When the world goes green, KKR goes purple.SRK turns chameleon?
Shah Rukh Khan’s business is not just about acting. He also changes colours when he chooses to. Yes, he did with the jerseys of Kolkata Knight Riders. From Black and golden to purple.

The New item number: Purple jersey

Lux Hosiery, an apparel company owned by Ashok Todi, has signed SRK as their brand ambassador for the coming season and will also be associated with KKR’s apparel merchandising. The Kolkata-based company is best known for its range of underwear and vests. “It is a huge signing for us and we’ve kept it all a hush-hush affair. We are going to formally announce this on February 6,’’ Todi told media.
  Lux will be part of KKR’s off field apparel merchandise for which SRK will be the brand ambassador for Lux Cozy.
The official black and gold colour of the jersey has also undergone a change with designer Manish Malhotra changing it to purple. The gold lining that has been the trademark of KKR jerseys will continue to exist along with the attractive purple and the newly-designed apparel was just launched on February 6.

The previous jersey

The logo of the team consisted of a blazing golden Viking helmet against a black background with the name of the team Kolkata Knight Riders written in gold. The team’s official colours were black and gold. Black stood for the courage of Maa Kali and gold stood for the spirit of winning. The jersey was created by Bollywood fashion designer Manish Malhotra. SRK should come out with some meaning of purple now. Hopefully.

SRK means business

All is to shore up merchandise sales. That act might have ruffled a few feathers. Some team sponsors who had started work on team merchandise and posters had to rework the sales pitch. But no one’s acting up. The decision to go purple — conveyed to sponsors a month ago— will ultimately lead to higher merchandise sale as most fans will want to sport the new colours of their team.

KKR made the most ‘without cricket’

Knight Riders remains the most popular IPL team despite its early exits from the tournament. It has the most number of sponsors as well. The list so far include Nokia, Coca-Cola’s Sprite, and energy drinks Triple X, Reebok & chewing gum maker Wrigley.

Kolkata Knight Riders may have finished last in the 2009 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) but their image and overall status as the tournament’s most popular team remained unfazed. Last year, around the same time after Pepsi dropped Shah Rukh Khan as their brand ambassador, the KKR co-owner went ahead and signed up with the rival Coca Cola’s ‘Sprite’ as a sponsor for the team. This time, it is an energy drink that is willing to ride on Brand SRK as Season Three beckons.

New energy for jersey

Triple X, an energy drink, owned by Goa based Sachin Joshi and launched by the star last year is also on board with KKR. The new team jersey for players will have the logo printed on the back for the coming season. In 2009, it was Star Plus, one of KKR’s sponsors that the team jersey sported during matches. Star had a year’s deal with KKR and is not on board anymore.

Why not Green?

When green is the buzz, why does KKR go purple? To remain beyond controversy? After all, SRK is the owner and green being holy colour in Al Quran, perhaps deliberately SRK wanted to avoid it. You can’t blame him. Because there is always a big section of crowd, who will blame celebs whatever path they follow.
But from a dispassionate perspective, colour green could have given KKR a better identity as it is colour of youth and vibrancy. And no other franchise has green colour so far.
Perhaps he intends to colour others in green this time. Yes, wining IPL-3, he wants other franchise should turn green in envy and that’s why for the time being he camouflages in purple.
 What an idea sirji!

And if we combine all three of them we get the three letter magic wand – IPL! Yes, all ‘non –cricketing’ factors are getting more mileage just before the upcoming season of the IPL.

It all started with IPL-3 cricketers’ auction when none of the 11 Pakistani players available for bidding were hired by any of the eight franchisees. And Indo-Pak relation got entangled into a fresh quagmire.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ owner Shahrukh Khan brought in Bollywood when he said that he was upset at the treatment meted out to the Pakistani players. Amir and Big B also voiced support for Pakistani players. This was enough to invite the ultra-nationalist and jingoistic groups like Shiv Sena to come into the scene by threatening Shahrukh for his support of Pakistani players and wanted to ban the release of Sharukh’s forth coming movie – My name is Khan.

