IPL 2017: Kerala Speedster Basil Thampi Makes Debut For Gujarat Lions

#IPL #IPL10

#IndianPremierLeague

#Kerala pacer #BasilThampi, picked up by #GujaratLions for #IPL10, feels that being a part of this #T20 tournament is a big opportunity for young #Domestic #Players like him.

"#IPL is a good #Platform for young domestic players, who get a chance to play with and against international players and for me its a big opportunity," #Thampi told media persons here at Saurashtra Cricket Association (#SCA) stadium in #Khandheri.

Thampi was bought during the IPL auction by Gujarat Lions for Rs 85 lakh against his base price of Rs 10 lakh.

The bowler would be paid much higher than experienced #MunafPatel and #ManpreetGony, who will also play for Gujarat Lions in IPL10.

However, the young pacer considers #T20 #Format as a big challenge particularly for the bowlers. "#Bowling is a big #Challenge in shortest format of the game, but luckily I am getting tips from skipper #SureshRaina and experienced bowlers like Praveenbhai (#PraveenKumar) and Munafbhai (Munaf Patel)," he said.

Gujarat Lions chose Thampi as the team #Franchise owner wanted to make its bowling department stronger and the new entrant has an ability to bowl around 140 kmph consistently.

Gujarat Lions will play the first match against Kolkata Knight Riders (#KKR), 

#KKR co-owners #Bollywood star #ShahrukhKhan and actress #JuhiChawla are expected to be present during the match to cheer up their team.

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IPL 2017 Does Ben Stokes Deserve Windfall? Yes Says Ian Botham

#IPL2017 #IPL10

#IndianPremierLeague

#England all-rounder #BenStokes was picked up by #RisingPuneSupergiants (#RPS) for IPL 2017.

England legend, #IanBotham says "box-office" Ben Stokes deserves every penny of the more than £1.7 million ($2.1 mn) that the England all-rounder will rake in playing in the Indian Premier League. 

Stokes set a record for an overseas player in the cash-rich #Twenty20 competition when RPS shelled out for him at last week's auction. The 25-year-old Stokes has come up through the ranks at #Durham, where Botham is the newly appointed chairman having finished his illustrious playing career with the English county. 

Botham, one of the outstanding all-rounders of his generation, said he was glad that #Stokes - set to have fresh responsibilities with England as vice-captain to new Test skipper #JoeRoot - was being well-rewarded.

"He is getting for the #IPL what most guys going to China to play football are getting for a fortnight's wages," Botham told a news conference at Durham's #Chester-le-Street headquarters.

"Cricket needs to move and I think players deserve the rewards. It's a precarious living. You can have an injury and never play again and I think people realize that now."

Stokes's aggressive style has been compared to that of Botham in his pomp and the former England captain said: "I am very pleased for Ben. He is box office -- that's why he went for what he went for (in the IPL).

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IPL 2017 Mitchell Starc Moves On From RCB

#IPL2017
#IPL #Season 10 #T20 #Cricket

Royal Challengers Bangalore #RCB, suffered a huge blow ahead of the 2017 Indian Premier League (#IPL) auction as Australia pacer #MitchellStarc will not be a part of this year's tournament.

A tweet from the IPL announced that Mitch and Bangalore had decided to "discontinue their association ahead of 2017 season", confirming reports in certain sections of the international media.

A statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India explained that the player and RCB have mutually decided to discontinue their association ahead of the upcoming season of #VIVO #IPL Indian Premier League 2017 in accordance with Regulations of the IPL Player Regulations.

This will be a huge blow to the franchise and Bangalore will now go into Monday's auction with an additional purse of INR 5 crore along with an additional slot for an overseas player.

The 27-year old fast bowler, who missed the previous edition of the IPL due to injury, joined the Bangalore franchise in 2014 and has taken 34 wickets for his side till date

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Ind v Pak T20 Asia Cup 2016

Dress Rehearsal to the big one!

Indian Cricket Team take on Pakistan Cricket Team in a mouth wateringAsia Cup T20 - 2016 encounter today as prelude their big clash in next month's ICC T20 World Cup 2016 at Dharamshala.

Clearly a big duel between India's batting guns vs Pakistan's bowling armoury. Pak will try to attack the top heavy Ind batting line up via their pace battery of @MohamadAmir and Wahab Riaz and thats where the game seems to be won or lost. First 6 overs in India's innings could prove to be the deciding stage in the match.

Of the two weaker links, India's bowling seems to hold an edge over Pak's batting but in T20, you predict at your own peril. It could be anyone's day with the bat or bowl.

Can't wait to get started....

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Who Will Win The Cup?

India v Australia 2016 Cricket Rivalry Renews

#Ind v #Aus #ODI #Series #2016

The fierce (in the literal sense) rivalry between India and Australia #Cricket teams is all set to renew starting 12th Jan 2016 with a 5 ODI and 3 T20 series. India tour Australia and the series kicks off with the first #ODI at the #WACA #Perth.

Over the last few years, series between these two teams have been hotly contested mostly due to on-field verbal spats, ugly sledging and controversies. It all started with that infamous #MoneyGate scandal in #Sydney in 2008 when Harbhajan and Symonds got into an altercation that threw the sport into a great abyss (suspensions, threats from BCCI, fines, etc).

Australia brought fierce gamesmanship in the game under Steve Waugh and play their game very aggressively. The young Indian brigade has tried to match them word for word over the past few years. Although performances show Australia have an upper hand in terms of results, the Indian team has laid to rest its soft target image of the 90s and 80s.

So, how does it look this time around?

India is being led by the old veteran #MSDhoni (probably his last hurrah will be the #T20 #WorldCup to be played in Mar 2016 in India). With fading form and age, he has one last chance to show he is still the wily old fox who can inspire his team to win in Australia again (remember .. it was under his leadership that India beat Australia 2-0 in the Tri series of 2008). 

His deputy #ViratKohli is hot on his heels if he fails to perform and deliver results. Virat has taken the new India team by the storm with his win-at-all-costs and aggressive attitude. Youngsters want to follow him and his attitude seems to be rubbing on his young team.

So, how with Captain Cool handle this young brigade? remains to be seen.

Australia on the other hand are rebuilding a team again under the young #SteveSmith. A lot of their bowling strength is depleted since retirement of #MitchellJohnson last year and #MitchellStarc out with a hamstring problem. How are their young bowlers going to cope with international matches will determine Australia's outcome in the series.

There are dangerous players on both sides who can turn games on their own. Warner and Maxwell for Australia alongside Smith and Marsh' while Jadeja and Raina can turn it on for India apart from Dhoni, Kohli and Rahane. India's #RaviAshwin will be the huge difference between these two team's bowling departments. 

All in all, it looks like a humdinger of a contest between these two sides over the next two weeks. May the best "cricket" team win (not the worst behaving one)!

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Batsman's Game?? - Just One Century In IPL 2015 So Far...

#IPL2015

And so we thought IPL, or T20 for that matter, was a batsman's game?
Think again. With all rules stacked heavily in their favor - the powerplay, the two bouncers per over rule, the Freehit, massive bats (but the ball has remained unchanged over the years), field restrictions and everything else - the batsmen are still not able to strike it rich in this year's edition so far!

Just one century in 34 games!
#Brendon McCullum is the only one to get to the three figure mark this year with a stunning 100 for 56 deliveries against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rohit has come close with 98 but other than that there havent been huge individual scores from batsmen.

Goes to show, its not about the rules or advantages, its about skill and applying it to score runs!

Edges are flying for sixes, mishits are clearing ropes easily, defensive shots are screaming to the fence and short boundaries making life easy for batsmen.. Yet .. just one century.

Why?
Is the level of batsmanship and skill going down overall?
Are bowlers doing better than expected?
Too much pressure on batsmen to perform given their advantages?

Just feel, the overall skills are dropping and cricketers making entry to international sides, especially in test cricket, via IPL will struggle big time. There will be odd exceptions but generally the level of batting is going down. Sad but true!

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