The 2008 Charger

Second post on the fourth day !!! I just couldn't resist it :) and I hope I don't bore you guys with some cricket news when we are already having enough of it. Well, this one is specially targeted at the Hyderabadi cricket crazy crowd.

There is so much hype and hoopla over the Indian Premium League without even a single match being played. We all know that a lot of money is being spent by the rich and the famous ( read film personalities, liquor barons, entrepreneurs, newspaper waalas ) in buying cities and players. I sometimes wonder if all this is really worth so much of moohla ? The TV channel buying broadcasting rights for the next 10 year for nearly a whopping $1 bill. Will the show really become a success ? Lets wait and watch.

With the first season of the "karmayudh" ready to start in less than a month, some of the teams are already christened with slick names a la NBA - you have the Kolkota Knight Riders, Delhi Dare Devils, Chennai Super Kings, Bangalore Royal Challengers( !!??!!!!) - come on Mr.Mallaya, we know you own the Bangalore team, but that doesn't mean you have to name your team to honor your best selling whiskey brand. Not classy at all ;)

Anyways, getting to the point now. We all know that the Hyderabad team was bought by the guys at Deccan Chronicle. With big names like Symonds, Gilly, Lakshman, Vaas, Afridi in the team, I am sure we (meaning the Hyderabadi team) are gonna kick some knights rusty ass and gulp down some cheap whiskey :). But what about the name for the team ? The DC folks even conducted contests in their newspapers to encourage the general public to give out suggestions ( who reads DC in the first place :p )

Now all of you guys commuting on the choked roads of Hyderabad must have spotted one of these posters on Monday.




Looks like just another advertisment, but if you travel regularly on the Khairatabad road, you must have notices that this poster has come up at all the places which previously had the skimpily clad DC chick. Smart marketing I thought. I came home and started writing this post not knowing what the Hyderabadi team was already named !!!! I was randomly googling for some stuff when I came across the name and was surprised. OK, now be honest people, how many of you guys know the name of the Hyderabadi team at this very moment ? I saw the Kolkota teams baptism ceremony on the TV but what about our team ?? Maybe I am not watching the idiot box that much, or maybe nothing is news nowadays unless there is a SRK involved in the publicity campaign !! But anyways, for all you busy people out there (just like me, jobless but still busy) who dont have the time to know their citys cricket team name in a tournament that will change cricket forever, here it is - DECCAN CHARGERS !!! Yes, thats the name, Deccan Chargers. Me not impressed :( I am sure the desis living in San Diego would be happy about this.

Deccan Chargers - Team Stats:
Cost: $ 107 million
Captain: VVS Laxman
Coach: Robin Singh
Home Ground: Rajiv Gandhi Stadium (when was the last time a common citizen entered into the stadium to watch an international match unless that person had contacts high up in the Legislative Assembly)

Pileyers
Andrew Symonds: $1,350,000
RP Singh: $875,000
Rohit Sharma: $750,000
Adam Gilchrist : $700,000
Shahid Afridi: $675,000
Herschelle Gibbs: $575,000
VVS Laxman: $375,000
Chaminda Vaas: $200,000
Scott Styris: $175,000
Nuwan Zoysa: $110,000
Chamara Silva: $100,000

Total Money: $5,885,000

Keep your calender free on 20th April folks. First match with the Knight Riders :)

ciao
~nk