Spring time for media

Media is very happy with all such sensational stories as their TRP hunger got satiated greatly but everything happened at the cost of gentleman’s game. The actual game has taken the back seat as far as IPL 3 is concerned. Cricket no longer seems to be the focal point at least till now and it is more about political circus, being played on IPL platform.
Lalit Modi must thank Shiv Sena for all such drama as the saying goes:  any publicity is good publicity!

Doctored?

Who knows – the celebrity-politics-media and cricket nexus is now so powerful that they can cook up any obnoxiously ‘engineered’ story and dish out to naïve Indians like us!
The doubt is more for obvious reason – The sponsors of the tournament seem to be on cloud nine as publicity for IPL 3 seems hits the roof as the name IPL is in everybody’s lips now without them having to shell out anything extra!
Some people say that SRK chipped in deliberately for the sake of the publicity of his forth coming movie – My Name is Khan! First make the situation controversial and thus get the entire eyeball on it and then roll out at theater for already curious crowd. Sure shot strategy? Who knows!

Definitely after Amir Khan’s thumping success in Three Idiots, It’s time for SRK to answer and answering in marketing gimmick first! Bollywood marketing is as innovative as possible lately and rating of movie is no longer sacrosanct. So even more high voltage marketing shock for Indian crowd is being beamed and the current cynosure ‘Manoranjan ka  Baap’ –IPL is the latest marketing vehicle.

Cricket suffers

Will Lalit Modi correct the things? Hardly any chance, as he means only business.
Condition of cricket is like a prostitute now. Everybody is using and abusing it for their own benefit (read: Fayda). For some people, it’s a place for quick money ( like one night stand) and for some it’s a cash cow to milk for long time ( steady customer ).
 Hapless cricket is left high and dry….cruelly alone.

It is a larger global trend that is mirrored in India. It marks the start of a trend. Green is the next big story in the corporate world and there are environment friendly ways to boost business and make profits. Companies are at least beginning to talk green.

And finally green enters in cricket field or cricket enters in green filed! Nothing peculiar about it.

After all cricket , an outdoor game, is played within nature – in green!

IPL going  green

IPL will green its games and bring environmental message to millions of fans.
Indian Premier League (IPL) joins the ranks of Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup by entering into a strategic tie-up with United Nation Environment Program (UNEP) in making its league green.

The IPL thus becomes the first sports body in the country to take such an initiative and plans to go carbon neutral by 2011. In close cooperation with the UNEP, the IPL will calculate its carbon footprint for each match during the 2010 season and take measures to reduce the carbon emission and compensate it with measures like planting of trees, eco-friendly waste management and efficient use of energy and water
The plan ahead

Lalit Modi, IPL chairman and commissioner, signed a MoU with the UNEP representative Satinder Bindra. When asked how he is planning to offset culprits like floodlights used during the match, which are huge energy guzzlers, Lalit said: “We will get energy emissions of these floodlights evaluated during a match and then try and offset it by using more energy efficient bulbs and planting trees.”

Bindra, director with the UNEP, had more plausible ideas. “Another way to address the issue is by using solar-powered floodlights and other renewable energy to reduce the carbon footprint.”

The IPL intends to use its popularity to promote UNEP’s environmental initiatives such as –

• The Climate Neutral Network,
• The Billion Tree Campaign
• World Environment Day.

UNEP will advise the IPL in its commitment to green its sport events, spread environmental messaging to fans through its star players and green its merchandising. UNEP will assist the IPL in its long-term green vision of achieving climate neutrality, supporting the IPL’s efforts to reduce emissions through the introduction of renewable energy and to compensate for emissions generated by the League.

Cricket-Green punch

The IPL is also planning to use star cricketers to promote environmental awareness to millions of cricket fans in India and abroad. They thought to give televise environment-friendly tips every day to millions of viewers across the world so that they can incorporate it into their lifestyle and help the world go green.

