Kochi Tuskers, Kerala is probably the most unique team among the IPL franchises for the simple reason that it does not have the city-connect like the rest of the lot.
The team has a mix of quality international players, named after a city that has hosted many One-Day Internationals in the last one decade and a stadium that is being leased out by the corporation on match-basis. It is a new team, bought for Rs 1500 crore by a group of businessmen among whom there is only one Keralite and the entire team has only two players from the state, which speaks for its cosmopolitan nature.
But Kochi tuskers seem to have weathered the initial weaknesses on paper when they failed to buy some of the best batsmen in India and since then wrestled with the IPL rule problems. Coach Geoff Lawson has quickly got into business in the last one week with practice at the centre strip at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium with the squad minus the three Sri Lankans who played the world cup final--captain Mahela Jayawardene, Thisara Perera and Muttiah Muralitharan-- and Aussie leg-spin all-rounder Steven Smith, who will join the team later.
The Tuskers look bullish on the bowling front with an array of medium-pacers and spinners in their ranks. Former India medium-pacer RP Singh, current Indian pacer S Sreesanth, Vinay Kumar, Jhon Hastings along with Perera form the medium-pace attack which may lack a star but is essentially experienced. The spin department is comparatively better with Muttiah Muralitharan backed up by all-rounders Seeven Smith and Ravindra Jadeja.
However, it is in batting that Kochi will probably suffer because it revolves around Brendon McCullum at the top, Mahela Jaywardene in the middle and Thisara Perera in the lower middle-order. The Indians who come in between, Parthiv Patel, VVS Laxman and Jadeja aren't cut out for the T20 format. But the team is capable of creating a few upsets if the international players rise to the occasion.
The problem for Kochi is that only four foreigners are allowed to play at a time in a match and it will be a difficult task.
The team has a mix of quality international players, named after a city that has hosted many One-Day Internationals in the last one decade and a stadium that is being leased out by the corporation on match-basis. It is a new team, bought for Rs 1500 crore by a group of businessmen among whom there is only one Keralite and the entire team has only two players from the state, which speaks for its cosmopolitan nature.
But Kochi tuskers seem to have weathered the initial weaknesses on paper when they failed to buy some of the best batsmen in India and since then wrestled with the IPL rule problems. Coach Geoff Lawson has quickly got into business in the last one week with practice at the centre strip at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium with the squad minus the three Sri Lankans who played the world cup final--captain Mahela Jayawardene, Thisara Perera and Muttiah Muralitharan-- and Aussie leg-spin all-rounder Steven Smith, who will join the team later.
The Tuskers look bullish on the bowling front with an array of medium-pacers and spinners in their ranks. Former India medium-pacer RP Singh, current Indian pacer S Sreesanth, Vinay Kumar, Jhon Hastings along with Perera form the medium-pace attack which may lack a star but is essentially experienced. The spin department is comparatively better with Muttiah Muralitharan backed up by all-rounders Seeven Smith and Ravindra Jadeja.
However, it is in batting that Kochi will probably suffer because it revolves around Brendon McCullum at the top, Mahela Jaywardene in the middle and Thisara Perera in the lower middle-order. The Indians who come in between, Parthiv Patel, VVS Laxman and Jadeja aren't cut out for the T20 format. But the team is capable of creating a few upsets if the international players rise to the occasion.
The problem for Kochi is that only four foreigners are allowed to play at a time in a match and it will be a difficult task.
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