their strategy to better suit Indian conditions. If any side gains momentum in the UAE, it is crucial that they win the first few games during the Indian leg to keep wheel of fortune turning. As far as the conditions go, it may become easier for the teams in India as the heat wouldn’t be as intense as that of the UAE. The pitches too would be a lot more familiar.

     

    Thus, it would all boil down to how well a franchise returns and gets moving in India. It may be a challenge for the teams that are winning, but those who struggle in the UAE may welcome the return to home conditions and that could work in their favour. So buckle up for some high adrenaline action in the first week of May.

     

    Sponsors fighting shy of IPL?

     

    What began as a fledgling franchise in 2008 is today a world-renowned property with brand value pegged at $3.03 billion in 2013 and the highest at $4.13 billion in 2010.

     

    But, 2014 seems to be a troubling year for IPL franchisees, what with the recent controversies, uncertainty about the fate of the tournament (this season), and the decision to take the first half to UAE having made sponsors put on their guard.

     

    According to an American Appraisal India report of 2013, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians emerged as the most powerful brands valued at $72 million each; followed by Kolkata Knight Riders ($69 million) and Royal Challengers Bangalore ($51 million). Rajasthan Royals ($45 million) and Delhi Daredevils ($40 million) were somewhere in the middle, while Kings XI Punjab ($32 million) and Sunrisers Hyderabad ($25 million) sat at the bottom of the pile.

     

    Each team is trying to claw its way back with operational improvements however, trust flows with stakeholders will eventually determine the health of IPL’s long-term liquidity and profitability. For the current eight teams to sustain, their short-term operational movements need to be aligned with their strategic plans for the tourney.

     

    For example, Kings XI Punjab has had its number of sponsors come down to just two from 15 in 2013. Till last season, the franchise had NVD Solar as its title sponsor for three years, along with Arise Inverters and Batteries, Raindrops Basmati, Lux Cozi, ACC, USL and McDowell’s No. 1 as official team partners. But this season, it has only USL and TK Sports on board as sponsors with the tourney at the doorstep.

     

    GMR group owned-Delhi Daredevils seems to have undergone a makeover this season with a new-look squad, new logo and new sponsor – Quikr. Till last year, the Muthoot Group was its title sponsor, but it did not wish to renew its contract and thus, it opened the doors for the e-commerce portal to step-in as the title sponsor for a period of three years. Apart from Muthoot, other premiere sponsors including Bajaj Allianz, Coca-Cola India, Matrix and consumer goods company Panasonic have also opted out of sponsorship deals this season.

     

    Other franchisees such as Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders are facing a different challenge. While these teams have managed to get some sponsors on board, the sponsorship rates have taken a pounding. Delay in the announcement of the venue and the controversies surrounding the tourney have impacted business this year, according to most trade pundits.

     

    So how are the teams facing up to these challenges?

     

    With the playing field down to just eight teams, it will lead to intense battles on the field that will hopefully lead to great last over finishes, creating an enthralling experience for the fans.

     

    Last season winners and maiden title holder Mumbai Indians, will square off with 2012 winners Kolkata Knight Riders on April 16 to kick-off the tourney at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

     

    The league is scheduled to culminate on 1 June 2014, to crown the champions for season seven of the Pepsi Indian Premiere League. Here is a brief description of the teams competing for the coveted title this time around.

     

    Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

     

    Team (from): MS Dhoni (Captain), Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Faf du Plessis, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Ashish Nehra, Mohit Sharma, Samuel Badree, Ben Hilfenhaus, Matt Henry, B Aparajith, Mithun Manhas, Ishwar Pandey, Pawan Negi, Vijay Shankar, Ronit More, John Hastings.

     

    One of the most successful franchises in the league, having won the title twice (2010 and 2011) under the leadership of M S Dhoni (also captain of Team India); one of the major reasons for the success of CSK is the stability and collective effort in the team. They always have a chance to win the cup and this year is no different.

     

    Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)

     

    Team (from): Virat Kohli (Captain), Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel, Albie Morkel, Mitchell Starc, Ashok Dinda, Ravi Rampaul, Muttiah Muralitharan, Nic Maddinson, Varun Aaron, Vijay, Sachin Rana, Yogesh Takawale, Abu Nechim Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shadab Jakati, Sandeep Warrier, Harshal Patel, Tanmay Mishra.

     

    The most flamboyant team among all, with the likes of Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle, but it hasn’t really used its resources well to conquer the league. The best result for the team was in 2011, when they came second to CSK. With some real match winners, and Kohli currently in top form, the Challengers need to really put the pedal to the metal (bat to the ball) from the word go this season.

     

    Delhi Daredevils (DD)

     

    Team (from): Kevin Pietersen (Captain), M Vijay, Dinesh Karthik, JP Duminy, Manoj Tiwary, Quinton de Kock, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Sharma, Saurabh Tiwary, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Shahbaz Nadeem, Ross Taylor, Milind Kumar, Wayne Parnell, HS Sharath, Jayant Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, James Neesham, Kedar Jadhav, Mayank Agarwal, Rahul Shukla, Siddharth Kaul.

     

    This is one team that has just drifted away after beginning strongly in the first two seasons. The team really needs to play to its strengths and take each match as it comes. The strategy needs to be very clear; first to reach the play-offs and then the semi-final and if the team plays to its strength, play the final. With the temperamental Pietersen at the helm of things, it will be interesting to see the approach of the team this season.

     

    Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

     

    Team (from): Gautam Gambhir (Captain), Sunil Narine, Jacques Kallis, Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Umesh Yadav, Vinay Kumar, Morne Morkel, Piyush Chawla, Manish Pandey, Veer Pratap Singh, Chris Lynn, Andre Russell, SS Mandal, Pat Cummins, Debabrata Das, Suryakumar Yadav, Manvinder Bisla, Ryan ten Doeschate, Kuldeep Yadav.

     

    The Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise, was lost till it found a leader in Gautam Gambhir and have stood by him. Under Gambhir, KKR lifted the cup in 2012 and can certainly be a strong contender for this season as well. The team banks on a good mix of youth and experience, with Kallis and Gambhir giving stability to the batting. If Sunil Narine can spin his web yet again and Yusuf Pathan along with new entrant Robin Uthappa create some magic, the Knight Riders may stand to repeat its 2012 feat yet again.

     

    Rajasthan Royals (RR)

     

    Team (from): Shane Watson (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane, James Faulkner, Stuart Binny, Sanju Samson, Brad Hodge, Steven Smith, Abhishek Nayar, Ben Cutting, Kane Richardson, Tim Southee, Unmukt Chand, Ankush Bains, Vikramjeet Malik, Rahul Tewatia, Ankit Sharma, Amit Mishra, Deepak Hooda, Rajat Bhatia, Kevon Cooper, Iqbal Abdulla, Dhawal Kulkarni, Pravin Tambe, Karun Nair, Dishant Yagnik.

     

    The maiden champions will always be remembered for their 2008 tournament; from being the dark horse to really nudging every one out of the league to lift the cup. But since then, the team has not really done much to be noticed. Having been consistent and qualifying for the play-offs last season helps in keeping the team together, but it lacks the killer instinct which may be made up with the appointment of Shane Watson as captain. The team looks very balanced on paper and can give any team a run for its money any given day.

     

    Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)

     

    Team (from): Shikhar Dhawan (Captain), Dale Steyn, David Warner, Darren Sammy, Amit Mishra, Aaron Finch, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Brendan Taylor, Moises Henriques, Venugopala Rao, Jason Holder, S Aniruddha, Manprit Juneja, KL Rahul, Amit Paunikar, Naman Ojha, Ricky Bhui, Ashish Reddy, Chama Milind, Parveez Rasool, Prashanth Parameshwaran, Karn Sharma.

     

    Having the advantage of being the youngest franchise in the league, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, proved its mettle by qualifying to the play-offs in the 2013 season. The team really battled in some of the memorable matches of the season. Under the leadership of Shikhar Dhawan, the team looks poised to maintain its performance and do exceedingly well in season seven as well. With match winners like Dhawan, Warner, Steyn, Mishra and Sammy, this looks like the most balanced team among the lot.

     

    Kings XI Punjab (KXIP)

     

    Team (from): George Bailey (Captain), David Miller, Manan Vohra, Virender Sehwag, Mitchell Johnson, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shaun Marsh, Wriddhaman Saha, Thisara Perera, Glenn Maxwell, Rishi Dhawan, Anureet Singh, Sandeep Sharma, Akshar Patel, Beuran Hendricks, Karanveer Singh, Murali Kartik, Shivam Sharma, Shardul Thakur, L Balaji, Parvinder Awana, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Mandeep Singh.

     

    This team has never really proved its mettle right from season one down to season six; there have been constant changes in leadership and that has been detrimental to its performance as well. With George Bailey at the helm and support from ‘old hands’ like Sehwag, Johnson, Saha and Balaji, it’s yet to be seen if this season brings a change in fortunes for KXIP.

     

    Mumbai Indians (MI)

     

    Team (from): Rohit Sharma (Captain), Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Michael Hussey, Zaheer Khan, Pragyan Ojha, Corey Anderson, Josh Hazlewood, CM Gautam, Aditya Tare, Apoorv Wankhade, Marchant de Lange, Krishmar Santokie, Ben Dunk, Pawan Suyal, Sushant Marathe, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Gopal, Jalaj Saxena.

     

    The reigning champions of season six IPL 2013, have seen it all. The first two years having struggled to not even qualify for the play-offs; followed by standing runners-up in 2010 and then finally completing the journey last year. But this year the one big change will be, Sachin Tendulkar not figuring in the squad, having retired from all forms of cricket. The team looks good and well balanced to retain its title, only time will tell if it really can.

