Time is gone when the Britishers invaded India and ruled us for more than 100 years. Time has come wherein players from the invading country are coming to play the gentleman's game of cricket for the Indian regional team on Indian soil. Time was there also like the Indian players were signing contracts to play in the English County Cricket but the new era has brought us to see the new elaborated version of the game called T 20. This
is the most exciting evolution cricket has got in the recent past and the world is loving it.
This new form of cricket was introduced the year 2003 to the ECB and many county playing clubs played this form of cricket. It became a popular form of cricket when the ICC organized the first ever T20 world cup in the year 2007 when India lifted the cup by defeating Pakistan in a thrilling game. This form of cricket gained its popularity because of the shorter game span as other sports. People enjoyed the game which completes its cycle in 2.5hours and everybody liked it. ICC aimed the youth to take on the game's spirit & lift it up and to maximum level it has achieved it.
Amid many speculations and many plannings to popularize the game in the Indian subcontinent the Indian Premiere league was introduced wherein the Indian version of the game was unveiled. It was the then spokesperson of BCCI, Mr.Lalit Modi who took all pain to make ICC grant permission for the Indian Premier league. The IPL unlike the English premier league was not planned through Club but instead allowed teams to be formed from the mix of players from the BCCI and the other cricket boards & even Indian state cricket associations. This form of the game allowed people to make teams through auction and quite a lot of people were interested in the business cum cricket. The teams were formed for 8 regional teams and the players signed a contract for a period of 3 years. And to pull crowd the Cheer girls & a classic display of Fireworks were first intrduced during the play. It was the Rajasthan Royals who won the first season's IPL defeating the Chennai Super Kings. It was a huge hit last year and the Indian public witnesses the spectacular form of cricket and enjoyed & accepted the game with open arms. There were many players from the foreign countries who played the game to its true spirit and it was all an entertaining season of cricket for the Millions of fans.
Now the second season of the game is in process but in some way its missing last year's charm as the same has been hifted to South Africa because of the General Election. The game started on 18th of Apr 09 with a spectacular Opening ceremony. The President of South Africa and the people of south Africa welcomed the Indian Premirer legue with a worm welcome and promised the IPL a smooth and happy ride in teh country with all security & logistics support.
Bangalore Royal Challengers For a team associated with the 'King of Good Times', the Bangalore Royal Challengers had a torrid time in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League. Dubbed as the "Test Team" of the IPL, the Royal Challengers clearly lacked the zing and the flamboyance of a T20 team. The team of the past has now been replaced by a new look T20 team with the addition of the flamboyant Kevin Pietersen, the maverick Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa. To complete the overhaul, captaincy has also been handed over to Kevin Pietersen for the initial matches and Jacques Kallis for the latter ones. With Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Mark Boucher and speedster Dale Steyn in the ranks, the Bangalore Royal Challengers would like to reverse their fortunes this time around. The team would also have the services of Nathan Bracken, arguably the best limited over's bowlers in world cricket, who was injured for the 1st season. Also with as many as five South Africans - Kallis, Mark Boucher, Dale Steyn, Dillon du Preez and Roelof van der Merwe and the coach Ray Jennings in their squad, Bangalore just might have an edge over the others. We reckon this side could be the surprise package of IPL 2009 just like Rajasthan Royals were for IPL 2008. New Royal ChallengersKevin Pietersen, Jesse Ryder, Robin Uthappa, Nathan Bracken Out of ActionZaheer Khan, he was traded out to Mumbai AvailabilityKevin Pietersen would be available only for the first 6 matches before returning home. Ace(s) of SpadesContrary to the popular view, more than Kevin Pietersen, Bangalore's fortunes would rest on the performances of Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis. They are the pillars of this team, Dravid with his experience and batting and Kallis with his all round abilities, and if these two play to their potential the Royal Challengers could face up to any team in this tournament. The Dark HorseBangalore Royal Challengers would pray that Jesse Ryder exhibits the same class, maturity and striking ability which he amply demonstrated in India's recently concluded New Zealand tour. He along with Pietersen can provide the big hitting ability, this team so desperately lacked last year. A lot rides on Ryder, if he fires Bangalore could look forward to a place among the top four. SquadCoach - Ray Jennings (South Africa) , Assistant Coach - Vijay Bharadwaj (India) A. Mithun, Anil Kumble, Cameron White, B. Akhil, Bharat Chipli, Bhuvanesh Kumar, C.M. Gautam, Dale Steyn, Devraj Patil, Dillon Du Preez, , Gaurav Dhiman , Ishank Jaggi, Jacques Kallis, J. Arun Kumar, Jesse Ryder, Jitendra Patil, Karan Sharma, Kedar Jadhav, Kevin Pietersen, K.P. Appanna, Manish Pandey, Mark Boucher, Nathan Bracken, Pankaj Singh, Praveen Kumar, Rahul Dravid, Rajesh Bishnoi, Raju Bhatkal, Robin Uthappa, Roelof van der Merwe , Rohit Sabharwal, Ross Taylor, R. Sutheesh, S. Arvind , Saurav Bandekar, Srivats Goswami, Sunil Joshi, Tinu Yohannan, Udit Patel, Vinay Kumar, Virat Kohli, Wasim Jaffer Probable XI1 Robin Uthappa, 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Kevin Pietersen (captain)/ Ross Taylor/ B Akhil, 4 Rahul Dravid, 5 Virat Kohli, 6 Jacques Kallis(captain), 7 Mark Boucher/ Shreevats Goswami (wk), 8 Anil Kumble/Cameron White, 9 Praveen Kumar 10 Nathan Bracken/Vinay Kumar, 11 Dale Steyn Our Prediction this team can throw a surprise or two while facing much fancied opposition. Can be among the final four teams. The proverbial dark horse of the tournament. Chennai Super Kings Under the magical stewardship of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings reached the finals of the IPL in 2008. For this year's edition, once again under the leadership of the Man with the Midas touch, the only word which can describe their team composition is awesome. With the hard hitting Hayden available for the full season, the headache for the opposition captains will start right at the top. The likes to follow are Suresh Raina, "Mr. Cool" Dhoni, "Mr. Inspirational" Flintoff and "Mr. Smiling Assassin" Muralitharan.Also in the ranks are Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram to bolster the batting and the never tiring Makhaya Ntini to lead the pace attack. Chennai Super Kings have also appointed Stephen Fleming, who played for them last year, as the team coach New Super KingsAndrew Flintoff, Thilan Tushara, George Bailey, Ravi Bopara, Burt Cockley and Jerome Taylor Out of ActionMike Hussey, taking a break from international cricket AvailabilityJacob Oram is a doubtful starter owing to injury. All the other squad members should be available for the entire season Ace of SpadesMahendra Singh Dhoni has added many feathers in his cap in the recent past owing to his brilliance both as a captain and as a batsman. Chennai supporters would love to see more of his hard hitting and plucky skills while batting and shrewdness while leading the team. The IPL trophy in his hands would be a fitting finale for a near perfect season for Dhoni The Dark HorseThough he scored a few runs in IPL 2008, Matthew Hayden could not recreate the same fear among the bowlers as he once did while opening the batting for Australia. But after retiring from international cricket, he might be that much more focussed and hungry for runs in this year's IPL. Being available for the entire tournament, Hayden will be hoping to recreate some magic of old. SquadCoach - Stephen Fleming (New Zealand), Assistant Coach - Venkatesh Prasad (India) Abhinav Mukund, Albie Morkel, Andrew Flintoff, Anirudha Srikkanth, Arun Karthik, George Bailey, Jacob Oram, Joginder Sharma, Lakshmipathi Balaji, MS Dhoni, Makhaya Ntini, Manpreet Singh Gony, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Murali Vijay, Muttiah Muralitharan, Napoleon Einsteen, Palani Amarnath, Parthiv Patel, Ramachandran Ashwin , Shadab Jakati, Subramaniam Badrinath , Sudeep Tyagi, Suresh Kumar, Suresh Raina, Thilan Thushara, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan and Viraj Kadbe Probable XI
1. Matthew Hayden,
2. S Vidyut,
3. MS Dhoni (wk) (captain),
4. Suresh Raina,
5. S Badrinath,
6. Albie Morkel,
7. Andrew Flintoff/ Jacob Oram/ Joginder Sharma,
8. L Balaji,
9. Manpreet Gony,
10. Muttiah Muralitharan,
11. Makhaya Ntini Chennai Super Kings should easily reach the semi finals. They are one of the top contenders to lift the trophy in 2009.
Delhi Daredevils Blow hot, blow cold aptly describes Delhi Daredevil's approach last season. Their win - loss ratio of 7:6, was a fair indication of how they fared last year. They had unmatched ammunition at the top of the order in the form of Sehwag & Gambhir but seemed to run out of firepower towards the end of their batting line up. In this edition though, apart from possessing arguably the best opening combination in world cricket at the moment, they have the reliable Collingwood and Dilshan and also the mercurial AB De Villiers and David Warner . With the likes of Owais Shah, Manoj Tiwary and Dinesh Karthik coming down the batting line up, Delhi Daredevils boast of probably the most fabulous batting line up of the tournament. Combine that with the near inch accuracy of Glenn McGrath and the canniness of Vettori, and we have a well balanced team capable of going all the way in the tournament. In a bid to bolster their bowling attack they have also traded in Ashish Nehra in place of Shikhar Dhawan. New DaredevilsPaul Collingwood, Owais Shah, Ashish Nehra, David Warner, Umesh Yadav and Dirk Nannes. Out of ActionShoaib Malik and Mohammad Asif due to unavailability of players from Pakistan. Shikhar Dhawan, as he was traded out to the Mumbai Indians. AvailabilityEnglishmen Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah will return home for national duty after two weeks of IPL. All other players for Daredevils are available through the season. Ace of SpadesThe most natural and devastating striker of the cricket ball in contemporary cricket, Virender Sehwag is undoubtedly the ace of spades in the Daredevils' ranks. He scored above 400 runs in the last edition of the IPL with his characteristic blistering strike rate and we can expect more from him this time around. Apart from his clever bowling and street smart captaincy, his mere presence at the crease is reason enough for the opposition bowlers to have nightmares. The Dark HorseYoung David Warner of Australia, who has already exhibited his talent by hitting a 43 ball 83 against South Africa on his T20 debut. SquadCoach - Greg Shipperd (Australia), Bowling Consultant - Dennis Lillee (Australia) AB de Villiers, Amit Mishra, Andrew McDonald, Ashish Nehra, Avishkar Salvi, Daniel Vettori, David Warner, Dinesh Karthik, Dirk Nannes, Farveez Maharoof, Gautam Gambhir, Glenn McGrath, Manoj Tiwary, Mithun Manhas, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood, Pradeep Sangwan, Rajat Bhatia, T. Dilshan, Tejashwi Yadav , Umesh Yadav, Virender Sehwag, Yogesh Nagar, Yo Mahesh
Probable XI
1. Virender Sehwag (captain),
2. Gautam Gambhir,
3. David Warner/ Tilakaratne Dilshan,
4. AB De Viiliers,
5. Paul Collingwood/ Owais Shah/ Manoj Tiwary,
6. Dinesh Karthik (wk),
7. Daniel Vettori, 8 Farveez Maharoof/ Yo Mahesh,
8. Amit Mishra/ Ashish Nehra,
9. Dirk Nannes/ Pradeep Sangwan/Rajat Bhatia,
10. Glenn McGrath
We Predict Delhi Daredevils would definitely find themselves among the top three teams. They are strong contenders for the ultimate prize of IPL 2009.
Hyderabad Deccan Chargers The Deccan Chargers flattered to deceive last time around. They had a team which was everyone's envy, from the silken class of VVS Laxman to the raw power of Shahid Afridi and Adam Gilchrist. Then there were Andrew Symonds, Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma, and everyone ranked them as top contenders for the crown. It all went horribly wrong from there on, the Chargers' house collapsed like a pack of cards and they finished at the bottom of the pile. This time around things don't look too different either, and the team from Hyderabad will have to manage without the presence of hard-hitting allrounders Afridi and Symonds (back again in the Australian squad) . At the helm of affairs now are Gilchrist and Darren Lehmann as the captain and the coach pairing respectively, it will be quite surprising if they finish in the top 4 this season. The Deccan Chargers were also quite laid back at the time of the auction and hence there hasn't been any significant infusion of new energy in the team, except the signing up of West Indians Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Smith. But given their limited availability, it will be a surprise if they can make a significant difference. Their bowling thus remains largely unchanged and lacks penetration. New ChargersDwayne Smith, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Harris Out of ActionShahid Afridi, due to unavailability of players from Pakistan. AvailabilityDwayne Smith, Fidel Edwards, Andrew Symonds would participate in only few matches. Ace of SpadesA lot will rest on Adam Gilchrist's shoulders when he leads Deccan chargers on to the field. They will not only need his explosive batting talent, but also his captaincy and inspirational skills to turn the tide around in the latest edition of IPL. If Gilly gets in his groove he can still win matches single handedly for Deccan Chargers. The Dark HorseHerschelle Gibbs returned to form with a scintillating century against Australia recently and if the signs are to be believed, he could well prove to be the man for the Deccan Chargers. Gibbs would know South African conditions better than most of the other players and can form a deadly partnership with Gilchrist at the top of the order. SquadCoach - Darren Lehmann (Australia) Abhinav Kumar, Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Arjun Yadav, Azhar Anjum Bilakhia, Chamara Silva, Chaminda Vaas, D. Kalyankrishna, D. Ravi Teja, Dwayne Smith, Fidel Edwards, Halhadar Das, Harmeet Singh, Herschelle Gibbs, Jaskaran Deep Singh, Manvinder Bisla, Nuwan Zoysa, PM Sarvesh Kumar, Pragyan Ojha, P. Vijay Kumar, Rohit Sharma, R.P. Singh, Ryan Harris, Scott Styris, Shoaib Ahmed, Syed Mohammad, T. Suman, Venugopala Rao, V.V.S. Laxman Probable XI
1. Herschelle Gibbs,
2. Adam Gilchrist (wk) (captain),
3. Rohit Sharma,
4. Andrew Symonds/ VVS Laxman,
5. Venugopal Rao,
6. Scott Styris,
7. Dwayne Smith,
8. Sanjay Bangar,
9. Pragyan Ojha,
10. Chaminda Vaas/Nuwan Zoysa/Fidel Edwards,
11. RP Singh
