Kevin O'Brien - Why didn't any of the IPL Franchises pick him?

It remains a big mystery as to why Kevin O'Brien, with his big hitting and powerful stroke play, failed to strike a chord with any of the IPL franchises, during the auctions for Season 5.

Why didn't any of the IPL franchises find favor with Kevin O'Brien
 at the 2012 auctions for Season 5, incidentally held in Bangalore,
the same place where O'Brien set his record against England
of the fastest World Cup century , a year ago

Did the franchises simply develop amnesia about the unbelievable innings that O'Brien played at Bangalore against England during ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, where he scored the fastest century ever seen in any World Cup, in just 50 deliveries? After all, it was his innings which allowed underdogs Ireland to win the game when the odds on an Irish win in the game were placed at 400-1.

Enjoy a short clip of Kevin O'Brien getting to his century, 

in the match against England during World Cup 2011 in Bangalore

Enjoy complete highlights of the same match

 against England in Bangalore during World Cup 2011

O'Brien himself was quite keen on playing in the IPL (well, who wouldn't!) and had expressed his keenness about the same rather openly. His base price too remained rather on the lower side at $50,000 only. The very fact that he still did not get picked remains a huge surprise, which only the franchises themselves can clear the air about.

After all, when one looks at his entire swashbuckling and colorful personality (in quite a literal sense, with his dyed hair!), one simply gets the feeling that he is a perfect match for the IPL; one which IPL fans in India - and indeed around the world, would simply LOVE to watch!

Who wouldn't want to see that colorful personality in the IPL?
IPL fans DEFINITELY would!

Moreover, the franchises should remember that O'Brien is an all rounder, almost as proficient with the ball as he is well known to be with the ball. So in that sense, O'Brien would certainly prove to be an excellent investment who would proffer excellent returns on investment.

Kevin O'Brien the bowler - yes the man can be just as
lethal with the ball, as he is with the bat!

Also, the on-field histrionics of Kevin O'Brien have been proven very well, both before and after the 2011 World Cup game against England and his historic innings in it. For instance, in the previous edition of the World Cup in 2007, O'Brien had a crucial role to play in the game against Pakistan, which saw the latter crashing out of the tournament (which also eventually led to the mysterious death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer). In the same World Cup, O'Brien played a pivotal role in the tied game against Zimbabwe as well, this time with the ball where he bowled a wicket maiden in the penultimate over.

The unbelievable upset in 2007 ICC World Cup, summarized in the above picture.
While Kevin's brother Niall won MoM, Kevin himself had a key role to play in the match 

As far as O'Brien's performance after his match winning historic knock against England in 2011 is concerned, that too has been absolutely stellar, with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club gladly signing him on to play for them. 

Yet again, Kevin O'Brien proved his mettle as a powerful stroke maker, this time with a century against Middlesex which came off just 52 deliveries (for his entire innings of 119 runs and not just to get to three figures, which he did in even less deliveries). Mind you, this was a T20 game - the same format as the IPL.

Kevin O'Brien acknowledges the crowd after completing his century
against Middlesex, in a T20 game - the same format of the IPL

After all this, to see Kevin O'Brien not being picked up by any of the IPL franchises for Season 5 is certainly shocking as well as extremely disappointing. The crowds would certainly have loved to see him play and at his base price, he would have proven to be complete value for money.

C'mon IPL Franchises - we want to see more such
scenes - and we are sure so do you!

Let's just hope from here on that better sense prevails and we eventually do get to see Kevin O'Brien play in the IPL in Season 6 in 2013. With speculation being rife about a possible IPL team from Gujarat - Season 6 onwards, Kevin O'Brien might just be basking in the fragrance of Khushboo Gujarat Ki, although he will have to firmly leave behind any dreams of celebrating his big knocks with a huge swig of Guinness or even a small swirl of Bailey's Irish Cream, due to a prohibition ruling being strictly enforced in the state!

Vodafone - Whatever happened to the Zoozoos?

Looking at the silly and senseless set of ads which Vodafone has come out with in Season 5 of the IPL, one can't help but wonder, whatever happened to the Zoozoos?

Viewers loved them, with many of them looking forward to the IPL on television, as much for cricket as for the Zoozoos!

In fact, the Zoozoos set off such a buzz in town that soon, there was a slew of merchandise out there, all pertaining to the Zoozoos, be it Zoozoo caps, t-shirts, pens, pencils, bags, inflatable toys and other items with a wider appeal to the young and old alike.

