Mumbai Indians v KXP: Statistical Highlights

Statistical highlights of the Indian Premier League match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab.

• # While chasing, the eight-wicket win is Mumbai Indians` first in the 2009 edition of the IPL.
• a victory over Kings XI Punjab, Mumbai Indians are placed fourth in the points table.
• XI Punjab have lost six matches out of 11 played.
• Sohal (43 off 23 balls) has recorded his highest IPL score, surpassing the 30 off 17 balls against Deccan Chargers at Kimberley on May 9, 2009.
• -Paul Duminy (2/15) has registered his best bowling performance in the IPL, eclipsing the 1 for 15 against Delhi Daredevils at East London on May 8, 2009.
• Tendulkar`s unbeaten 41 off 29 balls, is his highest score in his last seven innings in the IPL.
• Bravo (70 not out off 59 balls) has registered his highest score in the IPL, bettering the 64 not out off 53 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders at Kolkata on April 29, 2008. The said innings is his third fifty in the IPL.
• (4-0-9-1) has received his first Man Of Match award in the IPL for his excellent economical figures.
• Indians have posted their fifth victory in the second edition of the IPL. Their eight-wicket win is their first in four matches against Kings XI Punjab.

[the article was originally published at http://cricket.zeenews.com/fullstory.aspx?nid=20196]

Fans vote for 'Fake IPL Player' identity

Even as the general elections head towards a climax, there's another poll unfolding — in cyberspace.

Between Saturday and Monday evening, nearly 29,000 readers of fakeiplplayer.blogspot.com — an Indian Premier League (IPL)-related blog that has spawned a cult following within the country and the Indian diaspora — have cast their vote to decide whether the mystery writer should reveal his identity or not.

The unknown blogger may not have turned out even once for his Kolkata Knight Riders team owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan, his rib-tickling posts have endeared him to thousands of fans, and attracted coverage by prestigious newspapers such as Britain's The Telegraph and The Independent.

"You rock, dude", is one of the most common refrains among fans, an overwhelming bulk of whom now wants to know who the cricketer-writer is, or if he is a cricketer in the first place, given his "mastery" over the English language.

Interestingly, the poll process has been initiated by the blogger himself, who goes by the moniker FIP (Fake IPL Player) and describes himself as a no-hope bench-warmer in a team that is at the bottom of the IPL heap with three measly points from 10 outings.

The voting follows a May 9 post headlined "It's decision time folks", where FIP wrote: "I had mentioned (in an earlier piece) about my decision to reveal my identity at the end of IPL... Whether FIP's identity should be disclosed or not, or how it should be taken forward, is as much as your decision as mine. I am putting up a poll on the right side. Pls take a few seconds to make your decision."

Alongside the post, FIP put up six categories, against any of which the blog's fans are required to mark their votes:

Yes, stick to your word man (to reveal his identity)

Yes, I'd like to see your a** kicked

No, let it (identity) remain a mystery

No, I fear for your safety

No, I want this to continue

Who cares a f***?

Till a little before 8 p.m. on Monday, nearly 19,000 blog fans or 64 per cent of the total "voters" till then had plugged for the faceless writer's identity to be revealed.

Wrote a fan under the pseudonym "Anonymous", echoing thousands of others: "of course! want your identity to be revealed. be a sport man! ppl wl love u all the more!"

There are others who noted his "celeb status", and advised him to hire a consultant to guide his career post-cricket, while another — clearly a die hard groupie — appeals rather plaintively: "If you reveal your identity and get your a** kicked, how can you do this next year?"

The popularity of the posts, most of which have attracted over 500 comments, stem from FIP's wicked wit, tongue-in-cheek sexual innuendoes, juicy details of players' drinking binges or womanising, and outrageous nicknames for fellow cricketers, the support staff, team owners including Shah Rukh, and IPL bosses and commentators.

Wrote he after a particularly humiliating loss that fuelled talks of staff sackings: "While our fielding coach was busy browsing naukri.com, our Throwing Coach accusingly glared at our wicketkeeping coach every time Skipper and Buddhiman Baba (Brendon McCullum and Wriddhiman Saha, both wicketkeepers) had their slip-ups in the outfield."

Then, not contented with taking a dig at these two coaches, FIP went for chief coach John Buchanan, referred to as "Bhookha Naan" in the blog: "I am waiting for the day Bhookha blames global warming for our performance."

Understandably, FIP's team management is livid, but the readers find the blog "awesome". Little wonder that the online edition of Britain's Telegraph newspaper ran a story under the headline "Fake IPL Player lights up Kolkata Knight Riders camp in South Africa".

And light up it has, and promises to do so for at least four more days —when polling ends.

[the orginal article was orginally published at http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200905121411.htm]

Turning up the IPL heat

After three weeks of frantic, non-stop cricket, the battle for semi-final spots in the 2009 Indian Premier League is starting to take shape and Wednesday's key clash between leaders Delhi Daredevils and the Deccan Chargers at Kingsmead (4.30pm) is going to be keenly contested.

After a week's break, it's Durban's turn again to host the IPL circus with Wednesday's match followed by a double-header on Thursday. The final double-header will take place in Durban on Wednesday next week, completing a grand total of 16 matches in Durban - the most held in any of the eight venues.

Victory for the Delhi franchise, who also have a game in hand, would go a long way to confirming their position in the top four but the top of the table is so congested that a win for the Chargers would take them level on points with their opponents.

In such a tightly contested competition only one of the eight franchises, the Kolkata Knight Riders, are out of contention for the semis.

Delhi opener Gautam Gambhir has been deputising, pretty successfully, as the team's captain in the absence of the injured Virender Sehwag. One of the points of interest for another big crowd at today's match is whether big-hitting opener Sehwag will be fit to return and, if he does, who will make way for him?

Up until now Australian David Warner has played the big-hitting role at the top of the order.

Another fascinating development is that Glenn McGrath, who, despite being valued at $350 000, has yet to play a game in this year's tournament - easy money for him although it is no doubt frustrating for the most economical fast bowler in world cricket.

Perhaps the lean, lanky paceman, who retired from international cricket after the 2007 World Cup, is being kept out of the side by his compatriot Dirk Nannes.

Durban fans will again be keen to see the prolific AB de Villiers who has struck 271 runs for his team at an average of 67.75, the best of the tournament.

By contrast the Deccan Chargers have had a topsy-turvy time, winning their first four matches and then losing four of the next five. They will be hoping to continue the form they showed in their last match when they thumped 2008 champions the Rajasthan Royals by 53 runs.

After a sizzling start Herschelle Gibbs has suffered a big slump in form and was dropped for the match against Rajasthan. He hopes to return to action at Kingsmead, one of his favourite run-making grounds.

On Thursday the double-header will feature the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the Chennai Super Kings in the early match, with the 4.30pm clash between the Mumbai Indians and the Rajasthan Royals.

The pitch for all three matches will be the Test strip which provided some high-scoring matches last week. Former Kingsmead groundsman Phil Russell, who is helping with pitch preparation, predicted the surface would be a "belter" although a little slow because of the weekend rain.

[the article was originally published at http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=4&art_id=vn20090513064429456C804418 by Patrick Compton]

Taylor trumps McCullum in IPL cricket battle

Ross Taylor triumphed in the battle of the New Zealanders against Brendon McCullum Tuesday as Bangalore defeated Kolkata by six wickets in an Indian Premier League thriller.

McCullum struck an unbeaten 84 at Centurion Park as bottom team Knight Riders reached 173-4 from 20 overs only to be passed by Royal Challengers, who made 176-4 in 19.2 overs with unbeaten 81-run Taylor the hero.

Friend and foe praised Taylor after one of the most exciting finishes in the five-week Twenty20 tournament as teams chase a top-four finish and a place in the semi-finals next weekend.

"Ross was fantastic and took the game away from us after I thought our total would be good enough to secure victory," said McCullum of official man-of-the-match Taylor.

Bangalore and South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher added: "The innings of Ross was as good as it gets. We were under a lot of pressure to win and he pulled us through."

Taylor said: "The innings was a relief as I have been struggling in the IPL this season. I desperately wanted to repay the faith shown in me by the coaching staff."

McCullum struck two sixes and 10 fours as he stayed at the crease from start to finish of a Kolkata innings that gathered momentum in the second half after labouring to 69-2 by the 10-over 'tactical break'.

The Kiwi also pulled off the catch of the tournament so far to send South African Jacques Kallis packing after his opening partnership with Kiwi Jesse Ryder had yielded 58 runs for Bangalore.

Ryder departed five runs later and after Bangalore were in run-rate trouble for several overs, Taylor let loose and his five sixes and seven fours steered the team home.

Victory lifted Bangalore two places to fifth on the eight-team standings, one point behind defending champions Rajasthan Royals with three round-robin fixtures to play.

[the article was originally published at http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i-I_msWqBUYF9CCK6D_L93pRCnzA]

Fake IPL blogger: All Rubbish?

My editor mailed me the other day asking me to do a piece on the "big buzz" of IPL-2, the 'fake player' blog. So, here I go, though, heart of hearts, I would rather stay off this, but then, the Editor's wishes are my command!

The TG (Today's Generation) simply loves this fake player blog going by the eyeballs and responses. I wasn't aware of this blog until a couple of weeks back when a friend mentioned it and urged me to take a look which I did at the first opportunity.

My initial reaction was one of shock at the content, the language and the sheer gossip. Truth to tell, I quite enjoyed the racy style of writing, but then, I said to myself that the blogger, who obviously has had good education, could have put the skill to better use than indulge in innuendos.

The internet offers unparalleled and convenient anonymity that this blogger has willfully exploited without a care in the world. However, I am sure, with some diligence, the blogger's code can be cracked and the writer identified. But then, it depends on how much credence you wish to subscribe to the blogger's writings. Some of my journalist friends, who are clued into the murkier side of cricket, have already speculated on the identity (some claim they have) of the blogger. A theory doing the rounds is that this blogger is not even part of the KKR team!

In any case, the blogger has said he (I presume it's a male) would identify himself on conclusion of the IPL. He has even cleverly put up a poll seeking the reader's votes on whether he should disclose his identify or remain anonymous. The poll also offers a few other choices that I would rather not mention here!

I do not like to get judgmental, but for the sake of this article, here are some of my thoughts:

One, the blog caters to our base instincts and voyeurism since the posts talk about the nocturnal activities of not just the players, but also the commentators and a few others who are closely involved in the IPL.

