Player Transfer Window Heating Up

With the player transfer window for IPL Season 2 beginning this week, rumours and press releases from different teams have started hitting newspapers and news channels. It is no surprise that most of the teams are looking to offload the high-paid players who did not deliver the goods last year (Gibbs, Afridi, Akhtar). Of the players who performed last year, we may see Rohit Sharma (Deccan Chargers) being sold to Mumbai Indians for a hefty amount. While Bangalore Royal Challengers and Mumbai Indians may exchange the services of Robin Uthappa and Zaheer Khan.

 

Chennai Super Kings

While the initial reports from Chennai Super Kings seemed to suggest that CSK may not trade any players. The Current sources suggest that Makhaya Ntini may be used as an sweetener/bargaining chip if the team is focusing to buy any player on the transfer list. [Source: CricketNext] But this is unlikely considering the recent performance of Ntini and CSK's lack of quality international fast bowlers in the team... Until if there is any extraordinary player on the transfer list.

Wait until December 29 to know the first list of players on transfer window.(The franchises have two more opportunities to submit lists of players they wish to put up for trading - on January 5 and 12). And Don't expect to see any CSK players on the first list of players put up for trading.

News This Week

1. CL T20 Cancelled: Surely a sad news for all CSK Fans. Champions League T20 has been cancelled for this year and so the first edition of Champions League would take place in October, 2009

Players During Transfer Window

The transfer window for Second Season of IPL is all set to open in another week... So who are the players you want to buy and players you want to sell?

My Choices:

Buying

1. Buy Flintoff at all Costs..  If he is not available, buy Sidebottom..

Selling:

1. If possible, use Parthiv Patel as a sweetner to buy any coveted player... 

What are your choices?

Calling on Chennai

Firstly hello to all of you ! I have been away and busy and haven't found time to write since the IPL.

I am writing this post to particularly call upon all Chennai cricket fans to answer to a very important call - a call by the nation and the game of cricket itself. Due to the tragic events of 26/11 the first test against England has been moved to Chennai.

I think it is a great gesture by England to make every effort to make sure this tour happens and a clear message is sent out to those dastardly terrorists. Now we the people and cricket fans of India and Chennai in particular need to respond to this gesture - and the only way to do this is to give both teams a grand reception and support the game with full gusto.

Undoubtedly Chennai has the country's best and most knowledgeable cricket fans and I would merely urge you to pack the stadium to the rafters and make this an event to remember - make sure you are part of it - part of history - not just in the game of cricket - but in the context of our times - in the history of the nation.

Go Chennai !

Expect CLT20 in January

Due to the tragic events @ Mumbai, inauguration of Champions T20 League was postponed from December 3, 2008. Though not seeing CL T20 inauguration tomorrow would be painfull, i honestly believe that the decision is in the best interests of the game. 

But all the parties involved in the game - BCCI, Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa, Sponsors stand to lose a great amount of money if CL T20 Season 1  was cancelled. Add to that, huge interest from all the participating teams. [Western Australia wanted to come to India even after the bomb blasts]. So we can expect a lot of give and takes from different cricket boards when they meet this week to decide the fate of Champions League T20 Season 1.

So CSK Fans, are you ready for CL T20 in Jan '09?