Finally Kochi IPL is back in the picth !

After lots of uncertianity around the ownership shares, an almost lost Kochi IPL team is back into the field for IPL season 4. Today BCCI approved Kochi IPL offcially and annouced that Kochi IPL will be one among the 8 teams contesting for the IPL 4 cup in 2011. Hats of to all promoters and supports who really worked hard behind the scene to make it happen..

Just like the way it rose from ,wish Kochi IPL to emerge as the final winner of IPL 4..

Shashi Tharoor batting for Kerala again?

Shashi Tharoor attended Kochi IPL team meeting last week at Thiruvananthapuram. He sat only for few minutes in the begining and requested all polictical parties in Kerala to support for Kochi IPL.


Good news is Shashi Tharoor is still batting for Kochi IPL eventhogh it costed him the minister's chair!

Shashi Tharoor quits and Sunanda Pushkar surrenders

Shashi Tharoor quits his poistion as External affairs minister and Sunandha Pushkar surrendered back her sweet shares. Loss and Loss for both. Hopefully Kochi IPL row ends here and we can see the team playing for IPL 2011.

Do not worry Mr. Tharoor. You are worth much more this position. You come back to Kerala, invest in Kochi Cobras and be part of the team and make millions and then all politicians will come behind you begging.

Congress likely to play safe - Tharoor may have to resign

Today nights discusion with PM will decide the future of Shashi Tharoor's Political career. Sources learnt that Congress is not convinced with Tharoor's explanation and will try for a compromise by forcing him to make Sunanda given back her 18% share in Kochi IPL. If Tharoor failes to convince Sunanda, he may have to quit !

Shashi Tharoor may not have thought even in dreams that his involvement in the IPL bidding will cost him his political career!

Lalit Modi is also not spared. His attempt to bring more transparency back fired and Income Tax authorities will scutinise the ownership of every other teams.

I'm still optimistic and belive strongly that Kochi IPL team will emerge strongly and will filed for 2011 IPL

Tharoor – Modi rage – sliding bad to worse

Kochi IPL controversy is going worse, the latest being the death threats for Tharoor.

Being a die hard cricket fan and also a Keralite, I'm still backing Shashi Tharoor. Without his timely coordination and involvement, IPL would have been only in dreams for Kerala. I'm not bothered if Tharoor has any financial plans behind his actions, he certainly made it to bring the IPL to his own state even though majority of share holders are not from Kerala. There goes a great effort from Tharoor. Even if Tharoor is in for money, we should not neglect the fact that Kerala will get maximum benefit from IPL. Kochi will get a facelift with more international recognition and Kerala players will be rubbing shoulders with Tendulkars, Gibbs and Gilchrists.

Modi may be right is tweeting the names shareholders, but then he has to tweet for all teams and all shareholders. God only Knows, who has shares in which all teams – may be even the underworld Dons ill be in the list. Sometimes, Modi's intentions may be bad , who knows he want to take out IPL out of Kochi and grant to another state for his own personal benefit.

Anyway, I'm with Tharoor, only because he brought it to Kerala – the IPL!

Shashi Tharoor's role slowly getting revealed

IPL commissioner Lait Modi's latest statements said that Tharoor asked him not to enquire about the share holders of Kochi IPL team. Makes sense for us to believe that Tharoor has personal interests to bring together a group of people and bid and win IPL team for Kerala. Also, the latest rumor is that Tharoor's friend, Sunanda, who he is going to marry, has 19% share of 25% free stake of Rendezvous. 

I'm not against Tharoor, he has done a wonderful job of bringing together potential buyers and bid and win an IPL team from kerala, in a very short time.  But, if he has used any of his power as Union Minister, then it is going to be controversy.

Anyway, when big people are involved and when huge money is involved, there will be always controversies. Lets hope that Kerala will be in the field for IPL 2011 !

Lalit Modi tweeted in reply to Kochi IPL teams complaint - Revealed names of stake holders

Lalit Modi revealed that some share of Kochi IPL team belongs to a close friend of Sasi Tharoor. In the midst of all the controversy surrounding the Kochi franchise, IPL commissioner Lalit Kumar Modi revealed the ownership of the Kochi IPL team.

Modi's tweeted " 25% of Kochi team is given free to Rendezvous sports for life. Other shareholders are:  Rendezvous 1%, Anchor 27%, Parinee 26%, Film Waves Combine 12%, Anand Shyam 8%, Vivek Venugopal 1%. Rendezvous free sharef 25% is held by Kisan, Shailender and Pushpa Gaikwad, Sunanda Pushkar, Puja Gulathi, Jayant Kotalwar, Vishnu Prasad, Sundip Agarwal."

Rendezvous Consortium against Lalit Modi

Kerala IPL team s planning to complain BCCI against Lait Modi for spreading undesired news about the ownership and allegations about Kerala IPL team. Lalit Modi reportedly said to media that there are plans to include some other owners also for Kerala IPL team and hence the delay in signing the agreements. However, after long hours of discussions till 1 AM in the midnight on April 10th, BCCI signed the agreement and made it clear that the Kerala IPL team is official. 

