WisdenIndia Extra Issue 2


2/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

WISDEN INDIA EXtRA cONtENtS

Editors NotE

iNtroductioN

By Sourav Ganguly

Big PicturE

thE tv dEal

markEt forcE

ovErsEas stars

- dalE stEyN

By Neil Manthorp

- kiEroN Pollard

- ryaN tEN doEschatE

- shakiB al hasaN

thE rolE of thE coach

By Eric Simons

Quiz

thE Physio aNd iPl Physics

chEErlEadErs

thE faNs

CONTENTS

the big bang

Powered by a 48-ball 89rom Manvinder Bisla (th

rom let), KKR romped homeby ve wickets against CSKin the IPL-V nal in 2012 to

win their rst IPL trophy.

SHADRI SUKUMAR/AFP/GEttyIMAGES

he cover: MAnjUnAtH KIRAn/AFP/GEttyIMAGES

2


3/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

changed lives, and even subsidised other

cricket boards in exchange for their no-

objection certicates.

The suspicion remains that the schedule

is too bloated and abby six weeks and 76

games but the crowds continue to turn up.

So do the players, including the elite. Those

that miss out grumble and may refuse to sign

central contracts in the future.

Five years after Monkeygate, Ricky Ponting

will captain Harbhajan Singh and Sachin

Tendulkar. Rahul Dravid will take his last

bows. Millions will ock to the grounds,

including new venues at Raipur and

Ranchi. Many more will follow the action

on TV, complete with breathless overhyped

commentary. Love it or loathe it, the IPL is

not going anywhere. Its here to stay.

The second edition of the Wisden India

Extra takes you inside the IPL and gives

you many dierent perspectives. The

views of players, coaches, physios, fans, T

producers and even cheerleaders each

them addressing the good, the bad and th

sometimes ugly. We hope you have as mu

fun reading it as we did putting it togeth

Dileep Premachandra

editor-in-chief atWisden India. Fo

him on Twitter @SpiceBoxofE

The laser shw and BrendnMcCullums even mre

vivid strokeplay in the rst

Indian Premier League game.husands f Klkata fans walking in

earch f transprt after midnight n

abindra Jaanti. Shane Warne talkingp his unknwn plaers and eventuall

uiding them t the title. Tendulkar

gainst Warne in Durban. Cmplimentarttles f wine in the press bx in Prt

lizabeth. Manish Pandes herics nmst un-Indian pitch at Centurin.

mnds and Gilchrist reaching

ack t the glr ears t deliver an

nexpected win.

Hayden and his Mongoose. Chennai Super

ings nally shedding the bridesmaids garb.

alit Modi and one tweet too many. A post-

World Cup IPL that left most cold. A Kochi

eam that lasted only a season. The Chargers

countdown to extinction three years after

winning the trophy. Kolkatas shirt changes,

and a trophy after seasons of ridicule.

Overpriced ops. Undervalued gems. Think

of the IPL and many of these images, eeting

or not, form a kaleidoscope in my mind.

On the verge of its sixth season, crickets

richest league continues to divide opinion.

The most passionate followers view it as the

Promised Land, and Modi, who envisaged it,

as a Prophet. Its detractors see it as a bully

with two stfuls of dollars, whose excesses

have irrevocably altered crickets nancial

ecosystem for the worse. The Greatest Show

on Earth or The Great Satan theres rarelya middle ground.

The reality is, of course, more nuanced.

Like a small child whos gone beyond baby

steps without being able to sprint, the IPL is

still nding its way and its place in the larger

scheme of things. Its lucrative contracts have

Editors NotE

Contributors:Sourav Ganguly, R Kaushik, Shamya Dasgupta, Sidhanta Patnaik, Neil Manthorp, Kieron Pollard, Ryan ten Doeschate, Shakib Al Hasan,

Eric Simons, Dileep V, Saurabh Somani, Angela Car son, Manoj Narayan | Compiled byManish Adhikary | Designed byAshish Mohanty

4


4/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

ThaT ExTraziNg TO ighTB s gn

If I was t be perfectl hnest, m

generatin had n idea hw big

Twent20 was ging t be. After

we nished the tour of England

n 2007, I remember Rahul Dravid,

hen Indias captain, telling us thathe ungsters shuld g fr the Wrld

went20 turnament in Suth Africa.

We had wn the Test series in England

nd, a few das after the Wrld T20,ustralia were due t tur India fr a

ne-da series. We thught we wuldest and start afresh against Australia.

MS Dhoni ended up captaining the team

o South Africa, and we all know what

happened next. The rst IPL auction a few

months later was also another clue as to

how big it would become. The prices paid

for players seemed like madness at the time.

Now, its common.

My mind often goes back to the rst IPL

game in Bangalore. The atmosphere was just

electrifying. Over my career, I went out to toss

quite a few times, for India, Bengal and others.

But that rst game when Rahul and

I went out, it was like a carnival music,

colour, noise and the excitement of the

unknown. Brendon McCullums hitting just

added to that.

That rst season, Kolkata Knight

Riders played Rahul and RCB once more,

on Rabindro Jayanti in Kolkata. Rain

delayed the start and the match nished

long after midnight. But there were still

50000-plus inside. That brought home

to us just how much people had taken

to the new format. With the added city

sentiment, it was a dierent high.

For me, that sense of identication

with a city was the best part of playing

the IPL, even with so many international

stars there. People often asked if it

wasnt awkward playing against your

India teammates. I never found it to be

so. If anything, it

gave you that extra

zing to ght it out

against those who

were usually your

colleagues.

If it was possible, I would try and

improve the local connect. You look at

the following that the top European andSouth American football teams get in the

cities we see the same in Kolkata, with

Mohun Bagan and East Bengal and so

much of that is because of a sense of loca

pride. Going forward, that sense of ident

is what the IPL needs to nurture most.

blazing sta

McCullum set the stor IPL I by craca 73-ball 158 in

very rst match oseason, against RCB

Bangalore in 20

INtRODUctION

DIByAnGSHU SAR

6


5/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

When the Indian Premier

League was initiall

cnceptualised and thenunveiled amid great

anfare, there was excitement, es, but

here was als great apprehensin. Frne thing, the Twent20 game had et

intrude upn the imaginatin f the

verage Indian cricket fan. Fr anther, ne was sure hw cit-based franchises

wuld be received b audiences.

It was a sign of the times that even as the

PL was being launched formally, a new-

ook Indian team was quietly making its way

hrough the draw at the inaugural World

wenty20 in South Africa.

In September 2007, Mahendra Singh

Dhoni was only a little more than a bit

player, so no one raised an eyebrow when he

was missing from the ocia l launch. Today,

Dhoni is the undisputed superstar of Ind ian

cricket, just as the IPL is the behemoth of

domestic leagues worldwide.

Its worth remembering that India were

reluctant participants in the rst World

T20. Indian administrators frowned uponthe 20-over version, introduced a decade

ago in England to revive waning interests

in cricket, dismissing it as a hit-and-

giggle routine that the Indian landscape

could do without. The emergence of the

Indian Cricket League, a rebel tournament,

ivE yEarS ON,

iPl mOjO riSiNgB r k

somewhat forced the Board of Control of

Cricket in Indias hand, but few would have

envisaged the runaway success that the IPL

has become over the last ve seasons.

There is no gain saying what course

the domestic competition with an

international flavour would have taken

had Dhonis men not gone all the way in

South Africa. India had played exactly

one Twenty20 International before theirAfrican adven ture. That the BCCI sat

the seniors out showed exactly what

they thought of a competition they only

entered, it has been whispered, after being

promised the right to stage the 50-over

World Cup in 2011 .

The success of

the IPL, particularly

in its first year, was

a direct fallout of

the national teams

exploits in South

Africa. Yuvraj Singh

irrevocably trained a nations eyes on

unfamiliar format with six sixes in an

off Stuart Broad, and when S Srees

held on to a Misbah-ul-Haq catch signalled Indias triumph over Paki

in the final, not only did it tri

an outpouring of national pride

celebration, it also piqued the intere

Twenty20 cricket of the hitherto blas

Talk about timing.

thE bIG PIctURE

surprise vict

India, the reluctaconverts, saw in BCCIs viewormat ater the

won the inaWorld T20 in

DUIF DU toIt/GAllo IMAGES/GEtty

8


6/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

Any fears that the IPL, ushered in with

reat pomp and ceremony as cricket and

ntertainment became strange bedfellows

nce the BCCI embraced the T20 concept

wholeheartedly, might not be well rece ived

were a llayed on the very rst d ay of action

n IPL I. In front of a packed gathering at

he M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore

hat was unsure of what to expect but wasertain that there would be value for money,

rendon McCullum exploded in sensational

ashion. The spectacular reworks during

he opening ceremony paled in comparison

s McCullum, turning out for Kolkata Knight

iders, subjected the Royal Challengers

Bangalore bowling

to a most brutal

assault, smashing

an unbeaten 158.

It was exhilarating

stu. Bangaloreans

couldnt help but appreciate and admire the

quality of McCullums batsmanship. Thatsaid, while franchise loyalty had obviously

yet to take root, the home crowd wasnt

amused to see its bowlers being taken to the

cleaners. Even that at early stage, though, it

became apparent that with the passage of

time, fans would identify with their teams.

turning tables

Modi was a picture orelie as he watched the

IPL opening ceremonyunold in Cape Town in2009, ater the league

was orced out o Indiadue to general elections.

R KAUShIK

As the years have progressed, so has

the IPL grown as a brand, as an event, as a

wonderfully heady and potent cocktail of

cricket, entertainment and drama. Its place

in the cricketing landscape is now rmly

established; for eight weeks every April and

May, evenings are set aside, the ght for

remotes non-existent because Twenty20

cricket has successfully won its battle with

tear-jerking soap operas.

The IPL itself has evolved hugely from its

early days. David Hussey told Wisden India

about how IPL I was mainly about after-match parties and sponsor events. The

cricket was almost secondary, he recalled,

whereas now, its fully about the cricket. The

rst year, everyone thought it was just a new

competition that was all about a lot of fun but

now its big business. Everyone wants to make

the nals, qualify for the Champions League.

Inevitably, the IPL has courted

controversy, as an event of this magnitude

invariably will. Much of the early controversy

stemmed from the words, and sometimes

deeds, of Lalit Modi, the mercurial former

chairman of the league. He dared the Indian

government in 2009, the year of the general

elections, and took the second edition of the

IPL to South Africa. The tournament was a

resounding success, not least because ofthe huge Indian settlement there, and Modi

considered it a personal coup because he put

on an impeccable show in an alien land at

very short notice.

By the second edition, Pakistani

participation in the IPL was restricte

the commentary box and the coac

sta. The uncertain political climate in

wake of the Mumbai attacks in Novem

2008 meant franchise owners were w

of signing Pakistani players. This led

misplaced sense of outrage and betr

across the border, but that didnt make

much of a dierence with franchise ow

steadfastly steering clear of bidding

Pakistan players at the auctions. Not u

IPL-V, when Azhar Mahmood, now a Brcitizen, turned out for Kings XI Punjab,

Pakistani play again in the tournament

unlikely, given the current political clim

that Pakistani players will be seen in ac

in IPL VI, however much one might tr

keep politics and sport separate.

The rst ocial Twentmatch was played in 2

in England, and the international betw

Australia and New Zealin 2005. India went i

the 2007 ICC WoTwenty20 having pla

just one match until t

against South AfricDecember 20

Cm

Ball

thE bIG PIctURE

M SHAw/GEtty IMAGES

10


7/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

Modi bit o more than he could chew by

mplying that then Union Minister Shashi

haroor had a role to play in the Kochi

anchise winning a successful bid for IPL-

V as the league expanded into a ten-team

ompetition. Minutes after the nal of

PL-III had been completed at the DY Patil

tadium in Navi Mumbai, the man primarily

redited with the resounding success of the

PL was suspended on disciplinary grounds,

harges of nancial irregularities having

ubsequently been probed, and proven,

y investigative agencies. Modi, brash and

brasive, hadnt endeared himself to many

when he ruled the IPL with an iron st. Few

ympathised with him, therefore, when he

ell on bad times.

Ownership patterns continued to haunt

he IPL with Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI

unjab both having to win legal battles to

verturn their suspensions. Kochi Tuskers

erala, however, were less fortunate ashey were disbanded after just one edition.

PL-V was consequently reduced to a

ine-team affair. Just a few months ago,

eccan Chargers were terminated as an

PL franchise. The Hyderabad team has

nce been bought by the Sun Television

network and goes into IPL-VI as Sunrisers

Hyderabad.

On the eld, few have been as dominant

as Chennai Super Kings. Dhoni has led the

team astutely and steered them to at least the

seminals in all ve editions. The Super Kings

have won the title twice and have made the

nals on two other occasions, marking them

as the most consistent team over the years.

Chennai have reiterated the signicance

of continuity by sticking to the core group

from season one, both in terms of on-eld

personnel and backroom support sta.

Dhonis stock grew exponentially with the

Super Kings success, as did that of Suresh

Raina, M Vijay and, most dramatically, R

Ashwin. Ashwin , the ospinner, had already

taken 50 rst-class wickets but he wasnt

noticed by the fans or the selectors until

his IPL exploits. Virat Kohli, Rahul Sharma,

Ravindra Jadeja and Yusuf Pathan, among

others, took the IPL route to the nationalteam; equally, impact players faded away

rapidly. Swapnil Asnodkar, Kamran Khan,

Amit Singh, Paul Valthaty, Harmeet Singh

all young men who ourished briey,

but who disappeared as dramatically as

they broke through.

Gayle, the Jamaican with tattoos andlowing dreadlocks, has single-handedlypropelled the IPL into the stratosphere.

R KAUShIK

Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, Rahul

Dravid, Muttiah Muralitharan, Brad Hodge

and Sachin Tendulkar have debunked

the young man myth, while Mahela

Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajinkya

Rahane, Michael Hussey, AB de Villiers

and Jacques Kallis have shown that there

is a place for classicism even in slam-bang

cricket. Dale Steyn has produced some of

the most outstanding IPL spells, while Sunil

Narine owes his Test debut to his magical

bowling in IPL-V.

No one, though, epitomises the IPLbetter than Chris Gayle. Unwanted for IPL

IV after three modest, troubled seasons

with underachieving Kolkata Knight Riders,

Gayle was snapped up by Royal Challengers

Bangalore following an injury to Dirk

Nannes, the Australian paceman. Gayle, the

towering Jamaican with tattoos galore and

owing dreadlocks, has single-handedly

propelled the IPL into the stratosphere,

with his astonishing six-hitting skills and

laidback attitude bringing the crowds back

in their thousands to the venues and lending

credence to the belief that the lukewarm

response to IPL IV was a direct fallout of its

proximity to the World Cup.

Gayle is the ultimate entertainer, a free

spirit who can decimate and destroy withconsummate ease. All on his own, he has

changed the face of the IPL at a time when

it was turning blue in a desperate search

for oxygen. The West Indies might have

lost Gayle for a year after the 2011 World

Cup, but as he was laying into the bowlers

and scattering packed

crowds in the stands,

he was also raising the

prole of the IPL.

He was alsos p e e c h l e s s l y

strengthening his claims for an even

international return that culminated

him playing a starring role in the W

Indies triumph in the World T20 in

Lanka in October 2012.

the talism

The Chennai Kings, led by D

have won ttwice and rethe seminals

ve ed

thE bIG PIctURE

PUnIt PARAnjPE/AF

12


8/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

Just under tw mnths. Arund

nine hurs ever da. Ever

mment under clse scrutin.Camerapersns, visin mixers,

echnicians, prducers (at the venue and

nside the prductin cntrl rm),nchrs, reprters, experts n ne can

lip. And its all live. N time, r rm,

r retakes. All dne while jet-settingrund the cuntr.

That, in a nutshell, is what the production

f the Indian Premier League involves.

hree hundred-odd people on the job. One

ery popular TV show. The coverage of the

ve event alone involves upwards of 20

ameras (including the one that ies around

above the stadium supported by wires) at

the ground and an additional eight in the

central studio in Mumbai for the pre, mid

and post-match shows. It also requires a

massive contingent of technicians, graphic

artists, producers, odd-jobs people and

much else.

But, at some level, it is basically an

extension of the usual live coverage of

cricket. With its years of experiencein producing live cricket content, the

International Management Group does

a neat, straightforward job of pulling it

o. The companys role, of course, is not

limited to just bringing us the pictures on

TV; IMG handles the IPLs distribution

rights, franchise rights, event and venue

management and sponsorship sales as well.

But where the IPL has rewritten the rules

for cricket coverage is in the scale at which

its wrap-up show Extraaa Innings (EI)

is designed. Anyone who understands

television production is wowed by the way

the show brings together, at times, three

standalone shows within one.

The basic show involves an anchor and

studio guests: a straightforward chat show.

But this is blended with the dancing girls and

the musicians who are doing their thing. And,

nally, you have the part coming in from the

ground, where, again, there are multiple things

happening at once. To

the lay viewer, its just

a lot of simultaneous

activity. To a television

professional, like

Archana Vijaya, the

presenter: Its an adrenaline rush; so h

energy that you are always on sixth gear

usually mentally exhausted.