Against such a backdrop, it seems really very hard to fathom as to why would Vodafone completely drop the Zoozoo ads in favor of the rather silly, baseless, and apparently senseless ads which it has been running in Season 5?

Perhaps taking a look at some of the ads which Vodafone has come out with in IPL Season 5 (2012) will give you good insights into what is being spoken about - as you will clearly note, they are a far cry from the intelligent, humorous and highly creative Zoozoo ads which it had been showcasing in previous seasons of the IPL.

Vodafone India Toy Collector VStore Apps Commercial

Vodafone India Sumo Wrestlers Music Internet Commercial

Vodafone India Snakes Gaming Apps Commercial

Vodafone India Rats Recharge on the Go Commercial

                               Vodafone India Chicken Penguins Faster Browsing Commercial

Shouldn't the folks at Vodafone have concentrated on creating far more creative, entertaining and engaging advertisements, than the boring ones seen above? In fact, in most of the ads showcased above, it seems like an impossible proposition, even to gauge what exactly is being conveyed in them.

 

They are indeed a sharp contrast to the Zoozoo ads which ran during previous seasons of the IPL. Just to refresh your memory, some of those iconic Zoozoo ads are showcased below. Enjoy!

Vodafone India Zoozoo Muscle Super Weeks Commercial

Vodafone India Zoozoo Push Ups Super Weeks Commercial

Vodafone India Zoozoo UFO Alien 3G Teaser Commercial

                                       Vodafone India Zoozoo Cricket Super Week Commercial

                                                   Vodafone India 3G Super Commercial

As you can clearly see in the above Zoozoo ads, they are easily a class apart from the Vodafone ads which are being showcased in Season 5 of the IPL (2012). Wonder what got to Vodafone, to be showcasing such terrible ads!

Just hope that better sense prevails...maybe some heads roll in the Marketing Department or in the ad agency - and we can see the adorable Zoozoos again!

Amen!

Pakistanis at the IPL

So did you think that post IPL 2008, or the first, inaugural season of the IPL, no Pakistanis have been a part of this highly prestigious tournament?

Shahrukh Khan in Shoaib Akhtar's lap and arms ;-) -
When will we see such "goose-bumping" scenes again?

Well, you're wrong in case you have been thinking so.

Accordingly, let us look at some of the impeccable Pakistanis who have rendered their invaluable contribution to the IPL and made it that much more of a success in so many myriad ways.

 

Wasim Akram

By far one of the best genuine fast bowlers that the game of cricket has ever seen, Wasim Akram continues to offer his services as the bowling coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Under his guidance, bowlers like Lakshmipathy Balaji and James Pattinson as well as all rounders like Shakib Al Hasan and Yusuf Pathan have been able to hone their bowling skills tremendously. Of course, when you have a team which also boasts of other bowling stalwarts like Brett Lee and Jacques Kallis, you clearly have a formidable side at hand that is showcasing a level of performance in Season 5 which was not seen in previous seasons of the IPL.

A combined picture of Wasim Akram giving invaluable tips to
Brett Lee and Yusuf Pathan respectively, during nets

On the whole, it is quite clear that Wasim Akram's contribution to the team has been truly exemplary. After all, he comes to the fore with nearly 20 years of experience in the international cricketing arena, having debuted in 1984 in both Tests and ODIs, and then retiring from Tests and ODIs in 2002 and 2003, respectively.

He can therefore clearly advise and guide the team on so many different facets of the game, beyond just bowling alone. After all, in his time, Akram was also known as one of the most powerful strikers of the ball, especially in crunch situations where big hitting was the need of the hour.

 

Azhar Mahmood

This is a slightly tricky one, when we consider the fact that Mahmood now has a British passport and is a Britisher for all official purposes.

But clearly that does not take away his "Pakistani-ness", especially when we look back at the spectacular contribution that he has made over these years to his (former) national side.

With regard to the IPL, it is so visibly apparent that Mahmood has made a huge difference as far as the Kings XI Punjab team is concerned. Prior to his arrival on the scene, Kings XI Punjab clearly seemed to be lacking a genuine all rounder who could play a sheet anchor's role with both the bat and the ball.

Azhar Mahmood during the post match presentation of the encounter
against RCB in Bangalore on 02 May 2012 where he won MoM  

In Mahmood, the team has easily found the magician with the magic wand that it had been waiting for all along. Also, with his arrival, Preity can flash her one-in-a-billion, dimpled smile, much more frequently now!