BCCI top official IS Bindra, was involved with the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup in a similar initiatives and his comment carries some insights:
“If I were to use a cricketing term, I think this tie-up is going to be an environmental game changer. It’s truly a landmark initiative and will go a long way to create environmental awareness among people as cricket is hugely popular in the country.”

The tie-up is going to be a trendsetter initiative in the country, especially when India will be hosting Commonwealth Games this year and co-hosting the ICC World Cup in 2011.

So what’s our take ?

The caveat is – Most of the campaign or tie up starts with a lot of fanfare but gradually die down when the main purpose gets over. We can surely say that if nurtured properly, this eco friendly initiative can really have a great impact on the cricket loving young generation. For building  Green-consciousness, cricket can be one of the most powerful vehicle. Question is  only time will say whether  this initiative was just another marketing gimmick by Modi and his team or truly intended. For that we need to observe this partnership closely in next few seasons.

What you say?

If not, time to fasten your seat belt and be ready for an electrifying razzmatazz in next one and half months.

Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty. Perhaps last two seasons of IPL bolstered the saying.

Both the previous tournaments were surprise. Rajasthan Royals won the cup from nowhere and it was actually the underdog in every sense and all cricket pundits simply pooh-poohed them before the ball hit the ground. They proved all wrong.

So is the case in IPL -2, when the last team of season one clichéd the trophy. Nobody expected Hyderabad Deccan chargers would win at South Africa soil and it panned out exactly the opposite.

So the uncertainty continues…..

Who will win IPL-3 ? Million dollar question with no plausible answer. The teams are so close and games are so roller coaster in nature that it’s next to impossible to predict correctly. One can only guesstimate.

KKR ready?

Is this the make or break tournament for Kolkata Knight Riders? Yes.

KKR as a team started the IPL with great fanfare. No other team managed to attain that much media frenzy as KKR got. Sharukh when bought the team made the comment: KKR is not just a team but a phenomenon.

But it is yet to achieve that phenomenon in ground. IPL trophy still remains a will-o-the-wisp. IPL-2 was actually a disaster for them which I discussed in my previous blog. So it looks this time they learnt from the bitter, hard experience of the past and so little cautious.

Set the house in order

It seems finally KKR got rid of its self fulfilling prophecy. It has taken few steps and most of them prima facie look result oriented:

SRK not in cricketing decision

From the bitter experience of IPL -2, Sharukh perhaps learnt a lesson or two. He made it clear that he would never be in any ‘cricketing decisions’ in IPL-3. We had observed that in South Africa, Sharukh turned out gradually prominent even in few cricketing decisions and that did not go down well within team. His megastar image had wrong impact on cricketing decisions and then Coach Buchanan used Sharukh as the shield in many unbecoming decisions as well.

Sharukh seems convinced now that there is no retake in cricket like Bollywood and hence you have got to act RIGHT-ly in a given condition and Sourav Ganguly knows it much better than KKR owner. Hope this learning will help KKR greatly this time.

The change of guard: Change of captain

Who can be a better captain for KKR than Dada?!

He knows the team dynamics, knows the local players very well and more importantly how to motivate them. He can handle other national and international stars quite confidently as he was himself a mega star and icon in world cricket. And on top of that –he was statistically the most successful captain India has ever produced. He was the maker and backer of so many today’s stars like – Sehwag, Yuvi, Harbhajan, Irfan Pathan, Kaif , Nehra, Zaheer and Dhoni. The founder of ‘team India’. And finally he knows his home turf – Eden like his own fingers.

How much time one should take to decide that? – Literally in jiffy.

But quite weirdly so much of masala drama last time happened on this issue and Buchanan made McCullum the captain. The rest is a history of fiasco. Team again learnt a lesson from all these and made no mistake to reinstate Sourav again as KKR captain. The decision is now an amendment of a Himalayan blunder made last time.