The extraaa cverageCricket is not the domain of the few

choose to guard it so zealously. No one o

cricket, and no one has any more rights

it than the next person, says Jasdeep S

Pannu, vice-presidentprogramming at

Max, the broadcasters of the IPL.

thE tV DEAL

popular s

Navjot Sidhu (cthe unettered cha

o cricketainclaims Extraaa In

is criticised becauextremely watc

daNCiNg dOwN

ThE Tv TraCkB s dp

PARvEEn nEGI/InDIA toDAy GRoUP/GEtt

14


9/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

The brains behind EI stress that they

respect the viewer above all else. So when

ou catch up with senior members of the

roduction team, you are likely to hear

entences like these: I will not talk down to

viewer or If people want to watch their

port the same way they watch their evening

ntertainment shows, who am I to judge?

In any case, theres no wishing away

his sexed-up coverage much like purists

annot wish the IPL away. SET Max first

ame up with the concept ahead of the

003 World Cup, and noodle straps entered

he national consciousness perched on

Mandira Bedis well-

groomed shoulders.

Pannu, who was

employed with ESPN

STAR Sports at the

time, says, People in

the industry were inspired by the concept

and the audience reaction. Mandira

represented the average Indian female fan,and it worked.

That is how Pannu found himself overseeing

the production of the Shaz & Waz Show, the

serious cricket channels attempt at stepping

o its pedestal in the wake of Mandira Mania.

the picture tube

Dealing with the liveeed, streaming in

rom 28 cameras, callsor one o the most

exhaustive productionprocesses on Indian TV.

ShAmYA DASGUPtA

When the IPL came around, the format

and concept automatically lent itself to

some heavy-duty Shaz-Wazmatazz and

noodle-strapping. Nobody throws stones

at a tree that doesnt bear fruit,says Navjot

Singh Sidhu, in response to criticism of the

IPL broadcasts over the years. And thats

the philosophy SET Max works with. Pannu

puts it like this: The idea is to ensure

that the family gets entertained; for a TV

channel like ours, its important to make

the programming broad-based.

And presenter Shibani Dandekar says, Theavour of the conversations should be along

the lines of what it would be like if I were

sitting down with the player in a coee shop.

You want to throw stones at it? Go

ahead. The producers dont care as long

as the sponsors are queuing up. Dumbing

down? Yeah, sure, they dont disagree.

In fact, producer Debayan Sen is candid

enough to admit, As much as possible, we

address the Lowest Common Denominator,

bring in people, and provide something

for everyone. What we have as a result,

producer Azhar Habib tells us, is easily

the biggest sports show in India. With live

music, comedy acts, and all.

And then, as Pannu says, We haveSunil Gavaskar, Ajay Jadeja, Sanjay

Manjrekar and others on the show. If they

are endorsing it and having fun being on

the show, we dont need anyone else to tell

us whats right or wrong.

Taking the shw t the dugutThe coverage of the IPL with its innovat

has also led to the birth of a new va

of producer: Venue Producer. Who are t

and where do they come in? Well, sim

explained, these are the men and wo

scattered around the dierent venue

who (a) brief the presenters on the edit

tone of the show, (b) innovate in term

bringing in local avour to the presenta

(c) coordinate with players, ocials

team owners to ensure interviews take pduring the game and in the breaks, and

look out for celebrities in the crowd du

games and arrange for chats with them

Abhinav Kohli, a news television an

Doordarshan charRs 5 lakh from the BCC

telecast matches played in Into cover the costs of produc

in 1992. In 93, BCCI sold TV rigto Trans World Internatio

(TWI) and DD paid $1 milfor the right to telecast In

matches. In 2008, Sony inke

ten-year global TV rights deaIPL for US $1.026 bill

Cm

Ball

thE tV DEAL

HIRAG wAKASKAR-IPl 2010/IPl vIA GEtty IMAGES

16


10/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

nd producer till recently, joined the 2012

eam as a Venue Producer. For him, the main

hing is to ensure that everything is done

n time, interviews lined up, local avour

auged, colour stories readied and presenters

riefed on cricket aspects. After that, you just

wait for things to go wrong and emergencies

o crop up.

What sort of emergenci es? Well, it

ppears the franchises dont always play

all. The players would have to be made

vailable for interviews, as was mandated

y the IPL, but almost invariably, we had

o record interviews in advance because

anchises wouldnt cooperate. Not always.

ometimes, Kohli says. Apart from that?

Well, the entire show is dependent on

echnology, so anything might go wrong,

nd often do. But the viewer never gets to

now.

0% cricket, 60% entertainmentOver the years, IPL coverage has changed

ramatically. During the rst year, much

ke the teams that made mistakes with

quad selection and match strategy

because it was all so new), the coverage

n TV oundered too. The second year was

also awry, with the tournament moving to

South Africa, and planning continuing to

the last minute. Since then, things have

settled down. Much like the IPL itself, a

template is in place. Its another matter

that the template itself is open to tinkering.

Everything is uid, Habib says. The entry

of the guests, the entertainers, the sudden

appearance of a celebrity at the venue

thats what makes it fun, as well as tricky.

But is all that extra complication worth

the eort? After all, the cricket is the raison

detre of the programming. Surely no one

watches the extraaa bit if they are not

watching the match to start with?

That work is paying o now, Sen

explains: Its clear that, last year [2012],

the comparative gures of the cricket and

EI showed that there has been an increase

in the ratings for the show. This doesnt

necessarily mean that people are watchingEI more than the matches, but that fewer

people are switching channels at the break

or after the matches than before. As a result,

numbers for the show have gone up, albeit

marginally. Reinventing and innovating,

says Sen, explaining the success.

ShAmYA DASGUPtA

When you do justice to the presence ofcheerleaders and comedians, you loseocus as far as cricket is concerned.

Cricket has changed with the IPL, so

why shouldnt the coverage evolve? asks

Pannu, adding, Last year, we innovated

with stand-up comedians and the i ncreased

use of Hindi.

Dandekar, on the other hand, feels its as

simple as the fact that the tournament saw

better cricket this year than the year before.

Its about the cricket, not us, she says. We

add value to the main product, which is the

cricket. The better the cricket is, the easier

it is for us. We had so many close nishes in2012 that the viewership was assured.

And with the excitement on the eld,

it was important to lower the intensity in

the breaks whether at the venues or in

the studio. Cricket lovers know answers

to standard cricket questions anyway, says

Dandek ar. We want to make it fun. We want

a Rusty Theron to sing the IPL anthem. Get

something extraaa. Like getting a player to

open up about his personal life, his likes

and dislikes about the dressing room. Get

some inside information.

Fall back on entertainment then,

obviously.

The non-cricket percentage of thecontent is bound to go up with Danny

Morrison and Sidhu taking centrestage

anyway, but, in 2012, Sunil Gavaskar also

looked like he didnt want to drive straight

anymore. Was it done spontaneously or was

he under instructions from the producers?

We cant order Mr Gavaskar to do w

we want, can we? Pannu asks. And H

claries: He got into the mood. He wa

to fool around, mimic peopleand he

the one who suggested all of it.

A world away f rom Aakash Chopra,

says, There are cheerleaders in the st

and stand-up comedians. The mom

you do justice to their presence , you

time and also focus as far as the crick

concerned.

As a result, o the eld, it was

entertainment, and 40% cricket, Sen s

After all, l ike Pannu says, We dont wa

stie people with analysis.

Fair enough, bring on the dancing gi

Pla cricket, dnt talk cricket t

Even as EI plays out on the broadcas

channel, almost every single news cha

Hindi and English airs their spons

IPL shows. What that means is cricket

experts have an additional platform to

their views. On SET Max, time is always

premium, with airtime apportioned fo

entertainers, who are paid as handsome

the ex-cricketers are.

Chopra has straddled both worlds, then some. He was a part of Kolkata Kn

Riders as well as Rajasthan Royals as a pl

but with not too many games coming

way, he moved to the commentary stu

both with SET Max as well as with n

channels. And his take on the matte

thE tV DEAL

18


11/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

ear: The news channels I was a part of [all

nglish] focus on the serious side of the IPL.

heres an attempt to do in-depth analyses of

very team, every game. Also, you get more

me to air your views on news channels.

Chopra also hints that SET Maxs

liation to the Board of Control for Cricket

n India as its media partner is something of

hindrance. News channels focus on the

urning issues [controversies], while SET

Max has its hands tied in that respect.

Chopra, clearly, is in a minority here. Buthats the nature of the beast; when it comes

o the IPL, the cricket is relatively simple,

nd so is its coverage. In-depth isnt the

uzzword here. You need Sidhu to dance on

tage, Morrison to yell above the drumbeats

nd Isa Guha, former England cricketer, to

lay the eye-candy role just as much as the

heergirls or presenters. A female expert is

till woman rst, right? Pannus take, again,

simple: You will always be criticised for

tanding out. Shades of Sidhu there, but

hen, how can one argue with that?

arts here, wheres the hst?Oh, they are everywhere, arent they? At

he ground, in the studio, near the dugout;

hopping in Jaipur, eating kebabs in Delhi,

hatting and dancing with the stars andmuch else. The girls, Vijaya and Dandekar,

nd Samir Kochhar and Gaurav Kapur,

he boys. For seven weeks, without a days

reak, they bring together two of the biggest

ndian passions cricket and celebrity, with

heavy dash of glamour.