Two, the blogger dwells on team meetings, telephone calls, personal equations within the team without identifying the persons he mentions. Rather, he has tagged these persons with nicknames through which you can easily identify these worthies provided of course, you are clued in on the subject.

Three, the blogger has not cloaked himself in morality and in fact, justifies his "disclosures" by saying he is giving what the reader wants while being unmindful of the fact that in doing so, he is ratting on his mates. That, to me, is absolutely unforgiveable act of treachery and breach of trust (if you are serious about team sport, then you will know what I mean). I can sense a lot of bitterness that is never far from the surface.

Four, how much of truth is there in these posts? The blogger himself admits that he got his "facts" wrong on a few occasions, but attributes it to a deliberate ploy on part of the management just to prove the blogger wrong!

In conclusion, I would say that this blogger has succeeded in opening a can of worms. To be honest, I have never been a great fan of the KKR whose coach, John Buchannan has been as much responsible for the team's downfall as any player with his crazy theories and ejecting Ganguly from captaincy. Perhaps, it is time he junked his laptop.

The point is that these issues, as well as his own personal grouses (whatever they are), have provided the 'fake blogger' ammunition to fire the gun from an anonymous shoulder.

To say the least, this 'fake blogger' thing is likely to remain a mystery as to the identity of the author and his motives. Personally, it is a 'time pass' and one of those 'True confessions..' variety. But if you have a taste for such writings and snippets, then by all means, enjoy!

Having said that, I pray that this blog is not a harbinger of low-class e-journalism. Old fashioned you might call me, but I would like some sanctity (or what is left of it) of this game that I dearly love to be preserved and cherished.

[the article was originally published at http://sify.com/sports/cricket/ipl/iplfullstory.php?a=jflqCBfbdaa&title=Fake_IPL_blogger_All_bakwaas&scategory=Twenty20&event=IPL_2009]

Will McCullum resign as captain of KKR ?

Will Brendon McCullum live up to the claim he made and resign as captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the DLF Indian Premier League? Well, that's what he was asked after yet another loss to Delhi Daredevils. here are his answers.

On resigning: At the moment, all that I am focusing on is the next few games. Trying to do whatever I can, try as hard as I well possibly can to get something going. I was proud of today's effort, I thought the guys tried worked real hard. Disappointing that we didn't win, but I thought the effort and intensity on the field with the ball was fantastic. So if we can get a score of around of 120 it was great too. I know I mentioned that a couple of games ago and that is something that I have got to look at. Work out with the coaching staff next year, what the goal is. But whatever happens I will be totally committed to Kolkata Knight Riders and helping to get us get some results in the future that we all are immensely proud of.

On whether it is bad luck or bad execution: (Brendon actually, you called him Brian, KKR Director of Cricket John Buchanan tells the journalist) Brilliant.. a bit of both. When things are going for you, you get the luck. Things obviously aren't going for us at the moment. And we are not getting the luck go our way. There are other areas that come into play. Tonight we were little bit unlucky to be three down early on. I think it was obviously frustrating to lose an early wicket, the manner in which it was lost. And I guess it put us on the back foot. Little things like that..nicks going between the slips, having the fielder at third slip rather than first slip. Just little things like that..that doesn't seem to go your way. When you are hoping that it would. I think we can play better, that's for sure. In terms of luck, it is certainly not going our way at the moment.

On why KKR have slipped this time: It's hard to put your finger (on any one thing). We haven't played well at all..I guess consistently well across the board during each game. We get our batting going well and our bowling and fielding lets us down. We get our bowling going well and our batting lets us down. We are not consistent across all the areas of the game. Certainly not because of lack of trying, guys out there trying as hard as we possibly can. Unfortunately things aren't going our way. But we have just got to stay up, stay as hopeful, and I guess be as committed and positive as what we can do. At some point it will swing, you don't stay down forever. You just got to keep getting up and, at some point, luck and results will swing our way. I guess hopefully that's sooner rather than later. But we have just got to stay buoyant throughout.

[read more at http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22283&Itemid=60]

Steyn out of IPL for another week

Johannesburg: The Royal Challengers, battling in the IPL (Indian Premier League) here with just one win after five games, will be without pacer Dale Steyn until next weekend as he nurses a broken thumb.

The Royal Challengers will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in the first of a double header in the IPL at Sahara Kingsmead Stadium in Durban Wednesday in an attempt to move from the bottom of the log.

But they will continue to be without Steyn, who failed to appear in the last three Challenger games in the series after suffering the injury during the match at Cape Town last Wednesday in which his side succumbed to the Deccan Chargers.

While the injury was kept a secret until now, informed sources within the South African cricket squad said it was "a blessing in disguise" that Steyn was injured, as two weeks recovery time will allow him a much-needed break.

The Challengers though, will want Steyn back as soon as possible as coach Ray Jennings and captain Kevin Pietersen are under pressure to perform.

The encounter with the Kolkata Knight Riders will be the last game for Pietersen in the tournament as he has to return to England for the home series against the West Indies.

South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is widely being touted to take over the Challengers' captaincy.

[the article was originally published at http://sify.com/sports/fullstory.php?a=je3o51cjhad&title=Steyn_out_of_IPL_for_another_week]

Mumbai Indians beat Knight Riders by 92 runs

Port Elizabeth: Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya turned on their charm and made mockery of Twenty20 cricket being a young man's game as both posted breezy half-centuries to guide Mumbai Indians to a 92-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League match.