With all likelihood, this tournament is going to be the swan song for Dada as well. His contract of three years with KKR gets over after this IPL and perhaps he won’t like to go under hammer again next time. More importantly, truly he is aging now and being away from international cricket has its definite impact on mind and body. And matured Sourav is quite aware of that. So Sourav will try to prove a point in his last hurrah.
He will try to show to his so called adversaries that even today how effective he is both as player and captain!

It seems Dada is intrinsically charged up to touch the coveted cup this time. It’s a make or break situation for him. Now or never!

The change of guard: Change of coach

Before end of IPL-2, one thing was quite clear that Coach Buchanan was going to be guillotined and the subsequent script was unchanged. Buchanan went and few names cropped up. One was prominent – John Right. Definitely a name that sparks thousands light in Indian cricket lovers mind because Ganguly-Wright combination was the golden phase of Team India and considering Sourav –John on and off field chemistry, KKR supporters were truly exuberant. But final choice was – Dave Whatmore. Some KKR fan might be little down but think cerebrally for a moment and there is enough reason to cheer. He is very well known and successful in sub continent soil and culture. Two minnow tasted success during his tenure. Sri Lanka in fact won world cup beating mighty Australia under his coaching and Bangladesh got the necessary attitude and talent pool in his time.
He is shrewd, hardworking but unlike many does not jump for limelight. He knows his roles and responsibility quite clearly. His selection as coach is another plus for KKR this time.

The new team structure

The new team combination looks much solid this time.  In the first and second IPL, KKR looked giant on paper but in reality big names like Ricky Ponting, McCullum did not produce much. Consistency is the key in IPL and KKR looked very poor in that front in both season. Percentage cricket is more effective than gallery show. KKR found few such percentage players during last two IPL and luckily they will play in this season.

I mean – David Hussey and Brad Hodge – two terrific middle order Aussies are there.

We saw that batting collapse in initial over became the real cause of concern for KKR in both the tournaments. This time we are expecting Wridhdhiman, Laxmi Ratan – two Bengal stars should give desired stability considering their exposure in last two seasons. Wridhdhiman should be little more confident this time because of his India test team call. And yes, Manoj Tiwary is back in his home team KKR! Though he was in Delhi Dare Davils in last two seasons, he was not regular there. Before IPL era, he was the most promising name after Sourav Ganguly in Bengal. IPL changed the landscape overnight and in front of his eye – Bengal cricket produced two stars – Wridhdhiman and Dinda; – both got national team call.  He perhaps feels that IPL should be the now- or- never tournament for him and he has to something extraordinary to keep himself afloat in reckoning.

The bowling department will miss definitely Gul, perhaps the most effective pacer in T-20. But it seems that buying of Shane Bond may produce some extraordinary results as this pacer is fresh as he retired from test cricket and will be available for full season.

Ishant Sharma needs more consistency and recently though this lanky pacer looked causal and lack lustrous, there is some sign of improvement. In fact both the pacer bowl at tremendous space and in their day they can simply change the course of any game. They can actually the high risk-high return gamble for Sharukh. They can make or break the match. Ashoke Dinda is also there. Short exposure and experience in national squad must have shaped him to turn out as better bowler.

This time there is not much headache with number of foreign players. Ponting is no more part of KKR. Gayle will open. McCullum will be missed as he will be busy in national team.
So net net two losses – absence of Gul and McCullum and one gain –Bond. But this time the team looks much better equipped than last two tournaments.

Not Much Noise this time

Unlike last few occasions, KKR looks little reticent! Yes, for a change…It’s better for the team. They can remain focused and only focused in the game. After all, Sharukh is the megastar of Bollywood and there is none between him and Big B – Amitabh.  So the extra aura of megastar brings more media attention and shutterbugs. That somewhere diverts the whole attention from the game.  So at the beginning of tournament KKR starts as the prince with the highest TRP and glamour quotient. But as the tournament progress they fizz out slowly and end as pauper. This time Sharukh understood the problem and except controversy over Pak players’ issue, he remains less prone to media bytes.

