IPL Season 4 - Group A Preview

   Deccan Chargers:
   DC, the only team in Group A to have won the IPL. No players retained but, they did buy Ojha back in the player auction. They spent big  money on key names like Steyn and surprisingly Cam White! They were fairly lucky to loot many players on Sale! like Rusty Theron, Amit Mishra, Shikhar Dhawan, JP Duminy. New look to the team starting with a new captain, King Kumar. Looks slightly brittle on the domestic batting which means the foreign buys will be the key when it comes to batting. KP's absence due to his hernia means Cam White and JP Duminy will have to Charge up quickly. Overall, having Mishra and Ojha will be a great advantage over most teams.
Captain: Kumar Sangakkara
Players Retained: Nil
Key Players: Dale Steyn, Pragyan Ojha, JP Duminy
Dark Horse: Dan Christian, Kedar Devdhar, Ishant Sharma
Group B: Kolkata Knight Riders (to be played home and away)

   Delhi Daredevils:
   Daredvils retained only Virender Sehwag from their previous squad. A trick missed perhaps as they could not manage to buy back most of their key performers like AB De Villiers, Dilshan, Vettori, Nannes. Spent a whooping 1.9 m$ on  Irfan Pathan who's not even sure to be fit. They do not have any big names in their squad barring David Warner and Morne Morkel not even the domestic players. Clearly DD are the dark horse for this season as they have key individuals who are not too popular with the Indian crowd. Names such as Aaron Finch, Mathew Wade and upcoming Indian talent like Umesh Yadav, Dinda, Naman Ojha. And also some ex-fame players like S.Sriram, Venu Rao, Irfan Pathan, Salvi, Ajit Agarkar Geez!! Will be important to see who's their frontline spinner (Yogesh Nagar??). Since they dint pick anyone in the auctions.
Captain: Virender Sehwag
Players Retained: Virender Sehwag
Key Players: Morne Morkel, David Warner, Ajit Agarkar (Duh!)
Dark Horse: Aaron Finch, Irfan Pathan, Naman Ojha
Group B: Kochi Tuskers Kerala

   Kings XI Punjab:
   Zintans have had a rough time both during the IPL and the off-season. From being almost kicked out to running around court rooms they're releaved to be featuring in the IPL. Sadly, it is due to the harakiri they said they couldn't retain their players. But, their auction journey was a sleep walk. They had no clue what was happening. Injuries to Praveen Kumar, Stuart Broad and Dimmi Mascarenhas wont help them either although they have signed Ryan McLaren and David Miller as cover. Australians will be the core in this team with Gilly, Hussey, Marsh, Harris. Familiar Indians in the form of Dinesh Karthik, Piyush chawla will be vital to their fortunes.
Captain: Adam Gilchrist
Players Retained: Nil
Key Players: David Hussey, Praveen Kumar, Dinesh Karthik
Dark Horse: Abhishek Nayar, Ryan Harris, Nathan Rimmington
Group B: Royal Challengers Bangalore

   Mumbai Indians:
   The runner-up in the previous season, the mighty Mumbai Indians have retained the solid core and replaced a few parts here and there. Their auction presence was poor, they didn't put up a fight for most of the auctioning. And then they were clearly unhappy with last minute changes in the auction procedure. Nevertheless, they look a formidable unit with some smart buys during the auction in the form of Symonds, Davy Jacobs, Blizzard, Rohit Sharma and easily getting some of the best domestic crop like T Suman, Rayudu. With SRT in the side and leading them it wasn't too difficult to get some ripe talent from across India. With Pollard, Malinga, Bhajji retained their core strength looks retained!
Captain: Sachin Tendulkar
Players Retained: Sachin Tendulkar, Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh
Key Players: Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma, see list above.
Dark Horse: Davy Jacobs, Aiden Blizzard, T Suman
Group B: Rajasthan Royals

   Pune Warriors India:
   The newbie in Group A looked very impressive during the players auctioning. They went big but, very cautiously almost similar to the Chargers and found some balance in their squad. They stuck to the plan and got some key names in their franchisee. Along with that some vital domestic players were added outside the auctions that makes them a notable opposition although it is only their IPL debut this season. Injury to Angelo Mathews will keep them hunting for the right balance to their team. As such some big domestic names like Yuraj, Robin, Pandey, Nehra, Murali Kartik, Mithun Manhas and foreign imports like Smith, Nathan McCullum, Tim Paine, Ryder, Parnell, Ferguson and the lesser known Kamran Khan, Jhunjhunwala, Mitch Marsh, Mohnish, Rahul will bring about a solid mix to the franchisee's hopes of making an impact in the IPL.
Captain: Yuvraj Singh
Players Retained: Not Applicable
Key Players: Robin Uthapa, Ashish  Nehra, Graeme Smith
Dark Horse: Nathan McCullum, Tim Paine, Callum Ferguson, Dheeraj Jadhav, Kamran Khan
Group B: Chennai Super Kings