Kochi IPL team official today

Vivek Venugopal of Rendezvous Sports signed the franchisee agreement of Kochi IPL team with Lalit Modi at ITC Royal Guard, Bangalore today. Good news for all cricket lovers that the ownership controversies ended and group is looking forward to bag top players in the next auction

Kochi IPL team agreement to be signed tomorrow

Earlier allegations about 25% sale of Kochi IPL shares is overruled after BCCI examined the documents submitted by Rendezvous Consortium today. IPL Commissioner is going to sign the ochi IPL franchisee tomorrow.

Some vested interests from Gujarat is behind the foul play and alegations.

Sreesanth fined 9000 US $ for bad conduct in yesterday's IPL match against Rajasthan Royals

Yet another reason to re-think whether to include this 'Gentleman' in Kerala IPL team !

Kings XI Punjab fast bowler Sreesanth has been fined 9,000 dollars for showing 'dissent' at an umpire's decision during their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Rajasthan Royals Wednesday. "Sreesanth has been fined for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. Sreesanth pleaded guilty to a level 1 offence which relates to showing dissent at an umpire's decision," IPL said in a statement.

The incident took place in the third over of the Rajasthan Royals innings when Sreesanth was twice no-balled and was hit by Michael Lumb for a four in the free-hit. This infuriated the bowler who first clapped at Lumb and then at the umpires.

Match referee Srinivas Venkataraghavan fined Sreesanth 20 percent (USD 9,000) of his match fee for the offence.

Oh man, 20% is 9000 US$ ! , then one match fee for him 45000 US$ , which is approximately 20 Lakhs Indian Rupees !

IPL is really raining money , making every player crorepatis !!!

Asin will be the crowd puller for Kochi IPL team

Latest news is that famous actress Asin will be the brand ambassador for Kochi IPL team. Asin Thottumkal, malayalee actress from Kerala , the bold and beautiful will be definitely the crowd puller in Kerala's matches and motivator for youngsters in the team. The other day, I was watching her interview in the television, she is so bold and frank and has very good focus and vision on her job, she will definitely be able to boost the team's spirit with her positive attitude.

http://www.asinonline.com/

Sahara eying Sachin Tendulkar for Pune team's captain

Sahara group wish Sachin to captain Pune IPL team for 2011 and also Bachan family to support the team. I don't think Sachin will be inclined to whatever offer Sahara make. He is one of the decent players in this period and already captaining Mumbai Indians in great form. He must have earned enough by now and now only money doesn't matter for him. Ambani will never let him go so easily ! Is there any promising players from Pune who can take the responsibility?

Sreesanth failed to make it to the World Cup T20 squad

As expected, Sreesanth failed to make it to the World Cup T20 squad. It is not at all a surprise for me and I'm sure most of the malayalees out there agree. He has been in indian squad for so long because of his luck and his parents prayers.

I never got fascinated by his bowling, he used to be expensive and noballs and wides are plenty during his spell. He was so arrogant in early days, and always boast of his abilities in interviews. I lost my interest towards him after seeing some interviews in TV where his parents were claiming that India won the first T20 world cup only because of Sreesanth took that misbah's catch. All of you know must have see that match, that catch was not so difficult that any player would have taken it easily!

I'm sure Sree is not that sad, he got clean bowled by her already! See pictures below.
A picture worth 1000 words !!!

Who Should be the Captain of Kerala IPL team?

My first choice will be Sachin Tendulkar , but impossible to get him.
He is in his top form playing for Mumbai Indians , also Sahara group is running behind him to grab him as Pune Captain, so we can forget that option for time being.


Who is next ? Brian Lara ?  He will be the next best I can say , or Ricky Ponting


My selection will be Brian Lara, if he is available than Ricky.
Who will be your selection?

Any Guess about Name?

I'm too optimistic !
I have chosen the name Kochi Cobras
It makes sense..
Cobras are plenty there, including King Cobras !!
Also, its very common to see drunkards, whom we call 'snakes', anywhere, anytime !
Now you tell me.. will it make sense to name the team Kochi Cobras ??

Also, there are rumours that Kochi Tuskers or Kerala Tuskers may be the name.
Well, this also makes sense in the way that Kerala has lots of Elephants and one of the cheapest brand of liquor is named 'tusker'

Do you have any names to suggest?

Well, Kerala too grabbed a slot in the money minting IPL Cricket !

Hats off to Shashi Tharoor and directors of the newly formed Rendezvous Sports club for winning the bid for Kerala... Its is the biggest gift for all mallu cricket fans across the planet. Hats of to you guys !!


So far, kerala has produced only two national playes , Aby Kuruvilla and Sreeshanth , both of them are fast bowlers. There were many deserving one left behind because of bad luck , like Anantha Padmanabhan. Now, this entry of Mallus in IPL 2011 will provid a platform for many youngsters from kerala to prove and get noticed by national selectors.


IPL will bring many benefits for kerala. I'm trying to list them in the order of benefits

1. More Kerala players gets chance to play and get selected to nional team
2. At least 10 matches will be played in Kerala.
3. More Malayalees can see live matches
4. More peple travel to kerala to see matches live
5. More Travel and Hotel booking, More business
6. More tourism opportunities