At the end…

It seems several KKR personas have various points to prove to different quarters this time and that makes them little upper- lip- tight. They look determined and stiff jawed which can be precursor for a great show on field –finally.

It’s a lull before storm now for KKR  fans….All wait for the result keeping finger crossed.

IPL back in India

Indian Premier League (IPL), the annual Twenty20 cricket, promoted as Manoranjan Ka Baap (the father of entertainment) makes a homecoming of sorts this year in 2010. In 2009, the second edition of IPL was played in South Africa after a lot of dilly dallies as it coincided with the Indian General Elections and the country’s security bench was prioritized for the letter. This time it’s back to the country of its origin.

This time, it has launched a campaign at SET Max that plays on the theme of homecoming.
The first commercial with Sourav Ganguly, the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, is already on air. During IPL 2 there was a vacuum with the matches not being held in the country. There was no buzz in India at all. This time, IPL organizing body wants to make sure the festivity around the event is revived. Media experts believe that the communication aims to promote IPL 3 as the biggest entertainment event of the year with a lot of buzz around the players and celebrity team owners from filmdom.

KKR so far in IPL

IPL-2

The journey of KKR was not great at all in last two IPL. In fact in IPL, season 2 it was literally a fiasco for KKR. It sealed ‘successfully’ the last position much before the tournament got over. It was definitely painful for all KKR fans to see their team of passion ended in the last spot but it was even more pathetic to witness the way it reached to the last spot. There was hardly any morale, enthusiasm or spirit in the team left after midway of the tournament.

Buchanan’s power struggle with Sourav Ganguly

Before start of the tournament, Indian cricket lovers, Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) team supporters, Sourav Ganguly fans across globe were greatly shocked, flabbergasted and humiliated by the  sweeping ‘four formula’ statement on captaincy issue of Kolkata Knight Riders’ team, expounded by Mr. John Buchanan, the then Director of cricket operation of KKR. In fact all the confusion, mistrust and subsequent downfall of KKR started there only from which the team could not wriggle out in entire tournament.

Buchanan wanted to implement this weird theory in the real match scenario where each being assigned a special area- batting, bowling, fielding, wicket keeping focusing on in a match situation like T 20  cricket where action is frenetic and almost instantaneous
Millions of cricket fan across globe perceived this theory as a conspiracy against Sourav Ganguly and the crux of this controversy was – power struggle where Buchanan wanted to hog more lime light which was bit difficult had Sourav remained captain at his own backyard Kolkata. Cricket lovers also apprehended that without the morale support of section of KKR management, Buchanan might not have attempted such a ludicrous and obnoxious thing which eventually turned cricket into a circus with some cheap entertainment value.

Welovesourav.com petition against Buchanan

Welovesourav.com came out in vengeance to morally support Sourav in that issue with an online petition against Buchanan’s theory. Here is the detail:

Petition link: http://www.gopetition.com/online/26490.html

Category: Sports
Region: India
Target: Kolkata Knight Riders’ Management, Ministry of Sports and welfare-Govt. Of India, Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI)
Web site: http://www.welovesourav.com

The moment venue shifted from India to South Africa, Buchanan put his four captain formula in back burner and made McCullum the full time captain. An explosive batting asset for KKR could not manage the high pressure captaincy expectation and buckled under pressure matches after matches.  Morally down Sourav remained lack lustrous and so was the whole team. Some players tried individually in a team game which was very sporadic and could not produce any end result.
The only consolation for KKR was they defeated two finalists team of IPL -1 in the whole tournament. That’s all!

IPL-1

Though in the first edition of IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders could not manage a place beyond sixth position, in a highly contested electrifying tournament, it was a roller coaster, ding-dong battle for KKR who eventually missed the semi final birth by a whisker.  But till the end of the tournament, the team kept the momentum and hope alive. They might have missed semis but did not disillusion its huge fan base, the way it did in second edition of IPL.