   These were the teams from Group A that will be contesting for the IPL Champions' fame and glory. Not much to choose between them but, MI, DC look formidable and DD the dark horse from this group. But the new addition of Pune Warriors India will be the focus. They look well balanced to upset many experienced oppositions. Wont be surprised if KxiP struggle this season as well. For Group B preview keep tuning in.
p.s. - Who are your key players to watch out for in the IPL4. Share with us in the comments section. Cheers!

IPL Season 4 Opener

  Its that time of the year again.. you know, "DLF maximums", "Karbonn Kamaal Catch", "Citi moment of Success" yada yada all that crap sans Modi cam err.. Lalit K Modi. Well, what's new then? Primarily the tournament is bigger with 10 teams now in the fray and the format is as complex as the Benedict–Webb–Rubin equation, if not more. You know.. split into two groups then play home and away games with teams in their group and a random draw to pick the team to play twice from the opposite group and play the rest of the teams once.. Then the Playoffs for the finals. Phew!! If you're still reading this, either that made complete sense to you or you are waiting for the Benedict–Webb–Rubin reference to appear in this post somewhere. In the case of the latter please stop reading now! Thank you, for those now searching for some IPL hungama can continue reading.

   Two new franchises Sahara Group owned Pune Warriors India and Rendezvous Sports World Kochi Cricket Pvt Ltd. owned Kochi Tuskers Kerala. Yes, the tradition of picking crappy team names is still very much evident. Somethings that keep the IPL very Indian indeed. Along with new teams the existing 8 teams were busy at the auctions buying players since the existing 3 year deal for all teams went *poof*. All franchisee owners were allowed to retain a maximum of 4 players (2 foreigners max). The first player retained will cost a team $1.8 million against the salary cap of $9 million, regardless of the amount the player is actually paid. The second player will cost $1.3 million, the third $900,000 and the fourth $500,000. Using all four retention options will mean that a franchise will have only $4.5m to spend on 26 other players. IPL season 3 champions CSK and runner-up MI were the only two teams to retain 4 players each. Where as, season 2 champs DC, KKR, KxiP did not retain even a single player. DD, RCB retained 1 player each and RR the inaugural season winners retained 2 players.

Players Retained:

• CSK - MS Dhoni (Ind), Suresh Raina (Ind), Murali Vijay (Ind), Albie Morkel (RSA)
• MI - SR Tendulkar (ind), Harbhajan Singh (Ind), Lasith Malinga (SL), Kieron Pollard (WI)
• RR - Shane Warne (Aus), Shane Watson (Aus)
• DD - Virender Sehwag (Ind)
• RCB - Virat Kohli (Ind)

 In the players auctioning things seemingly went very ugly. Some key highlights of the auctions can be seen HERE. The 10 teams have been split into two groups A and B.

Group A	Group B
Deccan Chargers	Kolkata Knight Riders
Delhi Daredevils	Kochi Tuskers Kerala
Kings XI Punjab	Royal Challengers Bangalore
Mumbai Indians	Rajasthan Royals
Pune Warriors India	Chennai Super Kings

   Coming up next will be the "Team Previews" before the "maha yudh" starts. So dont forget to catch all the action-reactions right here!

DLF IPL - DC CSK mixed fortunes

We know DC are the defending champs but look at the mess they've got themselves into. First, they don't play at Hyderabad which is the official home ground for the DCs. They end up playing their home games at Cuttack, Navi Mumbai, Nagpur and their horror run of losing home games continues. Their last home game against the Raj Royals, who have stressed on building that fortress for opposing teams when playing at home. RR have the best home games record. Mumbai Indians this season have set the same tune. So, how crucial is it playing at home and more importantly winning!

DC bowled well, played with a plan and executed it. They really needed the win to equal CSK, RR, KKR on points and fight to the semis. 159 still seemed a lil disappointing as they managed to avoid some serious beating from the hands of their old pal Yusuf-cant-play-short-stuff-Pathan who has won 4 M.O.M's in 5 games they have played. Shane-can-whack-Watson's knock helped RR post a target of 160 for the DCs. And from there DC batsmen switched their brains off. They managed to go from 137/5 to 157 all out. This with Rohit-I'm-going-to-WI-Sharma hitting 73 from 44 and not able to hit 3 runs from the last 2 deliveries and DC were all out. Only CSK could have managed to lose it from there (Remember chasing 139 against KxiP). So, their fate now looks stuck above the KxiP but, they still can make it due to weird calculations.