The 36-year-old Tendulkar's 45-ball 68 was laced with six boundaries and four sixes, including one that went over the park.

His opening partner, the 39-year-old Jayasuriya scored 52 off 32 balls with four sixes and two boundaries as the Mumbai Indians raced to 187 for six at St George's Park.

Knight Riders opening pair of Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum needed to match the veteran duo but disappointed as the Shah Rukh Khan-owned side capitulated for 95.

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly and Australian Brad Hodge staged a brief fightback but once their 54-run partnership was brought to an end by Abhishek Nayar, it was one way traffic as Lasith Malinga ripped through the tail.

Ganguly topscored for the Knight Riders, with a 30-ball 34, hitting a six and three fours while Hodge scored 24 off 22 balls with the help of three boundaries.

Earlier, it was the right-left combination of Tendulkar and Jayasuriya that did all the damage.

[the article was originally published at http://www.indianexpress.com/news/sachin-jayasuriya-guide-mumbai-indians-to-187/451813]

Deccan Chargers is the team to beat now

Three matches into the Indian Premier League’s second edition, Deccan Chargers have accomplished what they couldn’t in the whole of last year’s campaign - three wins.

If last year they resembled a cluster of super stars terribly presumptuous of their potential, playing as if the whole concept of team-effort was superfluous, they have displayed considerable efficacy and swagger this time around.

So what exactly catalysed this riposte? Not that the whole side was dispensed off and a bunch of motivated players, humble and unassuming ala Royals’ script, have conjured this turnaround.

The fulcrum had been more or less the same, only that all-rounders Shahid Afridi and Andrew Symonds and Darren Lehman as the coach are missing.

The most noticeable change was their redesigned strip.

Their acquisitions this year - West Indians Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Smith - hardly had any bidders in the transfer market. But both have been quite handy so far. Edwards set the tone for their campaign with his unnerving pace, though errant, against Kolkata Knight Riders. Importantly, he has harmonised canny opening salvos with RP Singh, on whose head rests the Purple Cap with eight wickets.

Though deemed extremely talented, RP couldn’t quite cement his place in the national side. Bursts of waywardness coupled with injury had retarded his progress and he subsequently missed the New Zealand tour.

But in South Africa, RP had been disciplined without compromising on his pace.

While his ability to procure seam movement both ways and hit the deck hard had seldom been scrutinised, his improved yorker makes him an even more effective bowler.

So if Edwards doesn’t get you, RP will. That no opening pair has managed to survive the first two overs against them, underscores their worth.

Equally impressive had been their opening batsmen Adam Gilchrist and Herschelle Gibbs, both marauding match-winners. Maybe, only Delhi Daredevils’ Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir can be termed equals in terms of ability, but not experience. While Gilchrist was amongst the runs last year as well, Gibbs striking form has made a world of difference to DC. Last year, he squeezed only 167 runs in nine innings, a tally he certainly seems to overhaul in IPL 2 (already has 114 runs).

Making a discernible difference to his side’s fortunes is left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who spun them to a 12- run win over Mumbai Indians, considered a pre-tournament favourite. Besides his slight variations in pace, he has been unhesitant to toss the ball, and thereby extracted sufficient turn to trouble batsmen.

While Rohit Sharma seemed to regain silken touch, Dwayne Smith struck a breezy 35 off 22 against Mumbai to underline his value. If VVS Laxman, Ravi Teja and Y Venugopal Rao, can chip in with runs, Chargers can consolidate on their blustery start to the IPL.

[the article was originally published at http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Deccan+Chargers+the+team+to+beat+now&artid=e7SqpYqVJo0=&SectionID=Aw|qo8JJkxA=&MainSectionID=Aw|qo8JJkxA=&SEO=Fidel+Edwards,+VVS+Laxman,+Dwayne+Smith,+Ravi+Teja&SectionName=||WM0BI9WGM=]

IPL-II has warmed up nicely

The IPL-II has now warmed up nicely. At least six of the eight teams could have a real shot at the title and this implies suspense which is essential to any good sporting event.

The laggards are Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore and unfortunately, both only have tougher days ahead.

Knight Riders would lose Chris Gayle on his national duty and that means the face of the team’s batting is gone.

Brendon McCullum hasn’t been the same free-spirited batsman since being the captain but then he is always looking over the shoulder to see how many hands are up for the challenge in his absence.
Inspirational leadership

Lightweight batting needs inspirational leadership, such as Shane Warne provides to his team regularly.

In bowling too, a lot has come to rest on Ishant Sharma who hasn’t been his normal self. There are tough days ahead for KKR.

Royal Challengers is licking its own wounds. Kevin Pietersen is criticised for its ills and that is understandable since he is the most expensive buy of the tournament.

Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis are alright but they need a Hulk Hogan of a striker in their ranks.

Of the rest, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Dardevils and Deccan Chargers inspire confidence.

All these four teams have an allround balance and that matters. Names such Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan, Harbahjan Singh, Suresh Raina, M.S. Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Pragyan Ojha figure in these teams and that is virtually India’s ODI line-up!

These men are worth their weight in gold.

Even their foreign buys are incredible: Sanath Jayasuriya and Lasith Malinga for Mumbai; Matthew Hayden and Muttiah Muralitharan for Chennai; A.B. de Villiers and Daniel Vettori for Delhi and Adam Gilchrist and Fidel Edwards for Hyderabad have been awesome.