We Predict the Deccan Chargers needs to perform extremely well in the batting department to give themselves any chance of reaching the semi-finals. Looks like they would remain in the last four this year as well. Kings XI Punjab True to their name, Kings XI Punjab, provided us with king size entertainment last year both on and off the field, The batting of Shaun Marsh, Jayawardene, Sangakkara and Yuvraj gave their supporters plenty to cheer about. On the other hand, Sreesanth, Brett Lee and Irfan Pathan were outstanding in the bowling department. But as if on field entertainment wasn't enough, there always was a Harbhajan - Sreesanth or Preity - Yuvraj controversy to keep the spectators interested. The team though semi finalists in the previous edition looks a bit out of sorts this time around. The Australians - Shaun Marsh, James Hopes and Brett Lee will be away on national duty for most of the tournament. Sreesanth, their highest wicket taker is injured and Jerome Taylor, the new bowling recruit has met with a motor accident. Thus definitely short of bowling fire power, they will rely heavily on the ever reliable duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene to provide support in the middle order and on Yuvraj to provide the fireworks while they are batting. New KingsRavi Bopara, Burt Cockley and Jerome Taylor Out of ActionShaun Marsh, Brett Lee and James Hopes are out due to national commitments. Sreesanth is injured. AvailabilityAll others will be available for the entire duration. Ace of SpadesYuvraj Singh would need to consistently come up with stellar performances if Kings XI Punjab has to go the distance. We all remember the 6 sixes hit by Yuvraj in the T20 world cup and are well aware of his destructive abilities. Yuvraj has to provide a similar impetus to Kings XI batting this time around, and he has to do it fixture after fixture, for them to be as competitive as they were last time around. The Dark HorseIrfan Pathan, although not the blue eyed boy of Indian Cricket as he once was, still possesses the ability and the talent to take wickets and score quick runs. He could be their trump card for IPL 2009. SquadCoach - Tom Moody (Australia) Ajitesh Argal, Amanpreet Sing, Brett Lee, Burt Cockley, Irfan Pathan, James Hopes, Jerome Taylor, Karan Goel, K. Sangakkara, Luke Pomersbach, M. Jayawardene, Piyush Chawla, R. Powar, Ravi Bopara, Ravi Kant Shukla, Ryan Ninan, Shaun Marsh, Simon Katich, Sonny Sohal, S. Sreesanth, T. Srivastava, Taruwar Kohli, Uday Kaul, V.R.V. Singh, VikramJeet Malik, Wilkin Mota, Yash Gandhi, Yuvraj Singh Probable XI
1. Shaun Marsh/ Luke Pomersbach,
2. James Hopes / Simon Katich,
3. Kumar Sangakkara (wk),
4. Mahela Jayawardene,
5. Yuvraj Singh (captain),
6. Ravi Bopara,
7. Tanmay Srivastava,
8. Irfan Pathan
9. Karan Goel/lBurt Cockley
10. Piyush Chawla/Ramesh Powar,
11. VRV Singh/ Brett Lee
We Predict Kings XI would do extremely well to reach the semfinals. They might find themselves among the lower ranked teams at the end of the second season. Kolkata Knight Riders The Kolkata Knight Riders, a team high on media dopamine, with two of the most charismatic personalities, Shahrukh Khan (the unofficial 12th man for KKR) and Sourav Ganguly, is unsurprisingly never out of the news. In the first edition, starting from Brendon McCullum's breathtaking century to Shahrukh's pyrotechnics everything about KKR was news worthy. In 2009, they are already in the news due to the controversial multiple captaincy theory of their coach John Buchanan and thus another potential Sourav - Aussie love affair is in the making. If we leave aside the captaincy row, KKR looks solid though not spectacular on paper. There are Chris Gayle and McCullum to provide the big hits but there is no Ricky Ponting or David Hussey to hold the middle order together. KKR is also one of the worst hit teams with the exodus of Pakistani players and have lost Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar and Salman Butt for this season. The bowling still looks penetrative with Ishant Sharma, Ashoke Dinda, Ajit Agarkar, Mortaza and mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis in the mix. Kolkata Knight Riders will be hoping that Mendis can weave his magic in the IPL. New Knight RidersMashrafe Mortaza, Ajantha Mendis, Moises Henriques Out of ActionUmar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Salman Butt due to unavailability of players from Pakistan. Ricky Ponting resting, and David Hussey out on national duty. AvailabilityRicky Ponitng would not be available for entire IPL 2009 and David Hussey might just follow suit. Chris Gayle would be available only for 2 weeks, but all others are expected to stay with the team till the end. Cheteshwar Pujara's availability is not yet known as he is recuperating from an injury. Ace(s) of SpadesBrendon McCullum and Chris Gayle are the aces in the pack for Kolkata Knight Riders. A lot will ride on their opening partnership and their ability to hit big sixes and take the opposition apart. In the absence of a solid middle order it will be that much more important for KKR that these two fire, and fire consistently. The Dark HorseResisting the temptation to name either Ajantha Mendis or Cheteshwar Pujara as the secret weapon of Knight Riders, we would choose Sourav Ganguly as their dark horse. Yes, Sourav has lost the audacity of his youth, he has mellowed down both as a batsman and as a leader, has lost the X factor which once made him a regular run scorer for India, but what he has not lost is that phenomenal desire to win. If anything, it has only grown stronger with age. With a familiar situation unfolding before his eyes, it can be the perfect time to let his performances do the talking and for another one of his trademark fairytale comebacks. SquadCoach - John Buchanan (Australia) Aakash Chopra, Ajantha Mendis, Ajit Agarkar, Angelo Mathews, Ashoke Dinda, Brad Hodge, Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle, Cheteshwar Pujara, David Hussey, Debabrata Das, Ishant Sharma, Iqbal Abdulla, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Mark Cameron, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Moises Henriques, Morne Van Wyk, Murali Kartik, Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly, Umar Gul, Wriddhiman Saha, Yashpal Singh. Probable XI
1. Brendon McCullum (wk) (captain),
2. Chris Gayle,
3. Sourav Ganguly,
4. David Hussey/ Moises Henriques/Cheteshwar Pujara,
5. Brad Hodge (captain),
6. Wriddhiman Saha (wk),
7. Laxmi Ratan Shukla/Ajit Agarkar,
8. Murali Kartik/Mashrafe Bin Mortaza,
9. Ishant Sharma,
10. Ashoke Dinda,
11. Ajantha Mendis We Predict Kolkata Knight Riders will be a profitable venture as it was in 2008. As said by Shahrukh, KKR is going to South Africa to share love, happiness and Joy, thus they are sure to win the hearts of the public like they did in Kolkata last year. But like last year they are not poised to win too many matches and would most probably find themselves among the last four again.
Mumbai Indians The Mumbai Indians have one of the most balanced teams of the tournament. They have the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya opening the batting, Bravo and Duminy in the middle order and Harbhajan and Zaheer spearheading the spin and the pace department respectively. The best part of their team is that the core would in all probability remain unchanged through the tournament. The Mumbai Indians were in the thick of the action during the auction period too; they acquired the services of JP Duminy, traded Robin Uthappa for Zaheer Khan, who is amongst the best bowlers in the world on current form, and have released Dwayne Smith, Dominic Thornely and Ashwell Prince from their contracts. They have also brought in Kyle Mills and Mohammad Ashraful at the auction and traded Ashish Nehra for Shikhar Dhiwan of the Delhi Daredevils. Shaun Pollock has donned a coaching role for Mumbai Indians in season 2. This year the "Men in Blue" Mumbai Indians are one of the hot favourites for the top prize and if things go according to their game plan, they can add another glorious chapter to Mumbai's impressive record of domestic championship triumphs. New Mumbai IndiansJP Duminy, Zaheer Khan, Kyle Mills, Mohammad Ashraful, Graham Napier, Ryan McLaren Out of ActionShaun Pollock, as he would be seen in the new role of the coach of Mumbai Indians. Ashish Nehra, traded for Shikhar Dhawan. Robin Uthappa, traded for Zaheer Khan. Dwayne Smith, Dominic Thornely and Ashwell Prince are released from their contracts. AvailabilityAll their players should be available for the entire duration of the IPL. Ace of SpadesIn a team with players like Jayasuriya, Zaheer and Harbhajan, Sachin Tendulkar is still by far the most influential player. His immense experience and true genius at the batting crease would mean that the Mumbai Indians will never be out of the game while Tendulkar is still in the middle. Off the field, he will inspire youngsters in the dressing room to perform as a single well oiled unit. The backbone of the Mumbai Indians, his mere presence is a morale booster for any team he is a part of and a sure shot crowd puller. The Dark HorseDwayne Bravo, might just complete the jigsaw for the Men in Blue. He was a consistent performer last time around, even if not awe inspiring. The Mumbai Indians have a strong batting line up and also have the required firepower in the bowling department; solid performances from Bravo may fill the crucial slot of an all rounder. SquadCoach - Pravin Amre (India), Assistant Coach - Sameer Dighe (India), Bowling Coach - Shaun Pollock (South Africa), Fielding Coach - Jonty Rhodes (South Africa) Abhishek Nayar, Ajinkya Rahane, Chetanya Nanda, Dhawal Kulkarni, Dilhara Fernando, Dwayne Bravo, Graham Napier, Harbhajan Singh, Jaydev Shah, Jean-Paul Duminy, Jude Singh, Kyle Mills, Lasith Malinga, Luke Ronchi, Mohammad Ashraful, Pinal Shah, Rahil Shaikh, Rohan Raje, Ryan McLaren, Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Saurabh Tiwary, Shikar Dhawan, Yoghesh Takawale, Zaheer Khan Probable XI
1. Sachin Tendulkar (captain),
2. Sanath Jayasuriya,
3. Shikhar Dhawan,
4. JP Duminy,
5. Dwayne Bravo/ Graham Napier/Mohammad Ashraful,
6. Yogesh Takawale (wk),
7. Abhishek Nayar,
8. Harbhajan Singh,
9. Zaheer Khan,
10. Dhawal Kulkarni,
11. Dilhara Fernando/Lasith Malinga
We Predict mumbai Indians should definitely be among the top 3 teams at the end of IPL 2009. Rajasthan Royals Shane Warne wove his magic in IPL 2008 and turned a bunch of no hopers into the ultimate champions of the tournament. It was fitting testimony to the genius of Warne. They did not invest in big names, rather conjured solid and dependable players, and knit them together to form a formidable unit. Everyone had their role marked out in the team: if Asnodkar was the little dynamite, Yusuf Pathan was the destroyer. This time around though they will be hit by the absence of some of their key players like Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir - the purple cap winner of IPL 2008 and the best all rounder of IPL 2008 Shane Watson. Rajasthan Royals have roped in Shaun Tait and Tyron Henderson to boost their side. Justin Langer and Morne Morkel unavailable for the 1st season would also be around for this year's edition. Rajasthan Royals still boast of a highly competitive unit especially with Warne at the helm of affairs but even for them it would be an arduous task to repeat the heroics of IPL 2008. New RoyalsShaun Tait, Tyron Henderson, Shane Harwood, Lee Carseldine, Robert Quiney, Justin Langer and Morne Morkel (Unavailable for the 1st season)Out of ActionSohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal, Younus Khan owing to unavailability of players from Pakistan. Shane Watson - national call up AvailabilityGraeme Smith might not be available as he may undergo elbow surgery. The others should stay put with the team through the IPL 2009 Ace of SpadeUndoubtedly Shane Warne, if the magician can wave his wand again, he can do wonders this season as well. Its not his mesmerising bowling or the gritty batting but his unmatched leadership abilities which makes him the most valuable player for the Rajasthan Royals. The Dark HorseHard to pinpoint any one of the youngsters as the talent to look out for. Under the guidance of Shane Warne, anyone from Henderson to Kamran Khan is capable of pulling the rabbit out of the hat. Our money would be on Tyron Henderson. SquadCoach & Captain - Shane Warne (Australia), High Performance Coach - Jeremy Snape (England) Abhishek Raut, Ahad Malik, Amit Singh, Anup Revandkar, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Dinesh Salunkhe, Graeme Smith, Justin Langer, Kamran Akmal, Kamran Khan, Lee Carseldine, Mahesh Rawat, Mohammad Kaif, Morne Morkel, Munaf Patel, Naman Ojha, Neeraj Patel, Paras Dogra, Paul Valthathy, Raiphy Gomez, Ravindra Jadeja, Robert Quinney, Shane Harwood, Shane Warne, Shane Watson, Shaun Tait, Siddharth Trivedi, Siddharth Chitnis, Sohail Tanveer, Srideep Mangla, Sumeet Khatri, Swapnil Asnodkar, Tyron Henderson, Yusuf Pathan(Mohammad Kaif and 6 others have been released from the Rajasthan Royals squad in South Africa, but are still available for call-up should the team suffer any injuries ) Probable XI
1. Graeme Smith/Justin Langer/Robert Quiney,
2. Swapnil Asnodkar,
3. Tyron Henderson,
4. Shane Watson/ Dimitri Mascarenhas,
5. Yousuf Pathan,
6. Ravindra Jadeja,
7. Mahesh Rawat (wk),
8. Shane Warne,
9. Shaun Tait/ Morne Morkel,
10. Siddarth Trivedi,
11. Munaf Patel/Kamran Khan
Eventhough the event has been moved out of the country the cricket fans are there infront of the TV sets to cheer every exciting momment for their supporting teams.
is the most exciting evolution cricket has got in the recent past and the world is loving it.This new form of cricket was introduced the year 2003 to the ECB and many county playing clubs played this form of cricket. It became a popular form of cricket when the ICC organized the first ever T20 world cup in the year 2007 when India lifted the cup by defeating Pakistan in a thrilling game. This form of cricket gained its popularity because of the shorter game span as other sports. People enjoyed the game which completes its cycle in 2.5hours and everybody liked it. ICC aimed the youth to take on the game's spirit & lift it up and to maximum level it has achieved it.