The girls have launched themselves in a

big way using the EI platform. Both of them

are hot on the glam circuit today, and were

picked up by the dance reality show, Jhalak

Dikhlaa Jaa, as contestants for the 2012

season. Unsurprisingly, Dandekar is looking

for a career in lms now. So its worked out

well, hasnt it ? Oh yes, we have been more

visible of late, says Vijaya. We had ve

presenters till 2011, and its been reduced to

create a higher connect with the audience.

Last year, more people watched the show,

and therefore more people saw us.

But, as far as Dandekar is concerned, its

not just the presenters who benet from

the show being the way it is. We chat with

all sorts of players and talk about all sorts

of things, she says. What happens is that

people start liking a player not just because

of his cricket, but because of the person

he is which we try to bring out. So these

players get a fan following too.

What happens next? More innovation for

sure, Pannu promises. In what direction:

more entertainment? Its too early to

say, but it could be anything; maybe live

audiences for every show, he says.

The strategy will target the broad-based

audience, not necessarily the cricketpurists. Is that the way to go? A pointless

debate, when its economics that will

decide the formula. Even if that means

70% entertainment and 30% cricket. The

disgruntled can always turn to recordings

of old Test matches.

ShAmYA DASGUPtA thE IPL tV DEAL

the tinsel he

With silver screen stars suchShah Rukh Khan (perormi

at the 2011 opening ceremoin Chennai) co-owni

dierent ranchises, the leaghas never lacked in glamo

DIByAnGSHU SARKAR/AFP PHoto

20


12/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

The brand value f the Indian

Premier League (IPL) drpped

frm US $4.65 billin in 2010t US $2.92 billin in 2012,

ccrding t Brand Finance, a brand

aluation rm. The television ratings

ailed to garner an average of 4 in the fth

ditin. But, with an annual viewership

f apprximatel 162 millin, it is still

mng the tp sprts prperties glball.

In the cricket-dominated Indian market,

where other forms of live entertainment are

till not volume driven, the six weeks of the

PL have created a fresh spending pattern

mong the end consumers. Pre-2008 sports

marketing in India was not always nancially

viable and lacked direction. The failure of

the Indian Cricket League, now defunct, is a

good example of that. But with the advent of

the IPL, the industry has evolved.

The IPLs biggest commercial USP has been

its positioning as cricketainment. Since team

loyalties are still not set in stone, contests

between international stars, whatever teams

they represent, generate substantial interest.

The strong core product, combined withother forms of peripheral entertainment,

has changed the consumption behaviour of

a wider audience and, as live cricket matches

become family-outing options for the rst

time, the league has become the pivot the

market economy revolves around for the

TaPPiNg aNS Or

OrCE aNd OrTuNEB sn Pn

six weeks that it plays out. This has in turn

led various brands, including the ones not

traditionally associated with cricket, to

experiment and leverage the platform.

With nothing else happening around IPL

time, the tournament beneted us in terms

of creating visibility through the eyeballs it

generated, says Rajiv Mehta, the managing

director of Puma India, the sponsors of

Rajasthan Royals (as well as the now defunct

Deccan Chargers). Both from the performanceand visibility angles, it gave people the idea

that Puma exists in the cricket market too.

Since we are a lifestyle and performance brand,

we were looking for a cricketing platform. That

was the core thought behind associating with

the two IPL franchises.

For a lifestyle

brand that entered

India only in 2006,

the connect has been

fruitful, oering

Puma the option

of using a group of talented second-r

cricketers as a communication tool in a

eective manner.

The plabkA brand works on three levels of associa

with the IPL. The decisions to purc

commercial time from the broadcaster

sponsor the league are driven by econom

whereas franchise sponsorship is mor

an eort to establish a direct connect

the emotions of fans. For a brand suc

thE mARKEt fORcE

race for the r

From Mickey Cunveiling (by Tend

Nita AmbaHarbhajan) to c

shoes, merchandithe new IPL buzz

InDRAnIl MUKHERjEE/AFP PHoto

22


13/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

uma, the plan has been to stay ahead of the

eams fortunes and focus on marketing the

tars within the team as individual entities,

reating unique on-ground experiences while

hifting the core foundation of the fans

ssociation with the team.

We took a spin and said that its not about

winning but about enjoying, says Mehta.

As long as you are having fun while you are

laying, it does not matter who wins or who

loses. That is what

we have banked on.

The other focus

has been to seed

an element of

aspiration among

the fans to spend

on merchandise. For Deccan Chargers, we

created merchandise with the bull and its

horn, says Mehta. It is desirable. Something

you want to wear both on and o the eld.

That is what we have played on make the

team look cool, the stars look cool and thefans look cool too.

With sale of merchandise reporting a year-

on-year growth of 20% since the rst IPL season,

Pumas plan seems to be on track.

Also, an IPL association comes at a

premium, compelling innovation on technical

as well as creative fronts. With the IPL

governing council scripting no guidelines on

footwear, Puma seized the space, introducing

their new shoe range in 2011 as well as 2012.

For some, IPL is not cricket. And for some,

it is like any other form of cricket, Mehta

says. We had to balance the two schools of

thought and take a risk. After a few players

started wearing them (the shoes), it appealedto others and the viral eect took shape.

On the communications side,

Pumas primary focus has been social

marketing. A comic book strip that summed

up the entire fth edition was their way of

the leg-up

Pumas IPL association(Gilchrist sporting Pumashoes in 2012, orinstance) has helpedthe brand secure ayear-on-year growth o20% in merchandise sale.

SIDhANtA PAtNAIK

connecting with the fans.

Fan engagement models have not

matured in India but, with the IPL, a path

for the future has been paved. However,

at a fundamental level, there is a fear

of misplaced focus. The parent brand

continues to remain protable but, for other

stakeholders, the myth that the league is

free from the inuences of the prevailing

economic conditions has been busted.

Firstly, with an extensive international

cricket calendar, the memories of a franchise-based competition fade too fast. Commercially,

the momentum is lost after the end of every

season and, for the majority of investors,

justifying return on investment is a challenge.

Secondly, as Mehta says, The IPL as a

body is more focused on generating revenue

than building a sustained brand. Their

marketing plan is not inclusive. In a sellers

market, where bureaucracy is involved atall levels, it becomes unviable for other

stakeholders to think long term.

The IPL model has played its part in the

revamp of Indian footballs I-League and

has helped conceptualise World Series

Hockey. It has even shaped Indias

in World Series Boxing. However, for

IPL to be a complete marketing suc

fundamental errors need rectifying andcommitment to the audience has to st

out. The fan experience also has to rea

stage where the aspirational value of ow

IPL sporting merchandise and those o

English Premier League football team

perceived as same.

An IPL association comes at a premiumfor a brand, compelling innovation ontechnical as well as creative fronts.

At $853 millManchester Uniteds br

valuation is the highamong sporting clubs. Withestimated value of $48 mill

the Mumbai Indians (at No. are the best-valued IPL te

ahead of century-old Itaclubs, Lazio and Fiorentina,

Los Angeles Galaxy, a MLeague Soccer te

Cm

Ball

thE mARKEt fORcE

vEEnDRAn/AFP PHoto

24


14/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

IMPoRTDUTywt te os ost fe ccetes,

ncn de Sten, en p te cton

n iPl, te ee s epn enoce

ins e s te cente o o ccet

KIERON POLLARD

RYAN TEN DOESCHATE

SHAKIB AL HASAN

PagE 34

PagE 38

PagE 42

te IPL as egrea inaniaIs no soeI wis o ide.

teres no asu downie ine IPL as youdink. te gaesare prey inense.

IPLs a greaournaen,

i preparesyoung rikeor e world.

AH SEElAM/AFP PHoto (StEyn); GRAHAM CRoUCH/GEtty IMAGES (PollARD); MICHAEl StEElE/GEtty IMAGES (tEn DoESCHAtE)


15/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

The annual Cricket Suth Africa

Awards is a glamrus, black-

tie aair with even the ocial

part f the prgramme lasting

deep int the night. Fr the invited

guests and sponsors who can aord the

hangver the next mrning, the wine is

pured until the earl hurs.

There is no escape for some who are

sticking to sparkling water, however. I must

have signed 500

autographs and

that was just after

dinner, says Dale

Steyn, eyes shining.