All these teams have solid opening bowlers and batsmen and that tell us something about successful teams in this format.

With Andrew Symonds joining the Chargers ranks soon it will be one team to keep an eye on.
Dark horses

Punjab and Jaipur ought to be the dark horses. Punjab, for it has such incredible batting talent as well as two new ball bowlers who can take the best by surprise.

Yusuf Abdulla has no international reputation but try telling this to his domestic opponents in South Africa and they would vouch he is the best going around in T20 circuit.

Irfan Pathan doesn’t inspire fear but unfailingly picks up important wickets.

As for Jaipur, never write it off. It has this uncanny ability to throw up stars out of nowhere. Kamran Khan can be the fizz of this tournament.

The team will only look up when Graeme Smith starts flexing his muscles.

[the article was originally published at http://www.hindu.com/2009/04/26/stories/2009042651161800.htm]

Fake IPL player blogger vanishes

The mole who created ripples in the Indian Premier League (IPL) by spilling out the juicy dressing room gossip of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has suddenly stopped posting his missives after his blog made waves in the media.

The last time he had made a posting on fakeiplplayer.blogspot.com was Wednesday, after it was reported that the blogger had been identified as an insider in the KKR camp and could be a former player.

"We had a team meeting but hardly anything of note was discussed. Looks like things are secret until the mole is caught. Most guys in contention have been asked to be prepared. Lordie was there in the meeting, although he didn't speak much," the blogger said in his last posting.

The blog has become hugely popular among fans and players as it provides inside information about KKR and also about the IPL parties.

The writer, who claims to be a fringe player in the KKR team, says: "I am a perennial no-hoper. And have no hopes of getting a match in the IPL."

"The team is full of super stars and all I do is bowl a bit, bat a bit, and field like a maniac. But, there's one thing I do very well. Serve drinks. And that's what I am expecting do in South Africa. And throughout the IPL, I will be bringing to you the 'aankhon dekha haal', right from inside the dressing room, meeting room and players' bedrooms," he had written in his first posting Saturday.

Since the first day of the IPL, the blogger has poured out interesting tidbits, including information about team meetings.

The blogger has also given nicknames to cricketers - Lord Almighty (Sourav Ganguly), Calypso King (Chris Gayle), Sheikh of the Tweak (Shane Warne) and Kaan Moloo (Ajit Agarkar).

The popularity of the blog made the KKR team management start a witch hunt for the mole, to the extent of banning laptops and Internet connections from hotel rooms.

KKR team director Joy Bhattacharya said in a statement: "There is a blog spot which purports to be from a member of the KKR entourage. Poison pen writing of the dirtiest variety, but far too many factual errors."

[the article was originally published at http://sify.com/sports/cricket/ipl/iplfullstory.php?a=jeyrnOcdcej&title=IPL_player_blogger_mysteriously_vanishes&scategory=Twenty20&event=IPL_2009]

The Fake IPL Player blog

It’s an insider’s job — someone who’s not in favour with the current management. It has to be an Indian. But it could or couldn’t be a player. There are many names which come to mind on the basis of the language — Akash Chopra, Murali Kartik or Ajit Agarkar. The person is very good with the language so that’s also an indication.

Fmr India team member & Ranji player

It could be written by someone who is in the thick of things. It could also be someone from the management who isn’t happy with the decisions taken right now. But I guess, a player would not be jeopardizing his career by writing such blogs. The fact that he mentions his brother could also be a distraction — the brother could be an uncle or friend in India. From the lingo, it could be someone who’s been in England as the names used to refer to the players are British. It can also be a player-turned-commentator.

Ashok Malhotra FMR cricketer & national selector
I have no clue about the blog. I am sitting miles away and I’ve no clue about what is going on in the KR camp. I played my cricket on the field and never knew what happened off it. So I’m unable to comment on it. It can also be a marketing ploy, but who knows?

Sambaran Banerjee FMR cricketer & National Selector
People are talking about players who might have done it, but we’ve to keep in mind that even support staff attend team meetings along with the players and interact with team members. Nobody seems to be questioning them.

Sourasish Lahiri
Player, Knight Riders
I was with the team last year. I know the kind of brainstorming that happens during team meeting and the kind of ideas seniors exchange. The entire affair is confidential. I don’t think any player is involved as he knows that once caught, his career will be over. Maybe, some other person, closely associated with the team is doing it deliberately.

Snehasish Ganguly, FMR cricketer & elder brother of Sourav Ganguly
I don’t how this can happen in the presence of the team owner, coach and captains. I don’t think people associated with the team are doing it. Maybe, someone else is at fault. It’s up to the team owners to find who’s responsible..

Ex-Bengal cricketer who is closely associated with Knight Riders
This is nothing but a marketing strategy of Knight Riders. They are doing it in an a well-planned manner. Things are not so easy that a player can write a blog and the team owner, coach and captain will have no clue about it. The team is reaping huge benefits from it.

A FMR Bengal cricketer & columnist
One has to remember that betting is extremely popular in South Africa. Obviously, this kind of blog will help those associated with the betting industry. We might not know now the amount of money generated by this ‘fake player’s blog’ concept. But in future, this might be just another money making model for the team. This is nothing but a well-chalked out marketing strategy.

