Overview
With their infighting at its end, contractual issues resolved, home ground moved and name changed, the team formerly known as the Indi Commandos Kerala are relatively redtape-free and ready to make their IPL debut. Their squad is as cosmopolitan as their outfit - orange and purple - and serves somewhat as a home away from home for a plethora of Australians - both aged and green. And they even sport the odd Englishman. While the fledgling franchise was momentarily thrown off kilter by their fleeting management, the players will be looking to set the record straight on the field.
Strengths
Kochi have a sound tactician in coach Geoff Lawson, whose 15-month stint with Pakistan three years ago would have hardened him to the rigours of running a politically-influenced team, which the Tuskers seem to be. Big gun signings in Brendon McCullum and Muttiah Muralitharan bolster the batting and bowling ranks and Brad Hodge enters the ranks as arguably the best domestic Twenty20 cricketer in history. A lack of IPL history leaves the rookie squad with a slate untainted by previous poor performances or the expectation of repeat success.
Weaknesses
While Hodge's part-time turners will come in handy and Ravindra Jadeja is able to do his bit, Muralitharan, injury-prone at that, lacks a standout partner in spin. Steven Smith seems the most likely bet, but even he isn't renowned as a specialist spinner these days. They only brag one World Cup winner of India's 15 - Shantha Sreesanth - which places a lot of pressure to perform on the shoulders of the oft-temperamental seamer.
Kingpin
Freed from the shadow of Kumar Sangakkara in the wake of his move from the Kings XI Punjab and thrust to the helm of his new franchise, Mahela Jayawardene heads into the tourney in a glut of form, with a century in the World Cup final testament to this. The talented right-hander is entirely versatile, able to set things up at the top of the knock, build momentum through the middle or gun it through the closing overs.
Squad
Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Balachandra Akhil, Deepak Chougule, Gnaneswara Rao, Raiphi Gomez, John Hastings, Brad Hodge, Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Michael Klinger, Brendon McCullum, Chandan Madan, Sushant Marathe, Muttiah Muralitharan, Steve O'Keefe, Prasanth Padmanabhan, Parthiv Patel, Thisara Perera, Ramesh Powar, Owais Shah, RP Singh, Steven Smith, Shantha Sreesanth, Tanmay Srivastava, Vinay Kumar, Yashpal Singh.
Possible First-Choice XI
Patel, McCullum, Hodge, Jayawardene, Srivastava, Jadeja, Kumar, Singh, Muralitharan, Akhil, Sreesanth.
Fixtures
April 9: v Bangalore in Kochi
April 13: v Pune Warriors in Mumbai (DY Patel)
April 15: v Mumbai in Mumbai (Wankhede)
April 18: v Chennai in Kochi
April 20: v Kolkata in Kolkata
April 24: v Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur
April 27: v Deccan Chargers in Kochi
April 30: v Delhi Daredevils in Kochi
May 2: v Delhi Daredevils in Delhi
May 5: v Kolkata in Kochi
May 8: v Bangalore in Bangalore
May 13: v Kings XI Punjab in Indore
May 15: v Rajasthan Royals in Indore
May 18: v Chennai in Chennai
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