Individual performance

KKR started the tournament with a bang when the opener Brendon McCullum made a swashbuckling 153* in the inaugural match with Bangalore Royal Challengers. Then there was crest and trough for the team. Match against Delhi Daredevils was remembered for defending a low score total only because of a devastating spell of speed star Akhtar.
Umar Gul, the other Pakistani pacer proved matches after matches that he is just cut out for T-20 game.
David Hussey was another name who was very steady and consistent in the middle order and proved why he was called the best T-20 batsman in Australia.

It was also some great scintillating displays by few local players like – Ashok Dinda, Wridhdhiman Saha etc. who first came into limelight through this tournament only. Later on both got call from national squad.

Sourav Ganguly, the then captain led the team from front. Here are few details on his IPL-1 performance:

• He scored 349 runs which was 11th highest in the tournament
• He was in the sixth place in six hitters in the tournament with 15 sixes.
• He was in the top ten catchers with 5 catches.
• He was in the top ten fifty hitters with 3 fifties.
• He got two back-to-back Man of the match (MoM) awards.
• He got two DLF maximum six hitters awards.

Quite impressive indeed; considering the fact that high octane IPL is touted typically a tournament for young stars and Sourav was by then at the wrong side of thirty five years of age.

Any fresh Hope?

The way KKR won the last match against Punjab Kings 11, even KKR’s biggest fan at one point of time could not hope that they would come victorious. In the last match, KKR fans went back home smiling though they were out of semis. Captain Sourav’s knock of 86*   really kindled the hope that in the next season KKR would bounce back well. But it did not happen as we discuss earlier.

Now it’s time for the third season….Is there any chance or hope left for KKR? What KKR fans are saying?
I will comeback for more discussion soon. Stay tuned.

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I wrote in my previous blog that reality should surface and the accountability of IPL governing body on IPL auction 2010 was disastrous – the controversy regarding the non-bidding of Pakistani players for the third season of the Indian Premier League. Controversy erupted after none of 11 Pakistani players available for auction were hired by any of the eight teams. Pakistan alleged that Indian Government through IPL body and franchisees had snubbed Pakistani cricketers after pre-planning.

Initially it was a knee jerk reaction from Pakistani cricketers and PCB and they commented profusely against Indian Govt. and IPL left, right and centre. Now they are realizing that these kinds of allegation and counter allegation will not lead to any solution. Players now understand that their ire has been hijacked by the media for sound bytes and TRP only; they’ve been made the pawns in a battle of the bytes.

After enough brickbats for more than a week both the sides seems to be moving towards a mean path. The cricketers, led by Afridi, are rushing to douse the embers. In a press release on Tuesday, Afridi expresses his eagerness to ‘forgive and forget’, claims he will happily visit India to play in the IPL, and in a way snubs both his chairman and the sports minister, who had announced that no Pakistani players would participate in the IPL again.

Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi who was initially upset at being snubbed said to the media:

“When you think about it, Pakistan and India have much more in common than there are differences. We need to build our relations rather than break them. Sport should be used to build peace between our great nations, not break them. Although Pakistan and India have borders, these borders cannot divide humanity.

It was really a sporting gesture from Afridi and Sympathy continues to pour in for the snubbed Pakistani cricketers:

SRK sympathize

Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shahrukh Khan who was the first person to come in support of the Pakistani players said “I believe my country stands for democracy, goodness and welcome-ness. We should open our arms to everyone and I think we should have a little more leeway in involving people from all over the world to come and showcase their talent.”

Shahrukh Khan added “They are the champions, they are wonderful but somewhere down the line there is an issue and we can’t deny it. We are known to invite everyone. We should have. If there were any issues, they should have been put on board earlier. Everything can happen respectfully,”
We can well recall that Shahrukh Khan who had taken active part in the bidding of the players in the first season had shown keen interest in Pakistani players. He had roped in Umar Gul and maverick Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar in the first season. In fact both the players played pivotal roles in few matches in the first season.

