Chennai Super Kings Arriving for Season 6

Chennai Super Kings have slowly started assembling in Chennai. Details below.

• Fast bowler and new signee to the Super Kings family, Dirk Nannes is already in Chennai and has begun his training.
• Coaching and support staff will arrive in Chennai on March 27th, 2013
• Fielding Coach, Stumpa Rixon will join the team on March 30th,
• International players arrive in batches. Mike Hussey reaches Chennai on the 28th of March, followed by Ben Laughlin, Bravo, Holder and Hillfanhaus arriving on the 30th of March 2013.
• Others expected by the 4th of April
• Indian players will arrive on the 28th of March 2013.
• Players playing for the state team qualifies for the Syed Musthaq Ali tournament join the camp on the 2nd of April, 2013
• R Jadeja and Suresh Raina join the camp from the 31st of March. M Vijay and R Ashwin will be available from the 2nd, and Dhoni will reach on the 3rd of April after attending the opening ceremony in Kolkatta
• The team will begin training from the 29th of March 2013 evening at the MAC stadium

Source: www.chennaisuperkings.com 

Nuwan Kulasekara & Akila Dananjaya Not Joining Season 6 Team

Because of IPL Ruling barring Srilankan players from Chennai matches, Chennai Super Kings has advised the Srilankan players on its team - Kulasekara and Akila Dananjaya, not to join the team until further notice. 

Murali Disappointed with IPL barring SL players playing in Chennai

Beloved former CSK Player Murali expressed his disappointment today with IPL ruling baring Srilankan players from Chennai IPL Matches. In a recent interview, he mentioned 

•  It's a sad [day] for cricket as we are not allowed to play in a certain part of India.
• I played for 20 years in the Lankan team, I did not have any problems as a Tamil. The government and the cricket board always supported me throughout my career even when I went through a lot of problems. Earlier there was a time of war between the Tamils and Lankans but now people are living in peace in my country
• Chennai is like a second home for me as my wife Madhimalar is from there. It is a sentimental situation for me. We do not want to get into politics and we just want to play our cricket and entertain our fans.

For more details, read cricinfo story. 

Banning Srilankan Players from Chennai - Loss or Right Decision?

Based on the letter from Tamilnadu Chief Minister to Indian Prime Minsiter asking for a ban on Srilankan players that

"participation of Sri Lankan players in the IPL tournament, with many games to be played in Chennai, will aggravate an already surcharged atmosphere and further offend the sentiments of the people."

IPL has decided to pull out Srilankan players from Chennai Matches. You can read more at http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2013/content/current/story/626858.html

Initial Happiness
My first reaction was one of happiness - since other than Kolkata & Rajasthan, everybody else has atleast 1 confirmed Srilankan player in their playing eleven. And Teams like Hyderabad might even lose their captain.

Better Solution Possible?
But later thinking about, I was not too convinced about the rationale. Protesting against Srilankan players for the crimes committed by their army seemed an extremist reaction.

1. Will the Indians be ok if Sachin was banned from Italy - since 2 Italians are in prison in India?
2. Or will the Australian players be ok if they were banned from entering India because of attacks against Indians in Australia?

Do believe that TN Government & IPL could have handled this better. By banning sports players of a particular country from entering certain parts of the country, India & IPL is setting up a bad precedent. Hope this does not get repeated. 

P.S: I am a Tamizhan. And do sympathize with Srilankan Tamils & want justice for crimes committed against Srilankan Tamils. 

P.P.S: Don't follow-up with this decision to another foolish decision to shift IPL matches from Chennai. We, the chennaities, are really looking forward to sixth season of IPL@ Chennai.