So, we see how did DC actually perform ala the Sooper Kings. This is what we can understand from the team's fortunes up to now:

• Gilly = MSD : Capt and WK - both have come and gone, hit a few but, missed mostly. (MSD was injured in between)
• Gibbs = Haydos : Both have swished the bat like Harry Porters wand, the spells seemed to backfire very often.
• Rohit = Raina : Both have played some good knocks, looked curious for more but then disappointed.
• VVS = Badri : Two batsmen who seemed to be in wrong place at the wrong time playing the wrong game.
• Symonds = Morkel : All-rounders for their teams, never really performed to potential or previous performances.
• Vaas = Murali : Both had good beginning to IPL this season, Vaas eventually ran outta gas, Murali on the way?
• Ojha = Jakati : The two left-armers have picked wickets but have gone for plenty.
• Rahul = Ashwin : back-up spinners hardly looked vicious in batsmen's paradise.
• RP = Gony/Tyagi : Jaskaran = Balaji : Harmeet = Joginder They have been in a league on their own. No matter who is picked the result doesn't change.

CSK have recovered with Vijay clicking at the top. Murali has been resonable and with MSD back they look better placed than DC who need to win all from here and hope the others don't. Interestingly, CSK-DC have to play each other in the remaining games to come. CSK have 8 pts from 9 games and DC have 6 pts from 9 games. Just 5 matches each, its a fight to the death for each one of them. RR and RCB will their main threats, considering KKR like to goof it up when someone takes them seriously.

DLF IPL CSK-Chennai Super Krap

Well, for people who believe they witnessed one of the best matches ever, I pity them. It was one of the worst matches I have ever seen. And only teaches how teams should not screw up a chase. First of all, it was a contest between a team with a poor batting and a team with a poor bowling. CSK seemed to have an upper hand as they had the momentum with them after 2 consecutive victories. Raina won the toss and elected to field, quite a good decision considering the dew factor and also the fact that KXI were playing 2 spinners.

It was quite a surprise to see Irfy opening alongside Bopara. CSK suddenly, from no where got brains and dropped Joginder Sharma. KXI kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Yuvi and Irfy showed some resistance. CSK's bowling was pretty ordinary . KXI batting was even worse. Wonder what was going through their minds.Everyone got out with poor stroke play and lack of application. If I was Md. Kaif's father/mother/wife/child I would lock him up in the dungeon for eternity. The guy should not be allwoed to hold a cricket bat ever again! It was a terrible batting display by Punjab and they managed to score 136. Moorali getting the better of his two countrymen (Sanga & Jaya) BRILLIANT!

Then the Mongoose Man and Mini bullet took strike for CSK. They were scoring briskly at a steady pace and KXI , by the looks, were all down with drooping shoulders thinking that the match was slipping away from them. But with the fall of Haydos everything seemed to slip out of CSK's grasp. First a horror run-out of the capt. Raina and then the crumble. Vijay, Badri have hardly impressed and it seems with Srikanth their chances of wearing the national cap will also disappear. Kemp injured himself with a side-strain so, he could not come in to bat as well. With Parthiv out after making his half-ton Gony made it to the crease. With just a run-a-ball reqd. all that was needed was sensible batting, pushin the ball into the gaps and giving Morkel most of the strike. But, it was not to be. Gony wanted to become Super Gony in no time and ended losing his stumps and CSK reqd 10 off the last over. Albie hit a boundary the very 1st delivery to make it 5 from 5 and then 3 from 3. Here the final twist. Ashwin hits the ball and they run 2!!! Why would you want a bowler to face the final 2 balls of a match Albie. Even if it was 2 off 2 with Albie on strike it would be the smarter choice. Alas, Irfy bowled a dot ball and Ashwin hit the final ball straight to Kaif. Match tie = SOOOPER OVER

KXI chose the rookie Juan Rusty Theron, who bowled a superb spell earlier in the game. Not looking rusty at all. so the CSK managed 1,W,2,6,W just 9!! So 10 to win for the Zintans and they got there with a slight hiccup but, when you have the quality of Yuvi, and the two Lankans in your side you are more likely to win from these situations. Had MSD been there it would have been a sight! Well played to both teams to make an interesting match out of shitty batting performances. Lalit Modi will be very pleased!