  • IPL 2014 gets a special advisor in Deepak Parekh

    IPL 2014 gets a special advisor in Deepak Parekh

    MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), at the instance of BCCI-IPL interim president Sunil Gavaskar has appointed Deepak Parekh as his special advisor, for the 2014 season of the Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL). Parekh will be a special invitee to the governing council meetings of the IPL. 

     

    Parekh is the chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation, one of India’s leading housing finance company, and is also on the boards of many Indian and international corporates. He also happens to be an avid cricket follower, and his management skills are well documented.

     

    “I am delighted that Deepak has accepted my invitation to come on board as a special advisor and special invitee to the Indian Premier League governing council. It is apt that an individual of the calibre of Parekh will be joining the BCCI-IPL’s leadership group. With a diverse combination of skills and experience, this appointment will result in a well-rounded senior management team at the IPL – one that will set the direction for a better and bigger league,” Gavaskar said in a statement.

     

    Parekh has been dubbed as the unofficial crisis consultant of the government. His role as special director on the Satyam Board in 2009, to revive the company and restore the confidence in the Indian IT industry, was greatly acknowledged.  He has always been willing to share his ideas and experience to formulate reform policies across sectors. This, at times, has also meant advising the government to take hard decisions. It is this quality of being a trouble-shooter that has made him a guiding force and an active member of various high-powered economic groups, government-appointed advisory committees and task forces.

     

    “We are pleased to have Deepak Parekh in our team. His expertise will enable us to deliver a memorable IPL,” said IPL governing council chairman Ranjib Biswal. 

    Accepting his appointment, Parekh added: “I am excited to be invited to be a part of the IPL. I look forward to fulfilling this challenging new role on the IPL’s senior leadership team as an advisor to Gavaskar, as we look to strengthen the Indian Premier League.”

     

    The government and industry, impressed by Parekh’s performance and sobriety, have honoured him with several awards. Some of the most important ones are; the Padma Bhushan in 2006, and the “Knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour,” one of the highest distinctions conferred by the French Republic, in 2010. He was the first international recipient of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales’ Outstanding Achievement Award, in 2010.

  • Indian leg of the IPL to begin from 2 May

    Indian leg of the IPL to begin from 2 May

    MUMBAI: There is good news for Indian cricket fans, who were left disheartened after the news hit that the first 20 matches of this edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will kick-off in UAE.

     

    IPL is set to return to Indian shores on 2 May for the remaining 36 matches, including four play-offs, which will be played in the home-leg.

     

    The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after having successive discussions with the authorities at home, decided that the IPL can be played at home beginning from 2 May. The first leg of the IPL will be held in UAE from 16 to 30 April due to the general elections in India.

     

    In the home-leg, each franchise will play nine matches and five of the eight teams will be playing at least four matches in their home stadium.

     

    Chennai Super Kings will play two matches at Ranchi, while Kings XI Punjab will play two games at Cuttack. Rajasthan Royals will play four matches at Ahmedabad. There will be no matches on 1 May and 17 May.

     

    The schedule of the UAE leg has also been tweaked to suit the franchises. The evening match slated for 26 April in Abu Dhabi, between Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), will now be designated as a home match for the Knight Riders and the 28 April match in Dubai, between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and KXIP, will be designated as a home game for Kings team.

     

    “Following on from the launch of ticket sales for the UAE leg today (3 April), I am pleased that we are now able to confirm the dates for the rest of the season,” said BCCI-IPL interim president Sunil Gavaskar in a press statement.

     

    “It is great news that the fans back home in India will be able to watch a large part of the Pepsi IPL 2014. Given the various challenges and the logistical complexities, we have spent a considerable amount of time in crafting a balanced schedule,” he added.

     

    IPL governing council chairman Ranjib Biswal said, “We are delighted to have the season back in India at the start of May. Organising an event of this scale at multiple venues in two countries is an enormous organisational undertaking and we are very grateful to the Government of India, the Ministry of Home Affairs and the police authorities in the various states for their support.”

     

    Hosting IPL involves elaborate planning on several fronts, logistics included and it is critical that there is surety on the availability of the match venues, for a tournament of this magnitude. The BCCI has tried to work with various franchises and stakeholders to get confirmations to host matches in the cities.

    The Rajasthan Royals have indicated to the BCCI that they are pleased to play their four home matches of the India leg of the 2014 season, at Ahmedabad, to avoid any uncertainty to their home matches. KXIP and CSK will be playing some of their home matches outside Mohali and Chennai respectively, due to non-availability of their home venue, for a large portion of May 2014.

    Looks like the IPL will continue to look at as many venues as possible to play the tournament in forthcoming seasons, and that’s a good sign for smaller states and regions to come to the forefront.