Freddie Confident of IPL Participation

With the recent injuries to Flintoff in the West Indies Series, People started questioning the availability of Freddie for this IPL Season. Even the so-called cricket experts advised Flintoff to stay away from Indian Premier League and keep himself fresh for Ashes Series.

Thankfully, Flintoff scotched those rumors today by coming out in the public and confirmed his IPL Participation. "I don't think it will be touch and go," he said. "The IPL's still a while away so for all intents and purposes I'll be fit for that. I'm intending to go but it's not really at the forefront of my thinking.”

Flintoff! Just don’t forget that you owe your IPL Participation to Chennai SuperKings Fans. We all are awaiting your arrival and keeping our fingers crossed regarding your injury. Our Well Wishes to become Fit Soon!

In another News, India Cements has been sewing more sponsorship and merchandise deals (J&J has joined the sponsorship list) and has stated its intent that this time around all its branding and promotion exercise will involve the fans. Way to Go! India Cements Marketing Team! We all love you!

Related News

• Flintoff Injury and Pepsi & Wrigley Sponsorship Deal

News Snippets

1. Pepsi & Wrigley: Pepsi & Wrigley recently joined the Sponsors' list of Chennai Super Kings. Wrigley is expected to release a co-branded chewing gum with Chennai Super Kings. Good to see new sponsors joining Chennai Super Kings because in a few years, the revenues would be the key-differentiatior between a super-star teams and the others. [News Source: afaqs]
2. Freddie in another Crisis: Injured Flintoff is feeling heat to skip the Indian Premier League after Australia skipper Ricky Ponting opted out of the event to keep himself fresh for Ashes series and the Twenty20 World Cup. Hope Flintoff replies back in the same way that one of his teammates did, "I’m playing in IPL, end of story" [News Source: Hindustan Times]

Welcome Freddie!!!

In Indian Express, Richard Greene, a Briton welcomes Freddie to Chennai with his list of advices:

• Feel at home at any of the pubs in Chennai
• Unwind by having Ayurvedic Treatments from local specialists
• Relax with family @ RamKrishna Math Temple in Mylapore

So Just thought that let me open this forum for Chennai Super Kings Fans to list down their own list of advices for Freddie. Chennaites & CSK Fans, What are your tips for Freddie @ Chennai & the team?

My Only Advice to Freddie:

• You are worth every penny we paid you.. So don’t even spare a thought about the money. Just think about the ways in which you can help the team and the teammates - in & out of the field.

News Snippets

1. Strategy @ Auction: VB Chandrasekar shares the strategy used by Chennai Super Kings in his blog in the official website.
2. Mental Turmoil: With the persistent injuries, Jacob Oram is going through a mental turmoil about his future. He is at loggerheads on whether to give up bowling or to give up Test Cricket. A Tough Choice for anyone, I hope he makes the right decision [Source: Cricinfo]

Probable XI For IPL Season 2

With the end of the auction for IPL Season 2, it is time to pick the most probable eleven

1. Hayden/ M Hussey – Hayden surely picks himself in any team. But the fact that M Hussey would not be for the entire season may lead Hayden to miss a few matches
2. M Vijay/ Abhinav Mukund – Vijay surely lends the much needed stability to the team. And there is Abhinav Mukund to step in as a replacement for Vijay or Parthiv Patel
3. Raina – Hope Raina changes himself to a complete match winner this season
4. Dhoni
5. Albie Morkel
6. Badrinath
7. Flintoff/Oram – With the recent injuries to Oram, I believe Flintoff would be playing ahead of Oram.
8. P Patel – This is a free slot which could be filled by anybody.
9. Tyagi/Gony – Though Gony  played amazingly last year, I believe Sudeep Tyagi pick himself ahead of Gony
10. Balaji
11. Murali/Ntini – With no other top notch spinner in the team, Murali may be playing all the matches

IPL Season 2 – Auction – Review

Chennai Super Kings & Dhoni got what they wanted – Flintoff. Is he worth 1.55 Million Dollars that Chennai Super Kings paid him??? I highly doubt it. But a team player, he will be a great asset to the team.

Good News: If Flintoff, Oram and Albie are in their prime fitness and form, I am sure no team can defeat us.

Bad News: All the three all-rounders are prone to frequent injuries.

Other Picks – Thilan Thushara

A handy bowling all-rounder, Chennai Super Kings picked him to extend its base in international catchment. But still he would be a good back-up to cover contingencies.

Other Picks – George Bailey

A surprising pick considering the local batting talent available to Chennai Super Kings. May be somebody in Chennai Super Kings Management Team is extremely pleased with with his batting prowess. An aggressive T-20 batsman, I don’t see him playing many games.

Surprises

For me,  the greatest surprise from Chennai Super Kings auction was the fact that they did not bid for Bangladesh All rounder Shakib Al Hasan. More so, because V B had publicly commented that Chennai Super Kings needs a spinner who can bat. So I created a mental picture in my mind that Chennai will bid aggressively for Shakib. Sadly that was not the case. Hope Chennai Super Kings bring Shakib to the team as an replacement player for Flintoff as the season progresses.

Keeping my Fingers Crossed!!!

We are just a day away from the auction for the second season for IPL. Chennai Super Kings has the biggest purse (Complete 2 Million USD) and the most slots to fill in the team (4 Slots) which makes it difficult for anyone to predict the strategy that will be followed by Chennai Super Kings.

As Cricinfo rightly points out, Chennai Super Kings desperately needs to add 1 or 2 good bowlers into its team. But I don’t believe that will prevent Chennai Super Kings from going for Flintoff or Duminy. Hope they are able to lay their hands on at least one of them. [I am sure Chennai Super Kings would not surely bid for KP]

With the experience of VB and Fleming, I am sure Chennai Super Kings management would bid wisely. But still I am keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow.