The P(olitics) connection!

A statement made by English Prime Minister David Cameroon certainly will be a slap on the face of all the anti Sachin Tendulkar creatures. In a recent event, the first citizen of Britain did not hesitate to announce in public that the bat autographed by Sachin is one of his most prized possessions. In a nation where soccer is the big thing and footballers are considered to be the Megastars, the Prime Minister making such a statement is indeed incredible. That just goes out to prove the immense fan following of  “Brand “Tendulkar”. It’s not just the British Prime Minister but also the Indian PMO who is in such awe of the Master, so much that they have gone all out to offer him a nomination to the Rajya Sabha. These gestures certainly go out to prove that this entire world can be divided into two kinds of people- The Sachin Fans and heartless zombies. (Trust me, it’s not a exaggerated statement!) :P

Signing Off,

Nirvaan Baid

KKR - Expectations in season 5

Ever heard of a roller coaster ride…??? I know most of you must have experienced it at least once in your life but guess who’s had a hell of such a ride, the Kolkata Knight Riders. The team which started its journey with extraordinarily strong players on papers, the team which showed what strength it possessed and what all it can do in the very first match of the IPL edition-1 went on to be a team which struggled even to manage a spot in the upper half of the points tally. Yes, this is the journey of Kolkata Knight Riders, the team with the maximum fan following, the franchisee which was the only one to reap profits right from the beginning of the saga of Indian Premier League. Things kept on changing for KKR and it changed quite dramatically.

Though the team has shown a remarkable recovery in the last edition and if truly cricket is the real blend of ‘form’ and ‘class’ then the team is one of the most favorites to make a place in the top 3 in IPL edition-5. The captaincy of Gautam Gambhir, the inclusion of Yusuf Pathan and many more amendments makes KKR the front runners in this edition and more probable for a winner than it ever was. Now, when the stage is all set for the battle of the title to begin, the expectations and hopes of Kolkata fans is at its peak. Their captain is performing extremely well. He has brought a new energy to the team and now this team is not only with a new logo and a new marketing campaign but also with a new attitude.

The team has been one of the most unpredictable and unfortunate teams among all others in the same category. Who can forget the innings from Mccullum which is still one of the greatest innings in IPL history, who unfortunately could not live up to the high expectations he generated, in any of the further editions. The same Gayle, who played a series of a lifetime for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, could hardly do anything substantial for the KKR’s. Who can forget the unavailability of many foreign cricketers at the most critical of times for the team? But now this team of Mr. Khan is creating new hypes after the performance in IPL-4. This time no one will dare take KKR lightly because the team is now having players, full of energy, class and more importantly, form. Team is not at the top but it is all set to make a difference. May be the performance of KKR in this season can give SRK a new life (G-One). So, as the IPL is getting closer and closer, the team management and administration is leaving no stone unturned in order to live o the expectations of the fans and finally win it for them!

Signing Off,

Nirvaan Baid

Return of the Dark Knight...!

Brendon Mccullum, whose name itself is enough to send down shivers across the opposition is the comeback guy for the Kolkata Knight Riders. The ex-captain of the same team in the 2rd edition of the IPL, he certainly knows the tricks of the trade. He has the record of highest run scored by an individual in a Twenty20 match to his name. The better part is that this score of 158 came for the same team, the Kolkata Knight Riders and that too in the very first match played in the history of IPL. McCullum singlehandedly gave the IPL the sort of high voltage start-up any business would cherish. One might say that with the presence of Brad Haddin, (also a classic wicket keeper batsman) in the side, and his not-so-brilliant performances in the recent past, there was no need of whiling away such a huge amount on him, but then as they say "Form is Temporary, Class is permanent"!

Moreover, another advantage of having a player of his stature on their side is that he has a got huge experience and a typically aggressive frame of mind, which is an extremely important element of any T20 match. He is also going to bring in the much needed stability in the side as they now have two regular world class openers in the form of Gautam Gambhir and Brendon Mccullum. Having played three years in this franchise it would not take him much time to adjust, and being the ex-captain, and a swashbuckling batsman he is certainly a big crowd puller too.

The other team players are also excited about him joining the side, as stated by Yusuf Pathan in the recent interviews “He will be a great boost to the team. He can score runs quickly at the top of the order and can keep wickets - an asset to any team. His inclusion will surely make KKR more formidable”. Another reason which for absorbing him in the squad is that there are no matches of New Zealand team during the IPL season and he will be available throughout. The critics might still find flaws with this selection as his earlier stint with the side was not a memorable one, barring a handful of innings. So, Brendon Mccullum would be hoping to put his criticisms to rest and prove that even after being on the wrong side of the thirties he can contribute handsomely with bat, and finally help them win the elusive IPL trophy

The Mystery Bowler..!!