Got to bed at 2am

and up at 6am good job Ive been trai

for this discipline at the IPL! he laughs.

The occasion was a business breakfast a

headquarters of the games longest-ser

sponsor, SA Breweries, which makes C

Lager, synonymous with the national t

since the end of isolation (except in Pakis

Steyn was there not just as the worlds N

Test bowler, but as an ambassador-at-larg

SABs water conservation programme.

It takes 155 litres of water to make one

of beer from the very beginning of the pro

to the very end, and thats just too mu

says Steyn to an audience of 50 or more

arent sure whether to be wide-eyed

open-mouthed at his presence or his

dalE STEyN aNd

ThE aNgEr wiThiNB Ne mnp

Dismissal man

Steyn played or RCB orthe rst three IPL seasonsbeore he was bought bythe Deccan Chargers in2011 and has picked up32 wickets since.

AH SEElAM/AFP PHoto

28


16/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

SAB have committed themselves to reducing

hat substantially and Im backing them and

assing on the message.

Steyn removes a folded sheet of paper

om his pocket and reads out his top ten

ps for saving water and recounts a tale

with actions) of how the bath at one hotel

e stayed at during the IPL consisted of a

arge, pottery bowl of water and a smaller

ug which he used to pour the water over

imself. Some South Africans were able to

elate, but not the majority.

The great fast bowler laughed at the faces

n front of him: Ha! I guess you all thought

he IPL was just about ve-star luxury and

millionaires, hey? Most of us nodded.

Steyns interest started for two reasons,

the rst completely

altruistic: From the

moment I became

an established

international cricketer

I always had a strong

feeling that I should

be doing some good

while I had that prole, using it to try and

make a dierence.

Two years ago, he tried to organise walking

on to the eld of play before an IPL match

with a tiger cub on a leash to bring theirendangered plight to the attention of the

widest possible audience, but the logistics

and red-tape required made it impossible.

Having been born and raised in the small

town of Phalaborwa on the edge of the famous

NEIL mANthORP

hurt locker

The Deccan Chargerssuered a six-match run

o nal-over deeats inIPL V, the dejection rom

the last deeat drivingSteyn to kick a kit bag

and break his toe.

thE fOREIGN PLAYER

Apart from inducing fear the batsmen, Dale Steyns ot

interests include shing hunting. He has shot an imp

and even caught a croc, earnhim the tag of crocohunter. Currently, St

has the fourth-best bow

strike rate of all time in Tebehind George Lohmann, J

Ferris and Shane Bo

Cm

Ball

Kruger National Park in the north of the country,

he gre up in the shadow of the game parks Big

Five and has always felt close to nature.

Having moved to landlocked Pretoria

and then to Cape Town four years ago, he

quickly took to surng as a replacement for

his childhood passion of skateboarding. He

already had the hip and knee movements

required. And, like all surfers, he quickly

became concerned at the amount of debris

and pollution in the worlds oceans.

I sent out a tweet about the state of

the water and I had literally thousands of

responses inside an hour, Steyn says. I had

never experienced anything like it before.

So my interest grew as I learned about how

careless we are with water, and how we

take it for granted. If I can make a small

dierence in the world it would make a big

dierence to me.

It doesnt sound like a young man with millions

of dollars in the bank. But then, he doesnt look

or act like that either. He looks bemused when

asked about his motivation to keep playing as

hard and bowling as fast as he does especially

given the toll that his job takes on his body.

Im lucky because not only do I have thechance to experience the thrill of winning,

but I also get to bowl really fast. Those two

things are the best feelings in the world, better

than any drugs not that Ive tried any. I love

winning, Steyn says, before questioning the

assertion. Maybe its more that I hate losing?

We (Deccan Chargers) lost six games o

last ball [in IPL V]. We nished bottom, bu

could so easily have made the play-os. I ki

an empty kit bag so hard when it happ

for the sixth time, I almost dislocated my

Steyn says. Then I kicked another one, b

was full of water bottles and I broke my

Stupid. I missed a couple of games. But I

mad as hell. Thats the re I hope I never lo

wouldnt be the same cricketer without it.

His great friend and teammate, MMorkel, is often accused of lacking that

in his belly. I dont need to be angry,

Morkel. Dale has enough anger for

of us. It is a statement that makes S

laugh aloud. One day, when somebod

something does make him angry, hell be

SHADRI SUKUMAR/AFP PHoto

30


17/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

est bowler in the world.

Provided, of course, that Morkel is

ble to control and channel the rage

omething Steyn hasnt always managed

o do. There have been a couple of times

when I have need ed to be calme d down,

ut thats Graemes (Smith) job thats for

im to worry about! Ive had a couple of

nes in international cricket and Im not

roud of myself if I get into trouble, but

s just a consequence of what I do. When

cross the boundary rope, my personality

hanges. But Im happy with that.

He may be charming and gentle o the

eld, but that does not mean he is out of

ouch with his on-eld persona. There is no

plit-personality syndrome going on. Does

e enjoy the sight of fear in a batsmans eyes?

Oh, YES. Nothing better than that. Sure I

ee it, from time to time, and it gives me a

hrill. I think Ive got you now. Youre mine.ut, as much as I love getting a batsman out,

doesnt compare to the thrill of winning

he game. I really mean that. Ive met a few

ricketers who are more excited about their

wn performance than the teams, and I

ont like that. At all. Im not one of them.

His favourite tale about fear comes from

an encounter with Muttiah Muralitharan

who suggested a deal before one game. No

doosras, no bouncers when were bowling,

OK? Steyn, who enjoys his batting every

bit as much as his bowling, loved it. You

got it! he replied.

His place as one of the greatest fast

bowlers in the history of the game is already

secure. If he never played another game,

that would not change. Its something he is

prepared to accept, but not dwell on.

I know Im doing well. When South

Africa really needs a wicket, Graeme or

AB (de Villie rs) throw the ball to m e. And

often Im able to give them what they need.

Thats all I care about. I know roughly

how many wickets I have, but I dont keep

track, he says. A time may come when I

do start looking at my record, but that

will probably be very close to the end ofmy career. Right now Im just living in the

moment. I want to be a good cricketer, but

I am a person first and a cricketer second.

I wont always be a cricketer, but I will

always be a person. So thats my priority.

To be a good one.

ve met a few cricketers who are moreexcited about their own performance thanhe teams, and I dont like that. At all.

NEIL mANthORP

32


18/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

Igreatl relish the pprtunit

that Ive been given t pla in a

high-prole tournament like the

Indian Premier League, a chance

rub shulders with big internatinal

tars and pla in frnt f such passinaterwds. T get such an pprtunit as a

ung cricketer, and t be given the kind

f respect I have been, is fantastic. Ntust fr me, but all f us wh have been

rtunate enugh t get cntracts withhe franchises.

One of the things I will readily admit is

hat the IPL has been great nancially too.

s not something I wish to hide. Its changed

o many things for me personally, in terms

of my life, my standard of living, my savings

its been superb. But the big salary also

makes someone like me accountable; it tells

me that I need to go out and perform each

time my team plays a game.

But its not just me. So many cricketers

from the West Indies t into the Twenty20

mould very well and have become regulars

with dierent IPL teams. I think the format

suits the kind of cricketers we are. Itsperfect. Look at Chris Gayle his air and

style of batting are perfect for T20 cricket.

Guys like Dwayne Bravo, who has so much

experience, also nd that Twenty20 and

tournaments like the IPL are ideal for him.

We are cricketers with air, we are exciting

iPl iS idEal OrwEST iNdiaNSB ken P

caribbean crackerPollard, a star perormer in

IPL-III, has amassed 639 runsrom 44 matches in the threeIPLs hes been part o; 2010

was his best outing with 273runs in 14 matches, his strike

rate a scorching 185.71

thE fOREIGN PLAYER

CARl FoURIE/GAllo IMAGES/GEtty

34


19/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

ricketers, and we like to have fun when we

lay. T20 is not everything for us. It is the

rst step, and we plan to kick on from there.

There is an abundance of talent in the

West Indies. You look at Andre Russell, Sunil

Narine, Ravi Rampaul and others. They are

ll getting their chances in the IPL now.

ome of them have also played Test cricket,

ut its T20 that brings out their best.

housands of people are coming to watch

20 cricket and the more opportunities we

et, the better it is. We, as West Indians,

ke to enjoy ourselves and that works best

n the IPL and other T20 tournaments.

In Test cricket and One-Day International

ricket, you need to temper things a bit, be

more patient. Our success is because we can

play the way we like to in T20 cricket. But as

I said before, theres a process of evolution

going on and Im sure we will be a better

Test and ODI team in future.

For the next couple of months, the entire

focus is on the IPL. Travelling to India every

year for it has been incredi ble. Its been an

eye-opener. Everywhere you go in India,

there is a lot of excitement, and there are

big crowds at the grounds. Its the sort of

atmosphere that makes you want to give

your best each time.