Yes, Preity, we sure love that bedazzling S-M-I-L-E of yours,
which you have more reasons to flash, with Azhar Mahmood in your team now! 

 

Rameez Raja

One of the most impeccable commentators of the IPL, Rameez Raja packs an absolute punch when it comes to fulfilling all his media commitments.

For instance, in spite of the slight Punjabi twang in his speech, he is legible and clear with every word that he utters.

Also, he has a truly formidable personality which is clearly visible to one and all, when he is physically present in person on the field. Instances would include during the toss, interviews between matches as well as the post match presentation.

Rameez (extreme left) at the toss, during the DD-CSK encounter
at Feroze Shah Kotla in Delhi

On the whole, clearly he is in a league of his own when it comes to delivering faultless commentary and/or anchoring, whenever his duties are sought during any of the IPL matches.

 

Asad Rauf

Asad Rauf may never have had a go at playing for his country at an International level but that has not made an iota of difference as far as his umpiring skills at the IPL are concerned.

Asad Rauf in a playful mood during IPL 2012

In any case, Rauf is enlisted on the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires, which by itself is a clear indication of the high standards of umpiring which Rauf brings with him. Moreover, he has had extensive experience as an umpire, having started officiating as an umpire in ODIs for more than a decade now, starting February 2000, in addition to the more relevant five years of experience that he has had as an umpire in international T-20 matches.

Having looked at the formidable contribution of these 4 Pakistani stalwarts of the game, to the IPL, one can't help but wonder as to why the other Pakistani cricket team members - both past and present, can't be given a chance to play in the IPL.

Today we see players from all parts of the cricketing world, be it Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka or South Africa, making their presence felt in the IPL in a really big way. In such a scenario, the absence of Pakistani stalwarts of the game, be it Shahid Afridi or Shoaib Akhtar, is not just a monetary loss to those individuals, it is an even bigger loss to the entire cricketing fraternity, particularly the audience which turns up in millions in front of their televisions sets, as well as braves a multiplicity of odds, to watch IPL matches live at cricket grounds in India.

Shahid Afridi playing for DC, celebrating the dismissal of Misbah-ul-Haq of RCB
in his trademark style, in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008.
How long will we have to wait to see such magnificent scenes again?

These ardent fans of the game are simply being robbed of the unbelievable opportunity they could have of seeing their favorite cricketing heroes from India, be it Sachin Tendulkar or Mahendra Singh Dhoni, rub shoulders with the likes of Shahid Afridi or Shoaib Akhtar - ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE FENCE, would you believe that?

Hope some day the selectors, the team managements, as well as the all powerful IPL Core Committee (essentially and effectively the BCCI) realize their folly and allow Pakistani players to be a part of the IPL. After all, who can forget the invaluable contribution of Sohail Tanvir in the inaugural edition of the IPL, where he took the most wickets (and therefore got the Purple Cap), proving to be one of the most valuable players of the tournament, considering his base price of a mere $100,000.

Sohail Tanvir with the Purple Cap that he won
at the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008

Note: The author of this post is a highly patriotic Indian who at the same time feels that long term peace and prosperity in the entire South Asian region lies in living peacefully and harmoniously between all nations, India and Pakistan included. In that spirit, he also feels that IPL certainly offers an unparalleled platform for showcasing and ensuring cordial co-existence between these two glorious nations, which should be taken advantage of to the maxim, instead of ignoring Pakistani players altogether.

SMS/Mobile Based Promotions - Excellent Way to Market & Promote the IPL

Halfway through Season 5 of DLF IPL 2012, what seemed like a lackluster response from the public has suddenly turned gung ho.

Stadiums are packed and there is invariably a clamor for seats. Of course certain oddities do stand out like the entire section which remains empty at the Chepauk in Chennai, as that portion has been deemed unfit for the public by the administrators.

This section of the Chepauk remains perpetually empty 

At the same time, there is certainly scope for a whole lot more as far as marketing and promotion of the entire event is concerned.

In particular, the event organizers and management seem to have completely failed to realize the potential of SMS or Mobile based interactivity which can be had, throughout the IPL.

For instance, there can be competitions held over the mobile networks, with attractive prizes in store for all respondents. As an instance, in order to encourage viewers on television to watch the DLF IPL on their television sets, why not have quizzes held during the matches - while they are being broadcast?

SMS / Mobile based competitions can take audience interactivity
and overall viewership of the IPL to an all new level

These SMSes anyway tend to have premium rates in the order of at least INR 3 for each message. Even a very modest response of 100,000 for each question will generate a gross revenue of INR 3,00,000. Given the millions of mobile subscribers in the country, of course actual responses will be so many more!