Utpal Chatterjee Coach, Bengal cricket team
Players are earning big bucks from the IPL. They don’t need to earn extra. And players will never do it without informing the coach, media manager and team owners. It’s a publicity stunt.

PS: A source close to Knight Riders suggests that the media agency and the team owners are behind this.

[the article was originally published at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Fake-IPL-Blog/articleshow/4440300.cms]

Dada is a dude for Knight Riders says Shah Rukh

Sourav Ganguly may no longer be the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, but team owner Shah Rukh Khan feels the former Indian skipper is still a "dude" and pivotal in the side's scheme of things in the on-going IPL.

"Dada is fantastic and there is no two ways about it. He does not need to prove it to anyone how great as a player he is. We know it in KKR. He's the main cog of our team. He's the guy the team centres around," Shah Rukh said in praise of Ganguly.

"(Brendon) McCullum, (Chris) Gayle, Brad (Hodge), David (Hussey), Ishant (Sharma), (Ashok) Dinda, Laxmi Ratan (Shukla) all feel the support from him, feel his intelligence, feel his winning ways. Dada is a dude," said the Bollywood superstar.

Shah Rukh also felt that Ganguly's two wickets for 24 runs tilted the match in his team's favour against Kings XI Punjab.

"Against Kings XI Punjab he was amazing with those couple of wickets. When Dada came on and got those two early wickets it changed the match in our favour and after that also he sort of kept them quiet and scared. I think that made a lot of difference," he was quoted as saying by IPL official website.

Shah Rukh said it was too early to start celebrating after his team posted its first win in two games by beating Kings XI Punjab.

"It's good for the team that it has started coming together. Our top-order whether it's Ishant Sharma (in bowling) or Sourav Ganguly, Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle (batting) all are coming good together. We did not play too hot on the first day. I think the first match would be considered as a practice match and we are working on the mistakes committed on day one. The team is working together and that's what makes me feel a little more firm and good. But there is still a long way to go," he said.

Shah Rukh had a tough choice when asked who he thinks is bigger hitter between Chris Gayle or Brendon McCullum. "It is very difficult to say that. With Gayle we have a bet that he has to send one ball from South Africa to Kolkata and with McCullum we have that he has to send one back to New Zealand. We'll find out who is going to win. "I think both have their different strengths. Gayle has this timing and strength, McCullum has all timing and bliss.

McCullum is more like (Virender) Sehwag who times the ball whereas Gayle has got this strength like Yuvraj Singh. You can't really choose between them, they are both fantastic and when they both get going it is fantastic to watch."

[the article was originally published http://cricket.expressindia.com/news/Dada-is-a-dude-for-Knight-Riders--Shah-Rukh/450418/]

Laxman will play a huge role says Gilchrist

Cape Town: VVS Laxman's bat might not have done the talking so far but Deccan Chargers skipper Adam Gilchrist remains unperturbed and said the Hyderabad would bounce back and play a huge role in the upcoming matches.

Laxman, who was the captain in the first edition of the Indian Premier League, scored just 10 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders and five in yesterday's match against Bangalore Challengers but Gilchrist said he was not at all concerned.

"Look I have got no concern there. His innings today showed plenty of intent. He is as keen as anyone else to make sure that he plays his role in this team. It's early days and I have got no doubt that he can play a huge part in us going forward," Gilchrist said.

The former Australian wicketkeeper also lavished praise on his deputy Rohit Sharma and pacer RP Singh, saying the two have donned the role of senior players in the team very well and are leading by example.

"Look Rohit as he did last year in the IPL what a world class player he is. He has been contributing to India in a very solid manner for a few years now. So too, RP. He has come back well from injury, RP. In the months leading up to a few tours for India he was out injured. He has come back really strongly. His work ethic at the moment is just fantastic."

"In fact, all the boys are just working really hard on extra fitness, extra training. So that's really pleasing. That's what we wanted to do, just to lift our tempo a little bit," Gilchrist said.

"So those two guys as senior players though they are young men. They have senior roles in the team. It's nice to see them leading and the other players following," he said.

Tagged as laggards last year, the Chargers have started off with a flier in the second IPL and Gilchrist said they have worked on certain areas to clear the chinks in their Armour.

"There are a number of things that we identified that we needed to fix. I won't go into great detail into them. We have worked hard in certain areas," he said after the 24-run win against Bangalore Royal Challengers yesterday. We have started with a very impressive performance in the first game. We have backed up again here probably not quite convincing. But certainly positive signs so we will just keep training to replicate those things in the next game," he added.

[the article was originally published at http://cricket.expressindia.com/news/laxman-will-play-a-huge-role-gilchrist/450424/]

Shah Rukh dreams of victory lap with IPL trophy in Kolkata

Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan admitted his team Kolkata Knight Riders is under a lot of pressure to perform due to the multiple-captaincy controversy in the second edition in Indian Premier League (IPL).

Shah Rukh said a fan following in a city like Kolkata also adds to the pressure. He hopes to win the IPL trophy this time around for Kolkata and take out a victory march in the city.

"I know the team is under a lot of pressure after the multiple captains, the choice of captain and all that. At the moment the team is under a bit of disarray, but we will stick together. We have started doing it," Shah Rukh said after KKR logged their first points, beating Kings XI Punjab by 11 runs via D/L method.