Being in the Mumbai Indians dressing

room makes it even better. It has been a

phenomenal experience. Sachin Tendulkar:

there havent been too many better cricketers

in the world. He has done everything that

can be done in cricket. You see how loved

he is by his fans. Theres Harbhajan Singh

and Munaf Patel. At various times, we have

had Zaheer Khan and Sanath Jayasuriya,

Andrew Symonds, Lasith Malinga and JP

Duminy. Now, Ricky Ponting will also be

there.

Its awesome to get an opportunity to

share a dressing room with these guys.Its a

happy dressing room, and that makes for a

bunch of players who can go out and add tothe excitement of the IPL.

Kieron Pollard is an allrounder with

the West Indies cricket team , and

represents Mumbai Indians in the IPL.

He spoke to Shamya Dasgupta

KIERON POLLARD

Kieron Pollard attracted the

maximum open-auction bidof US $750,000 from fourteams in 2010, butMumbai Indians outbid

the other three in a silenttie-breaker to take him home.Surprisingly, no franchise

had bid for him in the2009 auction, when his base pricewas just US $60,000.

Cm

Ball

36


20/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

It can be a very dicult life for

smene like me at times, travelling

cnstantl and plaing fr teams in

all parts of the world, in dierent

nditins. I think its ver imprtant

identif and align ur gals with the

eams because theres s much at stake inwent20 cricket. The gus are there t d

well and theres a strng sense f purpse;makes it easier. In all the teams Ive

laed fr, Ive fund it reall eas t getlng with the gus and t fcus n plaingve-six weeks of good cricket.

There are, obviously, massive dierences

n the cultures that the dierent teams have.

s an example, New Zealanders seem to be

more laidback. They go about their stu

quietly. Obviously in India, everythings

quite frantic, and theres a lot more at stake.

And then youve also got indiv iduals your

captains and coaches and senior players

who set the tone. That will dier from team

to team. But Ive been pretty lucky. Even in

places I havent done well, Ive been in good

environments where the guys try and help

you as much as they can to bring out the best

in you.

Dierent strokes, dierent folksThe most noticeable thing about playing in

Australia, where the time between games is

a lot, is that the preparation and the analysis

that goes into each game is pretty thorough.

EvEryThiNgSraNTiC iN iNdiaB rn en dee

travel gu

Ryan ten Doeschate, 32-year-old Dutch cricke

has represented 11 teams inplaying career, including

Netherlands, Essex, ChittagoKings, Tasmania and K

thE fOREIGN PLAYER

noAH SEElAM/AF

38


21/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

n the IPL, as an overseas player youre ghting

or one of four spots with ten quality players,

o thats a massive dierence. Your teams

ever set in stone, and you can aord to go

with dierent players in dierent conditions.

ssex is the team Ive played for the longest,

o its a very comfortable environment for

me. South Africa was also pretty dierent

ecause I was playing in a franchise that was

ew and it was a new concept where they

rought in only young guys. It was a great

oncept, but unfortunately, we were quite a

weak team. That was a dierent experience.

ut it was probably one of my most en joyableverseas ones.

Ive been through a lot with Essex and

ve achieved a lot there, and thats still my

ome. But Kolkatas also amazing just the

eople and, like I said, the quality of players

nd the quality of the set-up is so dierent.

s special to be with them.

With the IPL, the schedules very hectic.

eople say its only a three-hour game, and

he ights are relatively short, but the travel

me denitely takes a lot out of you: from

he hotel to the airport, its a decent bus

ourney. Then you wait around at the airport

or another ight, then its another bus back.

o theres not as much downtime as youd

hink. The games are pretty intense, so thereparation for them is also pretty intense.

On the o-chance that you do get a day

, the guys like to play a bit of golf. We

ometimes jump into a taxi and go out for

unch or go for a coee or something but, I

remember, last year, there certainly wasnt

enough time where you could actually plan

things ahead of time and get out in the city.

But Id like to do one or two things in the city

this year. Its nice to get a feel of the place.

You drive around in a bus, you see a hell of a

lot, but I think to be out on the streets and

just walk around and see how things are

done gives you a true feeling of the place.

The standut Assciate starTheres a whole pool of talent in that sub-

section of the cricket world. The Irish,

particularly, have produced some really good

players, and in the other teams too, there

are some really exciting players. Those guys

dont get to play a lot of rst-class cricket.

Ryan ten Doeschate, the three-time

ICC Associate and Aliate Playerof the Year, got his break whenGraham Gooch spotted him onEssexs tour of South Africa in

2003. His Dutch passport

allowed him to play for Essexon weekdays and club cricket inNetherlands on weekends; Gooch

would drive him to and fro to theairport to make it happen.

Cm

Ball

RYAN tEN DOESchAtE

They dont get to play good volumes of

cricket, so they probably are best suited to

Twenty20 cricket. Youll nd the odd gem

there, and guys that can go on to play in the

IPL and all over the world. Yes, Im the rst,

but hopefully there are many more to come.

If I get asked, Ill obviously put names of

guys forward. I know at KKR, the analysts

and the coaches do their preparations so

thoroughly that they would have gone

through all the guys that are available. If

I think of one or two names, theres Paul

Stirling from Ireland. Hes a very aggressivebatsman and hes done consistently well. In

the Dutch team, theres a new Aussie guy

called Michael Swarz, whos a good player.

I was like any other cricketer when I was

growing up. The dream was to play Test

cricket, but you get to an age where youre

smart enough to realise whats going on.

When I nished school at 18-19, the level

of my cricket denitely wasnt good enough

to consider it as a career, so I chose another

path. I went to university because playing

Test cricket was never really a viable option.

Im over the moon with how far Ive come in

my cricket and how many opportunities the

game has presented me, so I ve got no regrets

about not playing Test cricket. Obviously,

it would have been amazing, but its notsomething I lie awake and think about. Im

just so grateful for what Ive got out of cricket.

Im very conscious of how lucky Ive been

to get a career out of cricket. And I think

that by starting so late and making my

achievements very late in my career,

really learnt to cherish them. Im like a

when Im playing at the Eden Garden

playing in my backyard, its almost the s

for me. I just love it and Im always smili

try to play with a lot of energ y all the time

I think people also relate to the underdog

from a small country and doing well.

Lee and the trusers

Ive got a terrible memory for stories

ifyou want them, go to Brett Lee. He

a book full of stories. Hell tell you e

great cricketing story you want to know

theres one I wont forget. I received an aw

halfway through a game in Essex. I w

playing because Id torn my calf. I wen

receive it, and it was a Twenty20 game

was sold out. It was on TV as well bec

there was a big screen on the side of the

As I went up, I was on crutches. Scott S

came up behind me and pulled my trou

down. In front of everyone! And becau

was on crutches, I couldnt get them bac

quickly and had to put my crutches d

rst. It was all over the show, and it was p

embarrassing. Im going to get back at

He thinks Ive forgotten, but Ill denitel

back at him. Hes got it coming from m

some stage.

Ryan ten Doeschate is a Dutch crick

who has made waves in domestic lea

around the world and represents Kol

Knight Riders in the IPL; Saurabh Smspoke to Doesc

thE fOREIGN PLAYER

40


22/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

The2012 Asia Cup in Bangladesh

was a big deal fr us. We beat

India to reach the nal and

then lst t Pakistan, a match,

feel we shuld have wn. But it was a

eartening perfrmance and we wereery satised with how we played. I think

lt f credit shuld be given t the

angladesh Premier League (BPL) frreparing us fr the Asia Cup. Earlier, big

tals, even in one-Da Internatinals,wuld daunt us. But after rutinel

hasing 150-175 in the BPL, ur plaers

ave become more condent. We have

ad a cuple f big-hitters like Tamim

qbal and Mahmudullah but, after the

PL, man mre f us have becme better

plaers in limited-vers internatinals,

including ur bwlers.

Unfortunately, I am still one of the very

few Bangladeshi cricketers with contracts

in the Indian Premier League. There are

many others in Bangladesh who could well

be a part of the IPL. The conditions in In dia

are similar to the conditions in Bangladesh

and the players who have done well in the

BPL should do well in the IPL too. That willalso be good for the Bangladeshi players,

because the IPL is such a great tournamen t,

which provid e a great plat form for young

cricketers. It prepares young cricketers for

the world. I have personally gained a lot

from playing in the IPL.

CaN dO wiTh mOrE

BaNgladEShiS iN iPlB sb a hn

At the same time,

while contract s with

IPL teams would be

great for Bangladeshi

cricketers, whats

more important is

that Bangladesh come

to India for a full tour, which has never

happened. Our rst-class structure is also

not properly developed. All these things

must come together for Bangladesh cricketto improve.

