Royal Challengers can do well: Boucher and Kallis

Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher, two of the best cricketers that South Africa has ever produced, are excited about playing in the Indian Premier League, which starts on April 18. Kallis and Boucher, who are both part of the Bangalore Royal Challengers franchise, said they have had a chat with coach Venkatesh Prasad and skipper Rahul Dravid about their plans for the IPL.

Boucher, arguably the best wicket keeper-batsman in the game currently, told Cricinfo that the discussions have picked up intensity after the end of the three-Test match series between India and South Africa that ended in a 1-1 draw. "We spoke to Venkatesh Prasad (the coach of Royal Challengers) the other day and spoke to Rahul (Dravid) on Monday night," Boucher said. "It is difficult to discuss things when we guys are competing with each other in a Test series. So we kept it formal on the field but now the chats are going on and it is exciting," he added.

Kallis and Boucher also refuted the suggestion that their age and reputation as Test players would affect their performance in the IPL. While Kallis is of the opinion that they have adjusted to different formats of the game throughout their careers and it is a question only of changing one's mindset, Boucher said the Royal Challengers team has a few tricks up their sleeves. The team has a host of good Test players in the team, but there have been concerns raised over their combined ability to play in the shortest format of the game.

Kallis, who was recently named Cricketer of the Year 2007 by Wisden, also said it is easier to go from Test cricket to one-day cricket. "It is probably easier to go from Test cricket to one-day cricket than it is the other way around. We are looking forward to some exciting cricket," Kallis said.

On his part, Boucher said that it's actually an advantage for Bangalore Royal Challengers to have a team made up of good Test players, adding that if a player can play Test cricket, he can play any form of the game. Boucher also said he would himself opt for a mix of players who can play through the innings as opposed to a team that is made up of players who only play slam-bang cricket. "I would rather have a couple of guys who can see off the new ball and post a competitive total than have guys who can smack the ball out of the park and also get out," Boucher said.

The Royal Challengers had bought Kallis for US$ 900,000 and Boucher for US$450,000 during the players' auction in February. Both played the three-Test series in India that ended on Sunday and were cleared to play for the IPL after they were dropped from their domestic teams for the Standard Bank Pro20 tournament in South Africa.

To a query whether the ICC should create a window for IPL in the international calendar, Boucher said Twenty20 cricket creates finance for the ICC, but it is ultimately left up to the fans to decide.

BCCI, CA set to clash again?

Although Cricket Australia is yet to confirm player participation in the IPL, top BCCI sources told TOI on Tuesday that Aussie players are really keen to turn up following the postponement of Australia’s tour to Pakistan because of the Lahore blasts. "A player like Andrew Symonds, for example, was auctioned for $1.35 million and would understandably be keen to play," said a source, adding, "Nothing is official as yet. But Australian cricketers should be available for IPL during the league phase. "Later on, if Australia are touring West Indies, their players can get back to playing for their national team. But we are not going to request them to send their players. Their cricketers know that IPL is important and exciting." The franchisees who have have paid big sums, though, are not amused at CA’s stance. Team Bangalore, for example, has signed up Nathan Bracken, who will not be a part of the Aussie Test team and hence could play the full duration of the IPL, given that the ODIs against West Indies only start in mid-June. Charu Sharma of the franchise told TOI: "This unwillingness on CA’s part to not readily commit to IPL is just an attempt to downplay the importance of the league. They want to be seen as a board which is not too keen on paying special attention to IPL. They also don’t want to appear greedy, maybe. "Playing a Twenty20 league in India would be better preparation than a staid conditioning camp, I think. But it’s CA’s prerogative. We are hopeful of Bracken turning up." Former board president and IPL governing council member I S Bindra said that the IPL’s success was "not dependent on Aussies alone". He added: "Sutherland’s comments are an internal matter, but they have to weigh whether they will reasonably benefit by refusing to send their players. If they come, fine. Otherwise, IPL won’t miss them. The Aussies will simply miss out."

SRK is doing whatever it takes to promote team

Shah Rukh Khan obviously does not believe in too much of a good thing. With just days to go before the IPL series, King Khan is getting all the branding behind his Kolkata Knight Riders team in place.
"Ready or not here we come," is what the Badshah of Bollywood has to say.
The actor who's been seen here, there and everywhere promoting his IPL team is making sure all his tie-ups are in place right before the series kicks off.
So thanks to a jewellery brand, SRK will be giving away gold helmets weighing over six kilograms to the Man of the Match and another tiny helmet with 1,500 encrusted diamonds will be auctioned for charity.
However, marketing gimmicks aside, SRK is actually not as cool as he looks about his new venture.
"Itna paisa lagaya hain, obviously main toh main worry toh karoonga. (I have put in so much money, obviously I will worry). You just have to give your best," says he philosophically.
So is King Khan scared of competition from other teams?
"Yes, I am very scared," pat comes the candid reply.
And being part of the Kolkata brigade Shah Rukh couldn't help but pick up some Bengali too.
This is what he had to say to the viewers celebrating the Bengali New Year, "Shubho Nobho varsha." (Happy New Year)
Shah Rukh Khan obviously believes in doing whatever it takes