Click to play videoMumbai: Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds playing together for the same team? Well, that's what Mukesh Ambani's Mumbai team is expected to make a serious pitch for when the much-anticipated player auction for the Indian Premier League begins in Mumbai on Wednesday.
While the franchisee owners are putting together their strategy to get the ideal players, it won't be just about getting the big names.
Delhi's IPL team, owned by the GMR Group, has unveiled its name; it will be called Delhi's Daredevils. The team got a shot in the arm when Virender Sehwag was approved as an Icon Player. It's now a case of finding the right team for him to lead.
"We are looking at a balance at the grassroots level and also, more importantly, certain iconic players who can mentor and take the team forward," GMR Group CEO Yogesh Shetty says.
Mukesh Ambani's Mumbai team is expected to make a serious pitch to get the odd pair of Harbhajan and Symonds onboard. Sachin Tendulkar's input as the team's Icon Player will be crucial and the name of Lalchand Rajput is doing the rounds as the possible coach for the city team.
With a $5 million cap on spending, there is no doubt that the teams will have to be smart with their spending. After all, at the end of the day the teams that will win won't just be the one with the superstars but with the right balance.
So, Preity Zinta's Mohali team is seeking a balance between high profile and utility players. The decision will, however, be in the hands of captain Yuvraj Singh and coach Tom Moody. Team owner Preity Zinta, however, revealed that she is keen on Sreesanth.
"Obviously, itna sara paisa lagaya toh strategy to banayengehi. Par aapko batayenge thodi? (Since we have put in so much of money into it, there will definitely be a strategy. But why should I reveal it to you?)" the Bollywood star would say.
In Kolkata though, there may be an interesting twist. If Shah Rukh Khan is able to get good friend Mahendra Singh Dhoni on board; then Sourav Ganguly may lose captaincy.
The Chennai Super Kings are likely to follow a different tactic. Besides going for local players like Dinesh Karthik, they will look at signing on some Sri Lankans like Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan to leverage the geographical advantage of the region. The team management, however, isn't revealing their cards yet.
"I want the best wishes of the people of Chennai and the people of Tamil Nadu so that we get a good, balanced team in the auction and we can play and win," India Cements MD N Srinivasan says.
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
More on IBNLive Right Now
TOP NEWS
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