Shakib Al Hasan is an allrounder with

the Bangladesh cricket team and represents

Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL; Shama

Dasgupta spoke to Shakib

bangla hero

Shakib has scored120 runs at a strikerate o 125, andtaken 23 wickets at anaverage o 16.08, in15 IPL matches so ar.

Only the 28th player inhistory of Test cricket to sc

a century and pick up wickets in an innings (in vs Pakistan) Shakib Al Ha

is known as Moyna, athe Myna bird. Naeem Isl

a teammate during his Performance Centre days, ca

up with the na

Cm

Ball

thE fOREIGN PLAYER

InDRAnIl MUKHERjEE/A

42


23/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

Having cached Suth Africa

and been the bwling cach

f the Indian team, its east sa that when it cmes t

n internatinal side, there is a clear

al and a clear cause in place, whichs nt the case when a franchise-based

eam is put together. The rst challenges

n cach faces is mulding a grup falented individuals int a talented team

with a common cause and objective aeam where the individuals understand

f the team wins, I win. This challenge is

ven greater with an IPL team.

Not that they are not keen, but they come

om disparate backgrounds with dierent

playing cultures and styles. Bringing them

together and getting them to work towards

a common cause is my rst objective.

I have always been a person who coaches

people rst and cricketers second. And this

very aspect of human nature is, perhaps,

the part of the role which interested me

the most about coaching and has probably

been my biggest takeaway from the job with

Delhi Daredevils.

Cmmunicatin is the keI suppose we all evolve with new experiences,

and one of the ways in which I have evolved

as a coach is that I realised that I had to

understand my players before I could make

ThE iPl mOThErhEN maNualB E sn

them understand me. I had to understand

them before putting my plans in front of them.

If I had gone in and tried to dictate terms, it

wouldnt have worked. I think the learning

process that I have gone through has been an

enjoyable and interesting experience for me.

Building a team is not the only challenge we

face as coaches of an IPL side, and managing

the energy of the squad is a big part of what

we do. Most will just see the money and

the glamour of the tournament, and they

accept that they are well paid, but it is also

a time of hard work and eort. Almost theentire squad arrives at the tournament in

the middle of an international or domestic

schedule, and they are already physically

and emotionally drained. With practice,

ying virtually every third day, marketing

commitments and, of course, matches, we

need to build their energy and make sure it

maintains itself throughout the eight weeks

so that we can peak in the crucial knockout

phase of the competition.

As a non-Indian coach, like so many others

in the IPL, one of the biggest problems I face

is the language barrier when it comes to the

younger Indian domestic players. At times

these youngsters are a little overawed by the

environment so, when you speak to them,

they just nod, and you dont know if you aregetting through to them. Sometimes you

have spoken to them and given instructions

and you think its gone through but it hasnt.

But, like I said before, its the job of the

coaches to make them feel comfortable. You

have to go to them and not expect them to

come to you. It can

be intimidating for

them, so, as a coach,

you have to build

a relationship with

them and make them

feel comfortable and a part of the team.

try to make a special eort to commun

with the guys who might be a bit starry-

and intimidated and, hopefully, if you made them more comfortable, they can

to their potential and become a real pa

the team.

Its funny really, but the IPL has act

been an interesting thing for India. On

tongue tw

For a oreign coaco the key chal

is to communicatthe young recrui

are not conversEnglish, says Si

thE cOAchS PERSPEctIVE

AnESH DEBIKy/GAllo IMAGES/GEtty

44


24/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

ne hand, young Indian cricketers have

rown a lot faster by rubbing shoulders with

he big stars. On the other, it has allowed

nternational cricketers to come to India

nd learn from Indians and others from the

ubcontinent and become better players in

hese conditions. A lot of foreign cricketers

want to come to India and play the IPL, and

hey are improving their skills in Indian

onditions to attract the attention of the

anchises. So what its done is it has made

fe tougher for the Indian national team.

arlier, teams would visit India once every

wo-three years and there was always a sense

f uncertainty for them when it came to

oping with the conditions. Now they are

oming every year and learning faster.

Figuring ut T20 cricketOver the past ve or six years, since we all

became a part of the IPL, the T20 format has

evolved tremendously, but I still think there

is a lot of room for growth and understanding

of the format. It is still relatively young and

the trick of the game is to be ahead of the

pack, playing in a style and manner which

others will follow. You obviously cant win

every game, but we are all trying to gure out

how best to have a winning plan, to manage

the odds and keep your winning percentage

at an acceptable level. It is an exciting time to

be involved with the format because, in manyways, we are still pioneers in its development.

I think the standard of the cricket in the

IPL has improved, for two reasons. One,

international cricketers are more used to

the conditions in India and are playing

bigger roles in matches for their teams.

Secondly, one of the biggest benets I have

seen is in the Indian youngsters, working

with the big internat ional players. To be

with and see how a Dale Steyn prepares or

a Mahela (Jayawardene) plays or observe

what Kevin P ietersen or Jacqu es Kallis does,

its made them better cricketers and helped

them be more condent about their own

ability. And they are now playing huge roles

in the outcome of matches.

In IPL-V, our attack was largely built around

a powerful pace attack and it performed very

well to take us to the top of the league table.

But not enough can be said about the role

the two relatively inexperienced spinners,

Shahbaz Nadeem and Pawan Negi, played in

our success. You play to your strengths, but we

realised that we were too unidimensional and

easy to strategise against, particularly in the

latter stages of the tournament as the wickets

started getting slower and, when we played

down south, where the wickets were dierent.

It has always fascinated me that when

T20 cricket was conceptualised and startedbecoming popular, people felt spinners

wouldnt play much of a role at all. That

theory has taken a beating. Amazingly, thats

not only true of India. In all domestic T20

competitions around the world, spinners

have come into their

own. T20 cricket is

evolving as such, and

spinners are too.

The DaredevilsdnamicsWhat I have done is put together a bluep

for what is the ideal T20 team, with

right balance and the combinationleft-handers and right-handers, for D

Daredevils. What we tried to do in

auctions this year is get the players

were missing from our plan, gure out

shortcomings and nd players who ca

rookie on the

Shahbaz Nadeeyoung let-arm s

who impressed Simgreat deal last yea

eight wickets in matches in

thE cOAchS PERSPEctIVEERIc SImONS

Out of the 23 who havecoached IPL teams until thefth season, only ve have

been Indians. Australians arethe most sought after with11, followed by ve South

Africans and two NewZealanders. Eric Simons,the Delhi Daredevilss headcoach, is a former South African

cricketer who played 23 ODIs.

Cm

Ball

MAnAn vAtSyAyAnA/A

46


25/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

he gaps in all conditions. Its important

o have the vision in place and know what

our requirements are and what role the

layers can play. There isnt much point in

uying someone who will sit on the bench

or most of the tournament. Thats the start

oint. The other challenge is managing

hese players. You have 1011 internationals

nd these are guys who would walk into

heir national sides easily. But in the IPL,

ou can play only so many of them. So its

mportant to manage them properly, keep

hem motivated. The main thing is to very

early understand what you need as a team

nd make sure you invest intelligently.

Selecting the IPL team, or the squad, is very

nteresting and unique. To start with, the

eam is run by an owner and not an association

r club members. There are various other

ynamics at play as the franchises have more

n common with football teams of the world

han conventional cricket structures. The

oach and the management team are verymuch a part of the planning process. Youll

nd the coach, the management team and

he captain working together and there will

e the senior players that you also use in the

lanning. We have a mentor and a manager

who are part of our team.

T20 leagues: the wa frwardI think the people who run the game, cricket

boards of countries and the International

Cricket Council, will have to understand

the T20 format properly and realise that the

mushrooming number of leagues around the

world are here to stay. At some point, all the

stakeholders of the game will have to sit down

and nd a solution, the right balance in terms

of how much is enough and how much is too

much. We must nd out what is the optimum

level, the right balance. Cricketers will want

to be part of the more lucrative formats,

which has to be accepted.

The stakeholders will have to put all

the issues on the table and try to nd a

solution. I dont think it is about the boards

relinquishing power or control but about

nding solutions. Ego has to be kept out of

the debate. What will make cricket a better

game, a more global game that has to be

gured out. These tournaments are going to

get bigger and better. Thats a reality cricketpeople need to embrace.

Eric Simons is a former South African

cricketer and the coach of Delhi Daredevils;

he spoke to Shama Dasgupta

The franchises have more in commonwith football teams of the world thanconventional cricket structures.

Which was the only ranchise to appoint a oreign player as

captain in the IPL's inaugural season in 2008?

Who was the frst Indian to score a

hundred in the IPL?

What innovation made an appearance in the match between Kolkata

Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals on April 23, 2009, in Cape Town?