Amid many speculations and many plannings to popularize the game in the Indian subcontinent the Indian Premiere league was introduced wherein the Indian version of the game was unveiled. It was the then spokesperson of BCCI, Mr.Lalit Modi who took all pain to make ICC grant permission for the Indian Premier league. The IPL unlike the English premier league was not planned through Club but instead allowed teams to be formed from the mix of players from the BCCI and the other cricket boards & even Indian state cricket associations. This form of the game allowed people to make teams through auction and quite a lot of people were interested in the business cum cricket. The teams were formed for 8 regional teams and the players signed a contract for a period of 3 years. And to pull crowd the Cheer girls & a classic display of Fireworks were first intrduced during the play. It was the Rajasthan Royals who won the first season's IPL defeating the Chennai Super Kings. It was a huge hit last year and the Indian public witnesses the spectacular form of cricket and enjoyed & accepted the game with open arms. There were many players from the foreign countries who played the game to its true spirit and it was all an entertaining season of cricket for the Millions of fans.
Now the second season of the game is in process but in some way its missing last year's charm as the same has been hifted to South Africa because of the General Election. The game started on 18th of Apr 09 with a spectacular Opening ceremony. The President of South Africa and the people of south Africa welcomed the Indian Premirer legue with a worm welcome and promised the IPL a smooth and happy ride in teh country with all security & logistics support.
Bangalore Royal Challengers For a team associated with the 'King of Good Times', the Bangalore Royal Challengers had a torrid time in the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League. Dubbed as the "Test Team" of the IPL, the Royal Challengers clearly lacked the zing and the flamboyance of a T20 team. The team of the past has now been replaced by a new look T20 team with the addition of the flamboyant Kevin Pietersen, the maverick Jesse Ryder and Robin Uthappa. To complete the overhaul, captaincy has also been handed over to Kevin Pietersen for the initial matches and Jacques Kallis for the latter ones. With Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Mark Boucher and speedster Dale Steyn in the ranks, the Bangalore Royal Challengers would like to reverse their fortunes this time around. The team would also have the services of Nathan Bracken, arguably the best limited over's bowlers in world cricket, who was injured for the 1st season. Also with as many as five South Africans - Kallis, Mark Boucher, Dale Steyn, Dillon du Preez and Roelof van der Merwe and the coach Ray Jennings in their squad, Bangalore just might have an edge over the others. We reckon this side could be the surprise package of IPL 2009 just like Rajasthan Royals were for IPL 2008. New Royal ChallengersKevin Pietersen, Jesse Ryder, Robin Uthappa, Nathan Bracken Out of ActionZaheer Khan, he was traded out to Mumbai AvailabilityKevin Pietersen would be available only for the first 6 matches before returning home. Ace(s) of SpadesContrary to the popular view, more than Kevin Pietersen, Bangalore's fortunes would rest on the performances of Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis. They are the pillars of this team, Dravid with his experience and batting and Kallis with his all round abilities, and if these two play to their potential the Royal Challengers could face up to any team in this tournament. The Dark HorseBangalore Royal Challengers would pray that Jesse Ryder exhibits the same class, maturity and striking ability which he amply demonstrated in India's recently concluded New Zealand tour. He along with Pietersen can provide the big hitting ability, this team so desperately lacked last year. A lot rides on Ryder, if he fires Bangalore could look forward to a place among the top four. SquadCoach - Ray Jennings (South Africa) , Assistant Coach - Vijay Bharadwaj (India) A. Mithun, Anil Kumble, Cameron White, B. Akhil, Bharat Chipli, Bhuvanesh Kumar, C.M. Gautam, Dale Steyn, Devraj Patil, Dillon Du Preez, , Gaurav Dhiman , Ishank Jaggi, Jacques Kallis, J. Arun Kumar, Jesse Ryder, Jitendra Patil, Karan Sharma, Kedar Jadhav, Kevin Pietersen, K.P. Appanna, Manish Pandey, Mark Boucher, Nathan Bracken, Pankaj Singh, Praveen Kumar, Rahul Dravid, Rajesh Bishnoi, Raju Bhatkal, Robin Uthappa, Roelof van der Merwe , Rohit Sabharwal, Ross Taylor, R. Sutheesh, S. Arvind , Saurav Bandekar, Srivats Goswami, Sunil Joshi, Tinu Yohannan, Udit Patel, Vinay Kumar, Virat Kohli, Wasim Jaffer Probable XI1 Robin Uthappa, 2 Jesse Ryder, 3 Kevin Pietersen (captain)/ Ross Taylor/ B Akhil, 4 Rahul Dravid, 5 Virat Kohli, 6 Jacques Kallis(captain), 7 Mark Boucher/ Shreevats Goswami (wk), 8 Anil Kumble/Cameron White, 9 Praveen Kumar 10 Nathan Bracken/Vinay Kumar, 11 Dale Steyn Our Prediction this team can throw a surprise or two while facing much fancied opposition. Can be among the final four teams. The proverbial dark horse of the tournament. Chennai Super Kings Under the magical stewardship of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings reached the finals of the IPL in 2008. For this year's edition, once again under the leadership of the Man with the Midas touch, the only word which can describe their team composition is awesome. With the hard hitting Hayden available for the full season, the headache for the opposition captains will start right at the top. The likes to follow are Suresh Raina, "Mr. Cool" Dhoni, "Mr. Inspirational" Flintoff and "Mr. Smiling Assassin" Muralitharan.Also in the ranks are Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram to bolster the batting and the never tiring Makhaya Ntini to lead the pace attack. Chennai Super Kings have also appointed Stephen Fleming, who played for them last year, as the team coach New Super KingsAndrew Flintoff, Thilan Tushara, George Bailey, Ravi Bopara, Burt Cockley and Jerome Taylor Out of ActionMike Hussey, taking a break from international cricket AvailabilityJacob Oram is a doubtful starter owing to injury. All the other squad members should be available for the entire season Ace of SpadesMahendra Singh Dhoni has added many feathers in his cap in the recent past owing to his brilliance both as a captain and as a batsman. Chennai supporters would love to see more of his hard hitting and plucky skills while batting and shrewdness while leading the team. The IPL trophy in his hands would be a fitting finale for a near perfect season for Dhoni The Dark HorseThough he scored a few runs in IPL 2008, Matthew Hayden could not recreate the same fear among the bowlers as he once did while opening the batting for Australia. But after retiring from international cricket, he might be that much more focussed and hungry for runs in this year's IPL. Being available for the entire tournament, Hayden will be hoping to recreate some magic of old. SquadCoach - Stephen Fleming (New Zealand), Assistant Coach - Venkatesh Prasad (India) Abhinav Mukund, Albie Morkel, Andrew Flintoff, Anirudha Srikkanth, Arun Karthik, George Bailey, Jacob Oram, Joginder Sharma, Lakshmipathi Balaji, MS Dhoni, Makhaya Ntini, Manpreet Singh Gony, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Murali Vijay, Muttiah Muralitharan, Napoleon Einsteen, Palani Amarnath, Parthiv Patel, Ramachandran Ashwin , Shadab Jakati, Subramaniam Badrinath , Sudeep Tyagi, Suresh Kumar, Suresh Raina, Thilan Thushara, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan and Viraj Kadbe Probable XI
1. Matthew Hayden,
2. S Vidyut,
3. MS Dhoni (wk) (captain),
4. Suresh Raina,
5. S Badrinath,
6. Albie Morkel,
7. Andrew Flintoff/ Jacob Oram/ Joginder Sharma,
8. L Balaji,
9. Manpreet Gony,
10. Muttiah Muralitharan,
11. Makhaya Ntini Chennai Super Kings should easily reach the semi finals. They are one of the top contenders to lift the trophy in 2009.