"My team is under more pressure because it is owned by a film star and then you have such fan following, the backing of a city that supports you one night and gets angry the next night."

"But I know they understand and they love the team. I am waiting for the day when I will go around Kolkata with the IPL trophy. I am sure the day will come," he said.

KKR coach John Buchanan's multiple-captain theory has brewed up a heated debate as Ganguly was replaced by Brendon McCullum as the new captain.

Shah Rukh hailed Ganguly as the most important member of his side.

"He has been a great player for the country. I hope he emerges as the player of the tournament."

Asked about the difference between cricket and acting, Shah Rukh said there are no 're-takes' on the field.

"The decisions have to be taken in split seconds so lot of time we are hoping that it is right. It is very difficult in the middle."

[the article was originally published at http://www.hindustantimes.com/highpl/storypage.aspx?id=eff01fce-3385-465a-a8c5-6c10120516f1&category=Chunk-HT-UI-IPLSectionPage-TopStories]

Rajasthan Royals look to strike form against a rejuvenated KKR

Defending champions Rajasthan Royals will look for a quick turnaround in their fortunes, while a rejuvenated Kolkata Knight Riders would aim to carry on the winning momentum when the two sides clash in an Indian Premier League match here on Thursday.

Without big stars in their ranks, the Royals have a tough task at hand after the thrashing in their campaign opener and second game against Mumbai Indians being washed out.

Shane Warne's side started its campaign by restricting Bangalore Royal Challengers to just 133 with the legendary spinner leading from the front but that total proved to be a mountain for the Royals as they were bundled out for just 58, the second lowest IPL total.

The Rajasthan youngsters failed to get the measure of another legendary figure in Anil Kumble who throttled them with a five-wicket haul.

In that match, the highest score by any Rajasthan batsman was 11 and they would be itching to leave behind that nightmare by coming good against Knight Riders who have also not done anything exceptional as yet.

Knight Riders, on the other hand, got over their first match disappointment, with a nine-wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab on Tuesday.

West Indian Chris Gayle exhibited his awesome batting prowess while Sourav Ganguly rolled his golden arm to great effect to compensate for his batting failure in the first match.

Warne would expect a better show from his batsmen as their opponents have a strong batting line-up.

"It is pretty disappointing. As champions we wanted to impose ourselves. We were exceptional in bowling and fielding but batsmen could not do well," Warne has said.

"Shot selection was really bad. I think the top 3-4 batsmen could have shown sensibility and played sensible shots. But I promise to come back strong," Warne had said after their first match defeat.

Knight Riders' captain Brendon McCullum, on the other hand, insisted that all was well in KKR camp after the captaincy row.

"It was a nice result after the first match defeat and we bounced back at the right time to gain some momentum. Sourav bowled exceptionally well. In Twenty20 one has to think quickly and I am happy that my decision to bowl him paid rich dividends," he had said.

More than the outcome of the match, it will be an intriguing contest between Warne and Gayle. Warne would also came face to face with old foe Ganguly and the fans could be in for a treat.

[the article was originally published at http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1249713]

Kings XI, KKR look to get IPL campaign on track

Thoroughly outplayed in their opening matches, Kolkata Knight Riders and Kings XI Punjab will lock horns on Tuesday hoping to haul their Indian Premier League campaign back on track.

Ravaged by injuries that have denied them the services of star players like Shaun Marsh, Brett Lee and S Sreesanth, the Yuvraj Singh-led Kings XI were handed a 10-wicket drubbing by Delhi Daredevils in their rain-truncated opening match on Sunday.

On the same night, Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders were beaten by eight wickets by last year's bottom-placed Hyderabad Deccan Chargers.

"I want this nightmare to end," said Shah Rukh after the thrashing.

Kolkata, it seemed, were yet to recover from the pre-tournament furore over captaincy, at the end of which Sourav Ganguly was replaced by New Zealand's Brendon McCullum at the helm.

McCullum couldn't have asked for a worse start to his stint but remained optimistic about the team bouncing back in the coming matches.

"It is a long tournament and we will bounce back," he insisted.

Kings XI, on the other hand, are trying to cope with the injury blows that have left them severely depleted.

Last season's highest scorer Marsh, along with tearaway pacer Lee, were out of contention even before the tournament and adding to their woes is the non-availability of all-rounder James Hopes, who is on national duty.

Sreesanth too has been left with the job of promoting the team from the sidelines as a back injury keeps him out of on-field action.

Against a balanced Delhi, Kings XI's batting struggled to hold up and bowling was such that Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir took just a little over four overs to get past a 54-run target that was set for six overs in the rain-shortened game.

The Mohali-based team's batting relies heavily on skipper Yuvraj and Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara, both of whom didn't contribute much in the lost match.

Yuvraj, however, remained hopeful of a turnaround.

"We are happy with the start, off course we can take some positive out of it and we have enough games coming up, so looking forward to that," he said.

[the article was originally published at http://www.hindustantimes.com/highpl/storypage.aspx?id=2e3cdbef-06d9-483f-a96a-301b13e8b282&category=Chunk-HT-UI-IPLSectionPage-TopStories]

Stability will be the key in IPL

John Buchanan and Sourav Ganguly’s distinctive personalities have collectively courted controversy with the multiple-captains theory and its subsequent evolution into the concept of a single captain and multiple strategists. And then there’s team owner Shah Rukh Khan.