DLF IPL 3.0 Dudes to Duds

The IPL is everywhere... everywhere you go, everywhere you see, and mostly everywhere you don't want it to be. Among all this hara-kiri some expected IPL heroes have disappointed. This post is dedicated to them, thanks to restore sanity and help us waste time just hoping today you will fire.

K xi P - yea, the entire team has been a tad disappointing. I'm sure the boys know it themselves.

Haydos - the Mongoose man is yet top breathe fire like he did in the previous IPL's. (this post was drafted way before Hayden tore apart the Daredevil attack and left them crying like babies. I take credit for his knock.)

Dilfan - Considering Delhi's majestic line-up. It is hard to expect a knock from each of the top5. But 0,0,17 (15 against CSK) is just hard to digest.

Yuvi - The last time he hit it was 2009!

Che Pujara - First lack of opportunity, now lack of patience from KKR.

Poppadom Smith - Yet another finger injury, end of the road for him.

Jayasurya - If he's in the team for his bowling then pardon me but, his bat has not done the tonking it promises.

AB DeVil - Was found under-par when DD needed him the most.

Sangakkara - Has not been comfortable, lacked imagination couldn't defend 200+ score! ahem..

Freefanth (Aapam choo..) - I duno why anyone has expectations from him.

Sloon Tait - Fast & Furious, all over the place.

Dada - Captaincy may have been inspiring. Still a lot left to cheer, a long way to go.


The tournament is alive, still a lot to play for. It is difficult to judge too soon. It may be too harsh on a few, DC haven't played too much so many DC players get away. Rajasthan Royals look to be getting into deeper mess with Smith, Dimi being ruled out. Martyn not performing, Lumb flopped as well. Captain Warney now is bit to follow on twitter.

IPL 3.0 Zinta's Kings arrive

Kings XI Punjab

The last of 3 teams that have a direct Bollywood link, made it to the semis in the 1st edition but came no where close in their own standards in the 2nd season. This time their experimentation conitnues, Sangakkara will now lead the team so no more swearing in cool Punjabi! But the Zitans are still the most lovable team with the jhappis(hugs) and pappis(kisses) u know! :P

Recruits wise KxiP look solid than ever, Sodhi coming from ICL, Vikramjeet Malik, Love Ablish doing well in domestic season and buying Md. Kaif has clearly boosted the domestic strength which was seen clearly in the previous two seasons of the league.

SQUAD:Shaun Marsh, Mahela Jayawardene, Adrian Barath, Karan Goel, Tanmay Srivastava, Mohammad Kaif, Bipul Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Ravinder Bopara, James Hopes, Ramesh Powar, Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Kumar Sangakkara, M.S.Bisla, Yusuf Abdulla, Sreesanth, Brett Lee, Vikramjeet Malik, Love Ablish, Amanpreet Singh, Shalabh Srivastava.

STRENGTHS:They tend to handle pressure situations better than most teams. Be it season 1 or 2, they have won some really close encounters! Batting finally looking good. Young and dynamic side!

WEAKNESS: Injury prone team. Marsh still not confirmed. Lee has his history. Sreesanth you know why!

WATCH OUT FOR:Sodhi's return. New seam attack, Ravi Bopara would like to send ECB some direct messages from the ground.

WAH'S XI:

• Bopara
• Goel/Hopes
• Yuvi
• Sangakkara©
• Kaif
• Sodhi
• IrfanPathan
• Brett Lee/Yusuf Abdulla
• Piyush Chawla
• Love Ablish
• Vikramjeet Malik

WAH SAY: This team has finally come to the party! They dont even need 4 intl players to make a strong xi. They are gonna be the dark horses this season i reckon. Not a very strong bench strength though. They have to keep Sree on the bench if Ablish and Malik deliver the goods. Feeling super reviewing them. Go Zintans! Chak de phatte..

IPL 3.0 Coming Soon!

Yes, Lalit Modi and his minions are back "bigger" and "louder" than ever! Somehow, I can't wait. With just about 8 days you can almost sense it's here already, with everybody on TWITTER constantly ranting the same training, practice match crap. So, we decided to see who's been up to what in the last one year and what has really undergone in the team building process. Who stands where and who is running the lead.. already. Your favourite, my favourite, everyone's favourite. Once again it boils down to the 8 teams and their performance on the field so, no matter how much we want in the end only one team can be crowned "champions"! Let the battle begin..

DLF IPL 3.0 - Punjab di Aan Baan te Shaan

King Kumar the new Captain of Kings XI Punjab tells us more.. Going topless and more..

DLF IPL 3.0

I'm too lazy (read sloshed), so taking an off this weekend, unless something urges me to blog. Till then enjoy the action that awaits us!!! Yea, the "DLF IPL". Nothing less than *Wah!*