The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : IPL selectors in a big dilemma

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Tuesday, Mar 25, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

IPL selectors in a big dilemma

V. V. Subrahmanyam

Four foreign players will have to sit out

Foreign players were bought at high value by the franchise
They will have to be paid even if they are not in the playing 11

Working out strategy: Coach Robin Singh with V.V.S. Laxman of ‘Deccan Chargers’ in Hyderabad recently. Laxman’s wife and son are also seen.

HYDERABAD: The line-ups in the high-profile Indian Premier League (beginning April 18) are a dream combination for cricket fans. Just consider this. Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya opening for Mumbai, Saurav Ganguly and Chris Gayle for Kolkata, Adam Gilchrist and Shahid Afridi or even Herschelle Gibbs for Hyderabad.

But, intricacies of the whole concept throw up some challenges to the ‘selectors’. For, in any playing 11, there cannot be more than four foreign players. This effectively means that four others who were bought at such high value by the franchise will have to sit out.

Imagine which four from the Hyderabad IPL team – Andrew Symmonds, Adam Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs, Scott Styris, Nuwan Zoysa, Chamara Silva and Chaminda Vaas – can be made to sit out of the 11 if all of them are available? Deccan Chargers captain V. V. S. Laxman may have faced the best of the bowling attacks with ease, but this is a huge dilemma which he will find it difficult to handle along with his coach Robin Singh.

Availability

“Essentially, the reason for the eight players is there is no guarantee that all of them will be available,” Vijay Mohan Raj, Manager of the Deccan Chargers team, says.

Another interesting revelation is that any number of the foreign players in the IPL league will have to be paid if they feature in any of the matches (even though not in the playing 11), apart from the huge sums for which they were bid in the auction. And, if they are not available, they will not be paid anything.

We all know the hefty amounts being paid – Symmonds ( US $1350000), Gilchrist ($700000) and Afridi ($ 675000) - is for a three-year contract with a difference.

This amount is for one year and with a contractual obligation on behalf of the cricketer to be with the franchise for three years. It effectively means players will have to be paid these amounts every year and the franchise has the right to ‘trade’ them off if there is demand.

If the crowd response to ICL of Essel Group is any indication, then IPL too should be a huge hit with the crowds!

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