Indian Premier League and Cricket News by IPL Cricket Forum

Delhi Daredevils got support from Religare, who will support it as the associate partner.
Shachindra Nath, Group COO, delighted to be associated with the Delhi Daredevils said, “From a strategic perspective, as an organization, we are always open to such associations and we look forward with great zeal to this new relationship.”

Subhrangshu Neogi, VP – Brand and Corporate Communications said, “Religare as a brand would always want to be seen as an innovator and a paradigm buster in all its ventures. An association with something as big and much anticipated as the IPL we believe that it is a good exposure for the brand. There is a huge cultural fit and synergy that we see between GMR, Religare and Delhi Daredevil team - they are all young, vibrant and the team’s positive aggression instantly connects with the Religare brand’s virtues and attributes.”

Religare has always believed in nurturing and encouraging young, energetic and vibrant talent. Sports are all about diligence and discipline and the Religare brand is driven by the core value of diligence. Religare would like to be associated with different sporting events with a view to connect effectively with its target groups, like the partnership with Golf, through the Indian Open in the recent past.

Roshan N Chowdhry, MD NAC Advertising, the agency on record for Religare Enterprises, and also in his personal capacity as strategic media advisor was closely involved in the closure of the final deal. As per him this association will give Religare tremendous brand exposure. “This association with IPL will give high quality exposure to the Religare brand. And we believe it is a good property to be associated with from a media standpoint. Going forward we shall continue to look for more such innovations as we have consistently been doing in the past.”

GMR Sports are the owners of ‘Delhi Daredevils’, Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team of the National Capital for the 20:20 cricket tournament.

Riding high on the celebrity appeal, The ‘Delhi Daredevils’ have roped in Bollywood’s own daredevil, Akshay Kumar, as brand partner. The team is captained by Virendra Sehwag and includes Gautam Gambir, Dinesh Karthik and, has eight international stars - Glenn McGrath, Daniel Vettori, Shoaib Malik, Abraham de Villiers, Mohammad Asif, Farveez Maharoof, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Brett Geeves.

India has no option but to defer Zimbabwe Tour due to the already crammed cricket schedule.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has deferred proposed one-day series in Zimbabwe scheduled in June because of crammed international itinerary, including the much-famed Indian premier League (IPL), which begins on April 18 and will run for the next 44 days.

“We have decided to put off Zimbabwe tour. The hectic calendar makes it quite impossible and we have conveyed the decision to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union,” BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah added.

The series that includes three ODI’s is part of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Future Tours programme. India currently playing a three-match Test series against South Africa at home and has a further packed itinerary until next year.

The Indian team tour after the IPL will hardly get a week off before thier Bangladesh tour for a one-day tri-series also involving Pakistan from June 8-14. After which, India will play in the Asia Cup in Pakistan from June 24-July 6 and then tour Sri Lanka.

As such the BCCI decided to defer the Zimbabwe tour which will now happen sometime later after IPL

In a press release issued on Wednesday, K.S. Sachidananda Murthy, Secretary General of the Guild, said: “The revised terms and conditions which have been put up on the IPL website still contain clauses which are unacceptable to the media and would seriously affect the independence of the editors, especially when it comes to selection and use of photographs.

The IPL’s demand that the newspapers and news agencies must submit pictures requested by the IPL for free and global use by the IPL is also unacceptable.”

The Guild has written to IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi urging him to take appropriate action.

It has objected to the “blanket prohibition on use of the photographs taken by a newspaper or news agency which are the exclusive property of the newspaper or news agency, for online use or syndication.”

The Guild has also said that the IPL cannot put a “quantitative limit” on the number of photographs that may be uploaded by a newspaper or news agency on its website.

A copy of the Guild’s letter to Mr. Modi has been sent to Mr. Sharad Pawar, President, Board of Control for Cricket in India.

It is really difficult to justify IPL’s arrogant approach mixed with greed towards the media franchising.

Only Eight Team captains will attend the IPL opening ceremony as matches are scheduled one after the other. It will be difficult for the players to fly in and out given the schedule of the IPl League.

TOI further reports that a big stage is getting ready below the
unusable electronic scoreboard at the stadium and massive lights are being
raised on pulleys and hung on the entire roof of the stadium. At the ‘B’ ground,
which in normal times is used by the National Cricket Academy, a bunch of local
cricketers got down to the serious business of practice.

It’s this
very ground that the host team, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, are using for
their practice sessions. The Indian and international stars, who are not on
national duty, are expected to start joining the team as of April 13.

Lets all hope for a grand opening with Cricket Stars, Bollywood and the Glamorous Franchisees

The former England batsman Graham Gooch, currently coaching Essex has raised concerns over recent media reports on England players planning to or wanting to play in the Indian Premier league.
LEGENDARY batsman Graham Gooch believes it is only a matter of time before England’s top cricketers appear in the Indian Premier League.

With the IPL offering vast riches for just six weeks of cricket, heads in the England dressing room are understandably turning.

Kevin Pietersen has already expressed an interest in the tournament, despite ECB chief Giles Clarke’s claim that next year’s Ashes series will see no centrally contracted players involved.

And now Gooch, who coaches England batsmen Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara at Essex, believes the current situation will prove unworkable.

He said: “Accommodation will be made between our board and the players.

“There’s a lot of sabre rattling but it will all be sorted out in the end.”

“I don’t think people will want to be at loggerheads with each other.

“Either players on central contracts will have to have their remuneration greatly enhanced or they will have to be accommodated within the contract.

“I am sure they’ll all want to get involved to maximise their earning capacity.

“The worst-case scenario is that players choose between signing a contract for the IPL or signing a contract with England.”

Only time will tell where this all goes…