In fact, SRK’s statement is one eighty degree opposite to his Bollywood compatriots Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty’s statement who went out in full support of the fairness of the bidding process.

Sports Minister MS Gill not far behind

Indian Sports Minister MS Gill echoed Shahrukh and commented:

“I have seen the graceful response of some Pakistani cricketers to the IPL auction fiasco. I welcome the remarks and hope there will soon be an opportunity for these boys to play exciting cricket in India.”  He also added that there should be ‘little lesson’ from this ‘fiasco’. Gill had always maintained that the Government had nothing to do with the bidding of the players.

Lalit Modi-fied now!

IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi who had initially hit back at the allegation of any foul play seems to have softened his stand on the issue recently. While speaking to media Modi said “I am sure the Pakistani players will return. We will discuss this with the Pakistan board officials when we meet them.” Modi also added that “Some teams have still not finished their quota of players and some players can still drop out. In that case, franchises can choose Pakistani players as replacements.”
The close aides of Modi say that the recent remark by home minister was a real cause of concern for Modi and he was forced to evaluate things in fresh perspective.

Earlier Home Minister P Chidambaram has lamented the exclusion and said that the “These players were coming as individuals; it was not a Pakistan team.” He added that “I think it is disservice to cricket that some of these players were not picked. I don’t know why the IPL teams acted in the manner they acted. But certainly to suggest that there was a hint or nudge from the Government is completely untrue.”

The particular phrase- ‘disservice to cricket’ was impregnated with a lot of meaning which propelled Modi and his team to reconsider Pakistani players for IPL-season 3.

Government should govern CLEARLY!

The reality is that most IPL franchisees may have thought twice over selecting Pakistani players, given the security concerns that the presence of cricketers from the neighbouring country in an IPL match would have raised. No IPL team owner would like to have taken that risk in view of the huge financial stakes involved.

Pakistan Sports Minister Ijaz Jakhrani has urged the Indian government to initiate an inquiry into the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction fiasco. Jakhrani said while it was quite clear that the ‘snub’ was deliberate and influenced by certain quarters, New Delhi must come out with the actual details regarding the issue. Referring to Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s statement that the decision to ignore Pakistani players was a ‘disservice’ to the game of cricket, Jakhrani said his (Chidambaram’s) remarks was a positive sign and it vindicates Islamabad’s stance.
“The statement makes it crystal clear that there was involvement of a third player in influencing the IPL auction,” he added

The important point here is whether the government’s stance on selection of Pakistani cricketers for the IPL tournament was in the country’s interest or not. Home Minister P Chidambaram has already clarified that the government had granted visas to all Pakistani cricketers and it had not sent out any advisory to the IPL franchisees on not choosing players from the neighbouring country. The statement was supplemented by IPL body when the IPL had already denied any government interference and stated that the T20 league officials had never said that the Indian government did not grant permission to the Pakistani players.

The moot point is whether the Indian government should have gone a step further to assure the IPL team owners that they or their matches would not be a problem even if they selected Pakistani cricketers.
A categorical and public assurance from the government on security for Pakistani players in the IPL tournament would certainly have cleared the air. If the government is to be blamed, it should be for its failure to give a clear go-ahead on the question of Pakistani players in IPL teams.

Modi-fication to Modification

Government need to investigate this ‘fiasco’ quite seriously. The incidence has really tarnished our image of a democratic liberal nation greatly and somewhere puts us in the same plank with Pakistan in South Asian geo- political tension. Such incidence in Indian soil actually weakens our case against Pakistan in international arena.

From the day one as IPL stated in 2008, Mr.Modi is the man who hogged the limelight so much so that IPL and Modi became synonymous with one another and he became the be-all and end-all character for this “Manoranjan ka baap” show.
And as we all know that absolute power corrupts absolutely, Modi’s fall is imminent and this incidence is perhaps just going to open the Pandora box.
Is It Mr.Lalit Modi’s high handedness or autocratic way of maneuvering things that costs our image so dearly?