As Kolkata Knight Riders struggles with individuals, the team will look to better its run from last year when the early promise shown wasn’t fulfilled.

Brendon McCullum’s pyrotechnics last year got the IPL off to a dream start. The New Zealander has looked in great touch in the just-concluded series against India. The explosive Chris Gayle will be available for part of the league, and should do the bulk of the scoring with McCullum and Ganguly.

Ishant Sharma, a supporter of Buchanan’s multiple-captains idea, is expected to be the side’s bowling mainstay. Ajantha Mendis’ impact in this format on South African wickets remains to be seen. “He’s only got four overs, so batsmen are going to have to take risks against him, which is an advantage bowlers like to have, especially slow bowlers if they are not reading them that well. Mendis is one of our lead bowlers and we’ll be relying on him through the tournament. It will be pretty exciting,” said Buchanan.

Knight Riders’ most effective weapon could be South African swing bowler Charl Langeveldt. Langeveldt’s knowledge of the conditions would help his team, especially in venues like Durban which aid swing bowling. “I was always impressed with him as an opening bowler for South Africa for a number of years. We were looking for a lead bowler and he knows South African conditions and has performed well domestically over here,” said Buchanan.

The side’s biggest challenge lies in stability. Conflicts over captaincy and strategies could prove disruptive. Twenty20 is a limited format with respect to time, and when quick decisions are called for, the side will require a single captain’s decisiveness.

[credit : http://www.sportstaronnet.com/stories/20090418501801300.htm]

Priyanka to root for KKR in IPL II

Amethi, Apr 14 (PTI) Her busy campaign schedule for the general elections notwithstanding, Congress' star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi will cheer for Shahrukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders in the second Indian Premier League starting April 18 in South Africa.
"I guess so, yes," Priyanka said when asked whether she would support Kolkata Knight Riders during the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament that was shifted out of India owing to a clash of dates with elections.

Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Hyderabad-based team Deccan Chargers in their opening match in Cape Town on April 19.

"Yes," she told NDTV when asked whether she backed the team because it is owned by Shahrukh Khan.

Priyanka, her husband Robert and brother Rahul Gandhi had attended Kolkata Knight Riders match during the inaugural edition of IPL last year.

Incidentally, Kolkata Knight Riders play a match on April 23 when elections are scheduled to be held in Amethi, a constituency represented by Rahul Gandhi.

[credit : http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/B0D0B4C6781A424065257598003FA1AD?OpenDocument]

IPL a 'thank you' to SA, says Khan

Bringing the Indian Premier League (IPL) to South Africa is a means of saying "thank you" to South Africa for its hospitality and warmth over the years, says Kolkatta Knight Riders co-owner and Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan.

Fondly known as the Tom Cruise of Bollywood, Khan lands in Cape Town on Tuesday in time for the league at the weekend. His team has already been training in Bloemfontein for two weeks.

The Kolkatta Knight Riders, owned by Khan, Indian businessman Jai Mehta, and his Bollywood actress wife, Juhi Chawla, is one of the eight teams participating in the IPL this year.

Khan, 43, has made several trips to Namibia and South Africa, visiting Joburg, Durban, Cape Town and, more recently, Sun City, but this trip will be special because it will be his first visit "with the kids". He is expected to arrive with his wife, Gauri Khan, son Aryan and daughter Suhana.

The family would stay for a few weeks, mostly in Cape Town, he said.

He said he was really looking forward to the tournament.

"South Africans are such warm people, very welcoming, very open and friendly."

He said the tournament was significant for his team because the whole team would be in town, unlike last year when some players did not take part.

"We're hoping to see some of the wildlife and we're really looking forward to meeting some of the people again... and drink some good South African wine," he said.

He was expecting some competition, but the team were aiming to make the top six and hoping to secure a position in the top four teams of the tournament.

"But South Africans won't need to worry - as an actor and as a film-maker I can assure you we will put on a good show."

Despite his claim to fame as a Bollywood legend Khan has always had deep roots in sport, particularly cricket. He recalls a stint as a "good" wicketkeeper when he was 19.

Khan said he had been working on many projects, mostly to do with sport, because as a teenager he was involved in many sporting codes, including hockey and cricket, which took priority.

"Many youngsters never really had access to these sports. In our country you can't really make a career of it. So I wanted to create something that my son could be involved in one day. When I was young playing cricket wasn't really considered a profession, so I really wanted to create a platform for young people to develop their skills and talents. I look at it as a part of my social responsibility."

Given that his name Shahrukh means "face of the king", it is not surprising the star is currently the top actor in India, according to Internet critics.

Khan has won several awards for his outstanding performances in Darr, in 1993, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, in 1995, Dil To Pagal, in 1997 and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, in 1998. He owns three production houses in India, Red Chillies Entertainment and Idiot Box, and runs the Dreamz Unlimited production company with co-star Juhi Chawla and director Aziz Mirza.

So what about Slumdog Millionaire?

Khan, who turned down a role in the movie, said he personally wanted to make the movie.

"I've said it's not an Indian film, it's a foreign film, and how India is portrayed in the movie is not the point of the film. The film is not about the country. But it was very well done. I think it turned out far better than if I had done it."

[credit : http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=17&art_id=vn20090414114913610C245954]