The shy, lanky, unknown guy from the Caribbean was no doubt one of the most sought after players in the Indian premier League Auction 2012. Sold at 14 times his base price, the auctioneer had a hard time to carry out his bidding. From one franchise to another his hands just went going up and down and finally the hammer was put down by the 700,000$ bid by Kolkata KnightRiders! The slow right arm off break bowler who took all the ten wickets in a match in a trial match and got a call from Trinidad and Tobago, but did not get any match, however he proved to be a great pick in the inaugural edition of Champions League in 2009, with an average of 10.50.

Initially people did criticize Kolkata for their choice, but then after his good performances in the recently concluded Australia-West Indies ODI series, he has silenced all his critics. But the outcome of these performances might get him a berth in the West Indies test series as well, and if that actually happens, it is not going to work out well for the Kolkata Knight Riders who would certainly be having him in the thick of the plans. If we are to evaluate how important he is going to be for the team and whether spending so much on him was justified I would say that being a foreign players and with the limitation on the foreign players allowed to play in the side, he might not even get a game. With the likes of Brett Lee, Shakib Al Hasan, Jacques Kallis, Eoin Morgan, Ryan Doeschate, Brad Haddin, Brendon Mccullum, there are very thin chances of him being included in the playing eleven. But still, whatever be the case, the recent performances of Sunil Narine can totally justify his selection in the franchise.

All said and done, (I know I would sound a bit selfish here for the team), but then all the Kolkatans would be hoping that somehow Sunil Narine doesn't make it to the West Indies test squad and is available for selection for the Knights!

Signing Off,

Nirvaan Baid

Analysis of KKR..

Now, that I am done with the internship,let me put down all the blogs and the diary entries right here, site development you see..:P

KKR, the Kolkata Riders, are the strongest brand name in IPL and also financially the most profitable team. As the IPL 5 is nearing and the frenzy is reaching its top, let’s have a look at where they stand on the big platform. First of all let’s talk about the marketing mix adopted by the parent company Red Chillies entertainment. In the 1st four editions of the Indian Premier League they positioned themselves as the team who will fight till their last breath, till they succeed, come what may! I would say that they did fight out till the end but did not have much to their credentials to testify it. However, in this edition of the 5th IPL T20, they have come with a new marketing campaign of “New Dawn New Knights”. In an attempt to revamp their lost image and connect more with their home crowd they have repositioned themselves and their fresh team as the knights with a shining armor (well, in this case bats) of the new dawn. They have decided to cover up their cheer girls and they have taken a bold step (considering the fact that cheergirls are synonymous to glamor, pom poms and miniskirts) of draping them in full nine yards and make them sway to the tunes of Rabindra Sangeet. The flavor will also be improved with a fleet of dhakis, the Bengali drummers and traditional dancers. Even if this change doesn’t go down well with the beer-guzzling and the cuss words-mouthing young IPL followers, it is certainly bound to impress Mamata Didi and Co.

Apart from that the new look logo was also revealed by Shahrukh Khan, which retained the original purple and golden of the KKR’s. Now talking about the team, we have a very good and aggressive leader and captain in the form of Gautam Gambhir, A good, well balanced side some excellent batsmen in the top order, outstanding all rounders like Jacques Kallis, Ryan ten Doeschate and Shakid Al Hasan,  and of course some good seamers and spinners as well. The latest addition to the team, Brendon Mccullum, the dashing wicketkeeper batsman and the promising Sunil Narine also looks a great addition to the already good-looking side. The new coach Trevor Bayliss, under whose guidance Sri lanka went on to the finals of the ICC World Cup 2011, is also expected to improve the game of the Knights and bring stability to this side. I would in fact say, that barring maybe a few good seamers, we have arguably the best team on papers. But, to prove the same they will have to give themselves all out on the field. 

With a wonderful franchise owner like Shahrukh Khan and Jay Mehta, with the best marketing strategies, the Bollywood tie-ups, a huge home stadium, Eden gardens, and of course some of the best players in the world of this form of cricket, they have to deliver and at least aim to be in the top four.  Last year there was a bit of bashing by the fans, but they managed to bring them back to the stadium with a good overall performance. In the end, let us all keep our fingers crossed and hope they do emerge out to be the best team in the competition.

Signing off,
Nirvaan