Delhi Daredevils Blow hot, blow cold aptly describes Delhi Daredevil's approach last season. Their win - loss ratio of 7:6, was a fair indication of how they fared last year. They had unmatched ammunition at the top of the order in the form of Sehwag & Gambhir but seemed to run out of firepower towards the end of their batting line up. In this edition though, apart from possessing arguably the best opening combination in world cricket at the moment, they have the reliable Collingwood and Dilshan and also the mercurial AB De Villiers and David Warner . With the likes of Owais Shah, Manoj Tiwary and Dinesh Karthik coming down the batting line up, Delhi Daredevils boast of probably the most fabulous batting line up of the tournament. Combine that with the near inch accuracy of Glenn McGrath and the canniness of Vettori, and we have a well balanced team capable of going all the way in the tournament. In a bid to bolster their bowling attack they have also traded in Ashish Nehra in place of Shikhar Dhawan. New DaredevilsPaul Collingwood, Owais Shah, Ashish Nehra, David Warner, Umesh Yadav and Dirk Nannes. Out of ActionShoaib Malik and Mohammad Asif due to unavailability of players from Pakistan. Shikhar Dhawan, as he was traded out to the Mumbai Indians. AvailabilityEnglishmen Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah will return home for national duty after two weeks of IPL. All other players for Daredevils are available through the season. Ace of SpadesThe most natural and devastating striker of the cricket ball in contemporary cricket, Virender Sehwag is undoubtedly the ace of spades in the Daredevils' ranks. He scored above 400 runs in the last edition of the IPL with his characteristic blistering strike rate and we can expect more from him this time around. Apart from his clever bowling and street smart captaincy, his mere presence at the crease is reason enough for the opposition bowlers to have nightmares. The Dark HorseYoung David Warner of Australia, who has already exhibited his talent by hitting a 43 ball 83 against South Africa on his T20 debut. SquadCoach - Greg Shipperd (Australia), Bowling Consultant - Dennis Lillee (Australia) AB de Villiers, Amit Mishra, Andrew McDonald, Ashish Nehra, Avishkar Salvi, Daniel Vettori, David Warner, Dinesh Karthik, Dirk Nannes, Farveez Maharoof, Gautam Gambhir, Glenn McGrath, Manoj Tiwary, Mithun Manhas, Owais Shah, Paul Collingwood, Pradeep Sangwan, Rajat Bhatia, T. Dilshan, Tejashwi Yadav , Umesh Yadav, Virender Sehwag, Yogesh Nagar, Yo Mahesh
Probable XI
1. Virender Sehwag (captain),
2. Gautam Gambhir,
3. David Warner/ Tilakaratne Dilshan,
4. AB De Viiliers,
5. Paul Collingwood/ Owais Shah/ Manoj Tiwary,
6. Dinesh Karthik (wk),
7. Daniel Vettori, 8 Farveez Maharoof/ Yo Mahesh,
8. Amit Mishra/ Ashish Nehra,
9. Dirk Nannes/ Pradeep Sangwan/Rajat Bhatia,
10. Glenn McGrath
We Predict Delhi Daredevils would definitely find themselves among the top three teams. They are strong contenders for the ultimate prize of IPL 2009.
Hyderabad Deccan Chargers The Deccan Chargers flattered to deceive last time around. They had a team which was everyone's envy, from the silken class of VVS Laxman to the raw power of Shahid Afridi and Adam Gilchrist. Then there were Andrew Symonds, Herschelle Gibbs and Rohit Sharma, and everyone ranked them as top contenders for the crown. It all went horribly wrong from there on, the Chargers' house collapsed like a pack of cards and they finished at the bottom of the pile. This time around things don't look too different either, and the team from Hyderabad will have to manage without the presence of hard-hitting allrounders Afridi and Symonds (back again in the Australian squad) . At the helm of affairs now are Gilchrist and Darren Lehmann as the captain and the coach pairing respectively, it will be quite surprising if they finish in the top 4 this season. The Deccan Chargers were also quite laid back at the time of the auction and hence there hasn't been any significant infusion of new energy in the team, except the signing up of West Indians Fidel Edwards and Dwayne Smith. But given their limited availability, it will be a surprise if they can make a significant difference. Their bowling thus remains largely unchanged and lacks penetration. New ChargersDwayne Smith, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Harris Out of ActionShahid Afridi, due to unavailability of players from Pakistan. AvailabilityDwayne Smith, Fidel Edwards, Andrew Symonds would participate in only few matches. Ace of SpadesA lot will rest on Adam Gilchrist's shoulders when he leads Deccan chargers on to the field. They will not only need his explosive batting talent, but also his captaincy and inspirational skills to turn the tide around in the latest edition of IPL. If Gilly gets in his groove he can still win matches single handedly for Deccan Chargers. The Dark HorseHerschelle Gibbs returned to form with a scintillating century against Australia recently and if the signs are to be believed, he could well prove to be the man for the Deccan Chargers. Gibbs would know South African conditions better than most of the other players and can form a deadly partnership with Gilchrist at the top of the order. SquadCoach - Darren Lehmann (Australia) Abhinav Kumar, Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Arjun Yadav, Azhar Anjum Bilakhia, Chamara Silva, Chaminda Vaas, D. Kalyankrishna, D. Ravi Teja, Dwayne Smith, Fidel Edwards, Halhadar Das, Harmeet Singh, Herschelle Gibbs, Jaskaran Deep Singh, Manvinder Bisla, Nuwan Zoysa, PM Sarvesh Kumar, Pragyan Ojha, P. Vijay Kumar, Rohit Sharma, R.P. Singh, Ryan Harris, Scott Styris, Shoaib Ahmed, Syed Mohammad, T. Suman, Venugopala Rao, V.V.S. Laxman Probable XI
1. Herschelle Gibbs,
2. Adam Gilchrist (wk) (captain),
3. Rohit Sharma,
4. Andrew Symonds/ VVS Laxman,
5. Venugopal Rao,
6. Scott Styris,
7. Dwayne Smith,
8. Sanjay Bangar,
9. Pragyan Ojha,
10. Chaminda Vaas/Nuwan Zoysa/Fidel Edwards,
11. RP Singh