For the ourth season in 2011, what ormat did IPL ollow ater the

group stages instead o knockouts?

Which Kenyan cricketer was signed by the Deccan Chargers or the

fth season as an Indian player because he had an Indian passport?

Who are the only bowlers to take

two hat-tricks in the IPL?

Touted as the next big thing in 2009 by Rajasthan Royals captain

Shane Warne, this bowler now works on his brothers arm ater

being shunned by Pune Warriors last year. Name him

Who replaced Lalit Modi as chairman o the IPL in 2010, ater Modi was

unceremoniously ousted rom the post owing to corruption charges?

Whom did Pune Warriors bring in as substitute or the injured

Ashish Nehra in their frst season?

Who is the only Indian to be head coach o

a ranchise in IPL 2013?

QUIZ1

3

5

7

9

2

4

6

8

10

ANSWERS ON PAGE 64

B deep v

ERIc SImONS


26/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

On the face f it, schedules in

the Indian Premier League

might nt appear t packed.During the league phase,

ach team plas 16 matches spread ver

lmst seven weeks, which cmes dwn

ne three-hur match in three das.

However, with nine teams in the fray, the

gnicant amount of additional travel and

he time needed to train and wind downfter each match eat into the match-free

ays to a great extent, making for a hectic

ournament with explosive action packed

etween the travel and the practice. In

ome ways, being the physiotherapist for an

PL franchise is a more daunting task than

managing an international side. The job is

no less high prole, but youre overseeing

the tness for a group that has wide

diversity in physical training cultures and

body attributes, and there is only a small

window i n which the pl ayers are under your

direct supervision.

But as happens so often, in adversity there

is opportunity too.

Its actually been very exciting, says

John Gloster, the former physiotherapist of

the Indian team, currently employed with

Rajasthan Royals. Its allowed us to bring

in the experienced players and have them

blend with the young kids. Experienced not

ThE PhySiO aNdThE iPl PhySiCSB sb sn

LOOKING AftER thE bOYS

just in terms of cricket played, but also with

physical training. Its actually made our job

easier, because its sort of opened up their

(the uncapped younger players) eyes to what

is expected if they want to perform and play at

international level.

Each franchise is aware that, while IPL has

to do with sport, the dollars the owners have

invested demand some form of visible return.

Winning on the eld is the only way to ensurethat and, therefore, physiotherapists and

trainers are oered all the resources they

need to help them put together a team that is

t enough to win cricket matches.

During my involvement, whatever I asked

the management for,

they got me, says

Ramji Srinivasan,

who worked with the

Mumbai Indians. They

never hesitated to

spend money on any

resources, even on diet. Any diet, from sus

other exotic food, and high-energy bars, fr

hydration liquids... the management has

amazing very, very helpful.

As Gloster puts it: We take the responsib

as a franchise, that our investments

players, that is are in good shape.

Both Gloster and Srinivasan have s

melting

The IPL not only aplayers o di

tness backgroucome together,

allows physios toas a team and

vIjAyAnAnD GUPtA/HInDUStAn tIMES vIA GEtty

50


27/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

onsiderable time with international teams

s have most physiotherapists attached

with the franchises. Together, they bring

wealth of experience. Yet, opportunities

o share ideas with one another were rare

ntil they joined the IPL. The unique

ynamics involved in handling a team, as

isparate in composition as the IPL sides

re, also offers new learning avenues to

hysiotherapists.

The global exposure in the IPL has not

nly raised the standards of the players, its

aised our standards too, says Gloster. We

et the opportunity to come together as a

ollective and bounce ideas off each other.

opens up communication pa thways.

Srinivasan had an elaborate system in

place, which could be tweaked to suit

individual needs. The range of players under

him covered perhaps the widest gamut,

with Sachin Tendulkar as the seniormost

pro, Kieron Pollard as a gifted athlete and

Ambati Rayudu as an up-and-coming player.

There are certain parameters where Rayudu

will be stronger than Pollard exibility,

for example. But, in terms of strength and

speed, Pollard is far ahead of Rayudu. So

you have to mix and match the tness needs.

Take Sachin. His needs are totally dierent

from all of the others put together.

The only ingredient needed is a proper

knowledge of players tness and injury

histories. The tness parameters for a

cricketer from Australia or South Africa

need to be regularly updated through the

year, says Srinivasan. That gives us a better

understanding of how to prepare him when

he just lands up for 45 to 60 days for the

IPL. If we know how much he has bowled,

what loads his body has taken through the

season, we can train him accordingly and do

a better job of it.

Gloster takes this a step further. As the

only foreign physiotherapist in the IPL who

is permanently based in India, Glosters

views on extending the scope of playertness are well worth listening to.

Its a great opportunity for the BCCI to

pick some of the best physiotherapists in the

country and get them to travel with a team for

the duration of the IPL, says Gloster. The local

physiotherapist will be funded by the BCCI

and will shadow the franchise physiotherapist,

and get eight weeks of experience he would

otherwise have never had. He will take

back those lessons to his association for the

following season and learn to work with

big international stars, understand their

mentalities, their idiosyncrasies.

Glosters idea has merit and is an extension

of some of the things the IPL is lauded for

opening channels between players and

providing opportunities to young Indianplayers to get international experience. Hes

just extending that advantage to the support

sta. Every year we go to the next level.

Advances are made not just on the cricketing

front with skills, but also in how we handle

players, how we train and monitor players

throughout the tournament, says Gloster.

For example, in the rst year, we modelled

ourselves on 50-over cricket, modied for a

much shorter game, but its dierent now.The way we prepare and, importantly, the

way we recover has changed. People will say,

Oh, its just 20 overs, but its not just that.

The intensity is such that its probably very

close physiologically to a 50-over match.

Srinivasan foresees even more ra

changes. In the future we may

ambidextrous cricketers, he says.

left-handed for an over and right-han

the next; bowl right-arm fast one o

and left-arm spin the next. It will b

amazing challenge, but I would love to

somebody like that to train. I havent tra

anyone (like that), so I dont know, bec

its a totally new way of looking at hu

physiology and the capacity and limitat

of it. That may be the future.

It seems a fantastic leap to imagine a fupopulated by cricketers who could giv

Gareld Sobers a run for his money, if n

absolute ability then in the variety of s

owned.

But two decades ago, it would have be

fantastic leap to think of Indians, Austra

and South Africans playing side-by-side

Someone said a long while ago you cannot go below 9.8 seconds in

100-metre run, says Srinivasan. W

happened? Humans keep evolving

pushing boundaries. Thats what will hap

in cricket a lso.

LOOKING AftER thE bOYSSAURAbh SOmANI

The way we prepare and, importantlythe way we recover has changed, sayGloster, the Rajasthan Royals physio.

Andrew Kokinos,

the Melbourne-basedtrainer of Greek origin,was the rst fully-qualiedphysical tness expert

hired for the Indian cricketteam in 1998. Prior tothat, Dr. Ali Irani was the

physiotherapist till 1997and then Dr. Ravindra Chaddhawas hired for a year.

Cm

Ball

52


28/34

ISSUE 2, APRIL 2013

Since the Indian Premier

Leagues debut seasn in 2008,

cheerleaders have been aninteresting tpic fr discussin,

nd a virtual htbed f cntrvers and

ebate. Althugh it is relativel new tndia, cheerleading riginated in the US

n the 1800s. It is a highl respected and

mpetitive phsical sprt in westernultures, with bth male and female

articipants, sme starting as earl ashe age of ve. They perform cheers,hregraphed rutines lasting frm ne

three minutes, and cmbining dance,mnastics and stunts t enliven sprts

ans. In the US, it is verseen b the United

tates Cheerleading Assciatin, and

there are natinal publicatins dedicated

t the sprt in additin t training centres

and natinal champinships. Man alittle girl dreams f being a cheerleader.

Brought in as entertainment for IPL fans

and to entice sponsors by internationalising

the franchises, the squads for the rst three

years were comprised exclusively of girls from

South Africa, Europe and the US with some

from National Football League teams like theWashington Redskins. The decision to bring

in foreigners instead of allowing Indian dance

professionals to apply for the job seemed

twofold. Very few candidates would present

themselves because of the ridicule and shame

it would bring on their family if they were to

NO dirTy

daNCiNg ThiSB ane cn

use their athletic abilities and dance training

for something like cheerleading. Secondly,

in a society not used to such entertainment

around sporting events, it was a strategy

designed to sell more tickets.

The IPL cheerleaders are traditionally

attractive and fair-skinned Caucasian girls

between the ages of 18 and 23. Although the

IPL originally did have black cheerleaders,

it is not a reality today. During season one,the British press zeroed in on the case of two

English cheerleaders, who were banned from

going on stage at a Kings XI Punjab match

and sent home by the organiser

Documents

WisdenIndia Extra Issue 2