World Cup heartache fades as fresh IPL innings begins

The Indian Premier League trophy

New Delhi/Kolkata, April 7 (IANS)

The dust is yet to settle over the disappointment of India's flop World Cup title defence but deluge of more action is about to start as the Indian Premier League (IPL), with its heady cocktail of cricket, money and glamour, begins its eighth edition on Wednesday.

All the eight franchises have a revamped look after conducting brisk business with 67 players sold overall at Rs. 87,60,00,000 – 24 among them being foreigners.

Last season's wooden-spooners Delhi Daredevils made the biggest noise in bidding when they bagged Indian team discard Yuvraj Singh for a whopping Rs. 16 crore.

They backed up the acquisition with expensive buys of seasoned star Sri Lankan Angelo Mathews and Indian bowling duo of Zaheer Khan and Amit Mishra.

But other franchises were not too far behind in spending, even though they weren't as desperate to overhaul their line-up as the Daredevils, who finished at the bottom of the standings last season.

Royal Challengers Bangalore, another team yet to win the tournament, dished out Rs. 10.5 crore to bag wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik adding more meat to the rampaging batting trio of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Kings Xi Punjab also splashed cash to bring aboard New Zealander Trent Boult, Australian Aaron Finch and Kings Xi Punjab's Murali Vijay.

Hyderabad, however, will be considerably weakened after the untimely pull-out of Kevin Pietersen, with the former England batsman deciding to play English county cricket to salvage his international career.

All eyes will be on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who will kickstart their title defence against the formidable Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener at the Eden Gardens here on the morrow.

The final is slated for May 24.

The title holders' build-up to the tournament was marred by a controversy surrounding the availability of their premier spinner West Indies' Sunil Narine.

They had to wait till the 11th hour to confirm the availability of the bowler, who was till recently suspended from bowling by the International Cricket Council (ICC) due to a suspect bowling action and had to undergo a biomechanical test, on the insistence of the BCCI, before being given the green light to play.

Two-time champions Chennai Super Kings have re-signed veteran Australian batsman Michael Hussey, who spent six seasons there before moving to Mumbai for a season. But a lot of attention will be on Kiwi Brendon McCullum, particularly after his stupendous World Cup form.

India batsman Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians, one of only two sides to have achieved the IPL-and-Champions League Twenty20 double, possess a squad rich on experience with proven performers like West Indian Kieron Pollard, India's Harbhajan Singh, Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga and Australia's World Cup-winning hero Aaron Finch.

Kings XI Punjab also have experience in plenty with batting dashers Virender Sehwag, Glenn Maxwell and pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson, each capable of singlehandedly winning matches.

Rajasthan Royals' penchant for turning the heat on their more fancied opponents remains their strength. They have, true to their wont, silently assembled a strong team boasting of three members of the Australian World Cup winning side – skipper Shane Watson, Steven Smith and all-rounder James Faulkner - as also New Zealand pacer Tim Southee.

While the wisdom of holding a gruelling 46-day tournament just on the heels of a punishing World Cup campaign can be questioned, the cricketers (both home-grown and overseas) as well as the Board of Control in India (BCCI) administrators are certainly not averse to making mega bucks by milking the cash cow in a frenzied atmosphere.

Every year, the star cast of the teams ensures a longing appetite for action despite the risk of fatigue, and it promises to be no different this time.