We Predict the Deccan Chargers needs to perform extremely well in the batting department to give themselves any chance of reaching the semi-finals. Looks like they would remain in the last four this year as well. Kings XI Punjab True to their name, Kings XI Punjab, provided us with king size entertainment last year both on and off the field, The batting of Shaun Marsh, Jayawardene, Sangakkara and Yuvraj gave their supporters plenty to cheer about. On the other hand, Sreesanth, Brett Lee and Irfan Pathan were outstanding in the bowling department. But as if on field entertainment wasn't enough, there always was a Harbhajan - Sreesanth or Preity - Yuvraj controversy to keep the spectators interested. The team though semi finalists in the previous edition looks a bit out of sorts this time around. The Australians - Shaun Marsh, James Hopes and Brett Lee will be away on national duty for most of the tournament. Sreesanth, their highest wicket taker is injured and Jerome Taylor, the new bowling recruit has met with a motor accident. Thus definitely short of bowling fire power, they will rely heavily on the ever reliable duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene to provide support in the middle order and on Yuvraj to provide the fireworks while they are batting. New KingsRavi Bopara, Burt Cockley and Jerome Taylor Out of ActionShaun Marsh, Brett Lee and James Hopes are out due to national commitments. Sreesanth is injured. AvailabilityAll others will be available for the entire duration. Ace of SpadesYuvraj Singh would need to consistently come up with stellar performances if Kings XI Punjab has to go the distance. We all remember the 6 sixes hit by Yuvraj in the T20 world cup and are well aware of his destructive abilities. Yuvraj has to provide a similar impetus to Kings XI batting this time around, and he has to do it fixture after fixture, for them to be as competitive as they were last time around. The Dark HorseIrfan Pathan, although not the blue eyed boy of Indian Cricket as he once was, still possesses the ability and the talent to take wickets and score quick runs. He could be their trump card for IPL 2009. SquadCoach - Tom Moody (Australia) Ajitesh Argal, Amanpreet Sing, Brett Lee, Burt Cockley, Irfan Pathan, James Hopes, Jerome Taylor, Karan Goel, K. Sangakkara, Luke Pomersbach, M. Jayawardene, Piyush Chawla, R. Powar, Ravi Bopara, Ravi Kant Shukla, Ryan Ninan, Shaun Marsh, Simon Katich, Sonny Sohal, S. Sreesanth, T. Srivastava, Taruwar Kohli, Uday Kaul, V.R.V. Singh, VikramJeet Malik, Wilkin Mota, Yash Gandhi, Yuvraj Singh Probable XI
1. Shaun Marsh/ Luke Pomersbach,
2. James Hopes / Simon Katich,
3. Kumar Sangakkara (wk),
4. Mahela Jayawardene,
5. Yuvraj Singh (captain),
6. Ravi Bopara,
7. Tanmay Srivastava,
8. Irfan Pathan
9. Karan Goel/lBurt Cockley
10. Piyush Chawla/Ramesh Powar,
11. VRV Singh/ Brett Lee
We Predict Kings XI would do extremely well to reach the semfinals. They might find themselves among the lower ranked teams at the end of the second season. Kolkata Knight Riders The Kolkata Knight Riders, a team high on media dopamine, with two of the most charismatic personalities, Shahrukh Khan (the unofficial 12th man for KKR) and Sourav Ganguly, is unsurprisingly never out of the news. In the first edition, starting from Brendon McCullum's breathtaking century to Shahrukh's pyrotechnics everything about KKR was news worthy. In 2009, they are already in the news due to the controversial multiple captaincy theory of their coach John Buchanan and thus another potential Sourav - Aussie love affair is in the making. If we leave aside the captaincy row, KKR looks solid though not spectacular on paper. There are Chris Gayle and McCullum to provide the big hits but there is no Ricky Ponting or David Hussey to hold the middle order together. KKR is also one of the worst hit teams with the exodus of Pakistani players and have lost Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar and Salman Butt for this season. The bowling still looks penetrative with Ishant Sharma, Ashoke Dinda, Ajit Agarkar, Mortaza and mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis in the mix. Kolkata Knight Riders will be hoping that Mendis can weave his magic in the IPL. New Knight RidersMashrafe Mortaza, Ajantha Mendis, Moises Henriques Out of ActionUmar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Salman Butt due to unavailability of players from Pakistan. Ricky Ponting resting, and David Hussey out on national duty. AvailabilityRicky Ponitng would not be available for entire IPL 2009 and David Hussey might just follow suit. Chris Gayle would be available only for 2 weeks, but all others are expected to stay with the team till the end. Cheteshwar Pujara's availability is not yet known as he is recuperating from an injury. Ace(s) of SpadesBrendon McCullum and Chris Gayle are the aces in the pack for Kolkata Knight Riders. A lot will ride on their opening partnership and their ability to hit big sixes and take the opposition apart. In the absence of a solid middle order it will be that much more important for KKR that these two fire, and fire consistently. The Dark HorseResisting the temptation to name either Ajantha Mendis or Cheteshwar Pujara as the secret weapon of Knight Riders, we would choose Sourav Ganguly as their dark horse. Yes, Sourav has lost the audacity of his youth, he has mellowed down both as a batsman and as a leader, has lost the X factor which once made him a regular run scorer for India, but what he has not lost is that phenomenal desire to win. If anything, it has only grown stronger with age. With a familiar situation unfolding before his eyes, it can be the perfect time to let his performances do the talking and for another one of his trademark fairytale comebacks. SquadCoach - John Buchanan (Australia) Aakash Chopra, Ajantha Mendis, Ajit Agarkar, Angelo Mathews, Ashoke Dinda, Brad Hodge, Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle, Cheteshwar Pujara, David Hussey, Debabrata Das, Ishant Sharma, Iqbal Abdulla, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Mark Cameron, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Moises Henriques, Morne Van Wyk, Murali Kartik, Ricky Ponting, Sourav Ganguly, Umar Gul, Wriddhiman Saha, Yashpal Singh. Probable XI
1. Brendon McCullum (wk) (captain),
2. Chris Gayle,
3. Sourav Ganguly,
4. David Hussey/ Moises Henriques/Cheteshwar Pujara,
5. Brad Hodge (captain),
6. Wriddhiman Saha (wk),
7. Laxmi Ratan Shukla/Ajit Agarkar,
8. Murali Kartik/Mashrafe Bin Mortaza,
9. Ishant Sharma,
10. Ashoke Dinda,
11. Ajantha Mendis We Predict Kolkata Knight Riders will be a profitable venture as it was in 2008. As said by Shahrukh, KKR is going to South Africa to share love, happiness and Joy, thus they are sure to win the hearts of the public like they did in Kolkata last year. But like last year they are not poised to win too many matches and would most probably find themselves among the last four again.