We all want the government of India to intervene in this issue and let us know who were responsible in keeping Pakistan cricketers away from the IPL. From day one my stance is that the IPL decision was an ‘influenced one” – and the proofs are plenty now.

Modi and his team are definitely now answerable to BCCI, Indian government and big cricket fraternity- specially to cricket lovers.
After all, which cricket fan would not want to see the explosive Afridi or a dangerous Sohail Tanvir take the field and entertain us?

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IPL-Season 3 – 2010

Enjoy IPL season 3 !

Also respond to the poll:

IPL-2010 officially started today as the auction hammer came down on available players for this year. The initial exuberance of Mumbai Indian and Kolkata Knight Riders’ for snatching two big names – Pollard and Bond was actually wiped out by a sordid fact that no Pakistani players were ‘touched’ by franchisees.
Yes, it’s unfortunate and a dubious representation of the subcontinent cricket.
Franchises preferred West Indian, South African and Australian players while ignoring the 11 Pakistani players one after another who were available in the auction for sale. The auction place and tournament host is India and the ‘neglected’ cricketers are Pakistanis – so enough ingredients for another fresh round of controversy and mistrust between two nations crops up in their already beleaguered relation in post 26/11 time.
Ignored, down and hurt Pakistani cricketers, quite naturally have reacted angrily to the snub with Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi saying that the IPL’s attitude was disappointing. Afridi was supposed to be the main attraction for franchises at the IPL auction in Mumbai. Afridi was the first player to be put on auction with a base price of USD 250,000 but no franchise was interested in buying him.
Afridi commented: “The way I see it, the IPL and India have made fun of us and our country by treating us this way. We are the Twenty20 World Champions and for me the attitude of the franchises was disappointing. I feel bad for the Indian people who I am sure wanted to see us play in the IPL this year.”
Abdul Razzaq, who also missed the bus, was more vociferous and hit below the belt: “It was a shaazish (conspiracy) – a snub to Pakistani players as a joint strategy between the IPL and Indian government to insult Pakistan players. They have basically tried to hurt our cricket and image and this is the most disappointing because I believe there should be no politics in sports,”
All-rounder Sohail Tanvir, the best bowler of the inaugural IPL season and played a big role in helping Rajasthan Royals’ winning the title sounded the same: “They mean to say none of our players are good enough to be in the IPL. I am sorry to say the franchises have taken a decision not based on cricketing sense but on political grounds which is a shame and has hurt the image of the sport,”
The ball is surely in Lalit Modi and his team’s court now. The franchises washed off their hands by saying that Pakistani players’ availability was not certain and they couldn’t risk their money on them. So the decision was purely based on business logic and return of investment calculation. Nothing more, nothing less.
IPL committee has to answer few embarrassing questions now:
• Why there is the inclusion of Pakistani players in the auction list if the franchises were not interested.
• If the IPL and franchises had reservations over having Pakistani players they should have made it clear beforehand, then that action could have helped Pakistani cricketers and board to take cautious action to save their images.
• Why all franchisees create all these fuss about visa requirements and government clearances, and uncertainty – now. That was the responsibility of IPL committee to sit first with South block and Indian government. After all Pakistani Govt. already gave its players security clearance

From a neutral cricket aficionados’ point of view, the overall feeling is: An injustice was meted out to Pakistani players and their image have truly been tarnished.
There were political reasons behind the way Pakistani players were snubbed at the auction and it was most unfortunate.
Meanwhile, the IPL and the Indian government have lost a golden opportunity to help improving ties between the two countries through sports like cricket.
At the end it is the IPL and cricket which have lost out because the fact is Pakistani players have definite star value and they are the current reigning champion in T20 cricket. Every true Indian cricket lover wanted to see the adrenalin – rushing, un-robotic gesture of Afridi, Sohail Tanveer or Umar Gul in such high octane tournament.
IPL 2010 will miss all these.

Online archive of Sourav Ganguly

saptarshi, Editor and co founder – Welovesourav.com