In lieu, cash prizes to the tune of say INR 1,00,000 (one lakh), INR 50,000 (fifty thousand), and INR 25,000 (twenty five thousand) can easily be doled out to three lucky winners. And in spite of these prizes, the organizers and everyone else concerned will end up making significant profits.

And as far as the ultimate aim of ensuring viewership on television is concerned, that will definitely be achieved.

That said, cash prizes are always encouraged since they are most preferred by potential winners. A meeting with their favorite cricketing heroes might seem great but eventually there is precious little other than memories and photographs that are left behind. When cash prizes are given out, there is a lot more which can be achieved and the desire to participate will be that much higher.

The same can be done for spectators coming to watch the match LIVE at cricket grounds; since every ticket has a specific number, 3 numbers can be drawn at random for attractive cash prizes, given to those lucky ticket holders. The prize winners can be announced at the same post-match presentation which is held at the end of each match - and their prizes given out right there. This will in turn also ensure that more and more spectators present at the grounds remain inside right till the end of the match, including the post-match presentation. Otherwise, we find just too many spectators leaving, as soon as a match concludes, especially if the home side has lost.

Attractive prizes can be given to lucky spectators
which will easily boost their numbers in a big way 

Overall, these relatively simple ways can easily go a long way as far as promoting the IPL is concerned. Logistics for these competitions should not be an issue, given the fact that there are umpteen third party entities who can easily be given the charge. Money should also definitely not be an issue, with the cart loads of cash which the BCCI is sitting on, plus the fact that separate sponsors can easily be roped in for all such competitions.

The only fervent hope remains that at least someone in the BCCI or the IPL Governing Council is actually listening to these suggestions.

Why no team from Gujarat in the IPL?

If Pune can have its own IPL team, it is difficult to fathom as to why  the state of Gujarat doesn't have its own IPL team.

After all, there are so many players in the Indian national side who hail from Gujarat - there is Munaf Patel from the village of Ikhar in Bharuch district and of course there are the famed Pathan brothers - Irfan and Yusuf, from Baroda.

Munaf Patel comes from the nondescript village of Ikhar,
in Bharuch District of Gujarat 

Moreover, what is intriguing is the fact that Gujarat has so many industrialists and enough business houses and High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) who can easily afford to own an IPL team. Names that particularly come to mind include the Adani Group, founded by Gautam Adani as well as the Nirma Group, founded by Dr. Karsanbhai Patel.

Gautam Adani, Founder of Adani Group. He can certainly afford
to own an IPL Team from Gujarat, can't he?

They are both very well capable of owning IPL teams of their own, as are probably hundreds and thousands of other business houses across the state.

As far as infrastructure is concerned, that too is not a problem in Gujarat. On the contrary, on many fronts,  Gujarat perhaps has one of the best infrastructure setups in the country. In case you have any doubts about this claim, one look at cities like Gandhinagar should easily put them to rest.

Superb Infrastructure and Town Planning
as seen in Gandhinagar, Gujarat

Connectivity with other parts of the country is also not an issue. Ahmedabad, Baroda, Rajkot, Surat...they are all very well connected by air with other parts of the country, including direct flights.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad -
Connecting all major domestic and international destinations

And with regard to cricketing infrastructure, again it is quite a surprise that there is no IPL team from Gujarat, when the state is otherwise a very popular venue for test matches as well as One Day Internationals. Among the latter, a big match which was played fairly recently in the state was the India-Australia Quarter Final of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, at the Sardar Patel Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Sardar Patel Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad

Taking all of these factors into consideration, it seems rather surprising that there is no team in the IPL from Gujarat.

Agreed that there were the Ahmedabad Rockets in the Indian Cricket League (ICL) but now that ICL is defunct and history, all that matters is the IPL and therefore a team from Gujarat should certainly be there in it.

How about the 'Amdavadi Dhoklas'? Or the 'Surat Diamonds'?

Certainly such a team is on the anvil, as far as the state of Gujarat is concerned.

But are any of the business houses in the state (or any other prospective team owners) listening?

Most importantly, is Mr. Narendra Modi listening? Or do you think he couldn't care less?

Mr. Narendra Modi - Are you Listening?

If we go by the ownership trend for existing IPL teams, we find that they need not even belong to that place, in order to own an IPL team from a particular place. That being the case, does no one out there see merit in the fact that there should definitely be an IPL team from Gujarat?