Mumbai Indians The Mumbai Indians have one of the most balanced teams of the tournament. They have the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lankan legend Sanath Jayasuriya opening the batting, Bravo and Duminy in the middle order and Harbhajan and Zaheer spearheading the spin and the pace department respectively. The best part of their team is that the core would in all probability remain unchanged through the tournament. The Mumbai Indians were in the thick of the action during the auction period too; they acquired the services of JP Duminy, traded Robin Uthappa for Zaheer Khan, who is amongst the best bowlers in the world on current form, and have released Dwayne Smith, Dominic Thornely and Ashwell Prince from their contracts. They have also brought in Kyle Mills and Mohammad Ashraful at the auction and traded Ashish Nehra for Shikhar Dhiwan of the Delhi Daredevils. Shaun Pollock has donned a coaching role for Mumbai Indians in season 2. This year the "Men in Blue" Mumbai Indians are one of the hot favourites for the top prize and if things go according to their game plan, they can add another glorious chapter to Mumbai's impressive record of domestic championship triumphs. New Mumbai IndiansJP Duminy, Zaheer Khan, Kyle Mills, Mohammad Ashraful, Graham Napier, Ryan McLaren Out of ActionShaun Pollock, as he would be seen in the new role of the coach of Mumbai Indians. Ashish Nehra, traded for Shikhar Dhawan. Robin Uthappa, traded for Zaheer Khan. Dwayne Smith, Dominic Thornely and Ashwell Prince are released from their contracts. AvailabilityAll their players should be available for the entire duration of the IPL. Ace of SpadesIn a team with players like Jayasuriya, Zaheer and Harbhajan, Sachin Tendulkar is still by far the most influential player. His immense experience and true genius at the batting crease would mean that the Mumbai Indians will never be out of the game while Tendulkar is still in the middle. Off the field, he will inspire youngsters in the dressing room to perform as a single well oiled unit. The backbone of the Mumbai Indians, his mere presence is a morale booster for any team he is a part of and a sure shot crowd puller. The Dark HorseDwayne Bravo, might just complete the jigsaw for the Men in Blue. He was a consistent performer last time around, even if not awe inspiring. The Mumbai Indians have a strong batting line up and also have the required firepower in the bowling department; solid performances from Bravo may fill the crucial slot of an all rounder. SquadCoach - Pravin Amre (India), Assistant Coach - Sameer Dighe (India), Bowling Coach - Shaun Pollock (South Africa), Fielding Coach - Jonty Rhodes (South Africa) Abhishek Nayar, Ajinkya Rahane, Chetanya Nanda, Dhawal Kulkarni, Dilhara Fernando, Dwayne Bravo, Graham Napier, Harbhajan Singh, Jaydev Shah, Jean-Paul Duminy, Jude Singh, Kyle Mills, Lasith Malinga, Luke Ronchi, Mohammad Ashraful, Pinal Shah, Rahil Shaikh, Rohan Raje, Ryan McLaren, Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Saurabh Tiwary, Shikar Dhawan, Yoghesh Takawale, Zaheer Khan Probable XI
1. Sachin Tendulkar (captain),
2. Sanath Jayasuriya,
3. Shikhar Dhawan,
4. JP Duminy,
5. Dwayne Bravo/ Graham Napier/Mohammad Ashraful,
6. Yogesh Takawale (wk),
7. Abhishek Nayar,
8. Harbhajan Singh,
9. Zaheer Khan,
10. Dhawal Kulkarni,
11. Dilhara Fernando/Lasith Malinga
We Predict mumbai Indians should definitely be among the top 3 teams at the end of IPL 2009. Rajasthan Royals Shane Warne wove his magic in IPL 2008 and turned a bunch of no hopers into the ultimate champions of the tournament. It was fitting testimony to the genius of Warne. They did not invest in big names, rather conjured solid and dependable players, and knit them together to form a formidable unit. Everyone had their role marked out in the team: if Asnodkar was the little dynamite, Yusuf Pathan was the destroyer. This time around though they will be hit by the absence of some of their key players like Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir - the purple cap winner of IPL 2008 and the best all rounder of IPL 2008 Shane Watson. Rajasthan Royals have roped in Shaun Tait and Tyron Henderson to boost their side. Justin Langer and Morne Morkel unavailable for the 1st season would also be around for this year's edition. Rajasthan Royals still boast of a highly competitive unit especially with Warne at the helm of affairs but even for them it would be an arduous task to repeat the heroics of IPL 2008. New RoyalsShaun Tait, Tyron Henderson, Shane Harwood, Lee Carseldine, Robert Quiney, Justin Langer and Morne Morkel (Unavailable for the 1st season)Out of ActionSohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal, Younus Khan owing to unavailability of players from Pakistan. Shane Watson - national call up AvailabilityGraeme Smith might not be available as he may undergo elbow surgery. The others should stay put with the team through the IPL 2009 Ace of SpadeUndoubtedly Shane Warne, if the magician can wave his wand again, he can do wonders this season as well. Its not his mesmerising bowling or the gritty batting but his unmatched leadership abilities which makes him the most valuable player for the Rajasthan Royals. The Dark HorseHard to pinpoint any one of the youngsters as the talent to look out for. Under the guidance of Shane Warne, anyone from Henderson to Kamran Khan is capable of pulling the rabbit out of the hat. Our money would be on Tyron Henderson. SquadCoach & Captain - Shane Warne (Australia), High Performance Coach - Jeremy Snape (England) Abhishek Raut, Ahad Malik, Amit Singh, Anup Revandkar, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Dinesh Salunkhe, Graeme Smith, Justin Langer, Kamran Akmal, Kamran Khan, Lee Carseldine, Mahesh Rawat, Mohammad Kaif, Morne Morkel, Munaf Patel, Naman Ojha, Neeraj Patel, Paras Dogra, Paul Valthathy, Raiphy Gomez, Ravindra Jadeja, Robert Quinney, Shane Harwood, Shane Warne, Shane Watson, Shaun Tait, Siddharth Trivedi, Siddharth Chitnis, Sohail Tanveer, Srideep Mangla, Sumeet Khatri, Swapnil Asnodkar, Tyron Henderson, Yusuf Pathan(Mohammad Kaif and 6 others have been released from the Rajasthan Royals squad in South Africa, but are still available for call-up should the team suffer any injuries ) Probable XI
1. Graeme Smith/Justin Langer/Robert Quiney,
2. Swapnil Asnodkar,
3. Tyron Henderson,
4. Shane Watson/ Dimitri Mascarenhas,
5. Yousuf Pathan,
6. Ravindra Jadeja,
7. Mahesh Rawat (wk),
8. Shane Warne,
9. Shaun Tait/ Morne Morkel,
10. Siddarth Trivedi,
11. Munaf Patel/Kamran Khan
Eventhough the event has been moved out of the country the cricket fans are there infront of the TV sets to cheer every exciting momment for their supporting teams.
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