All eyes on Tendulkar as IPL gets set for launch

The world’s premier batsman Sachin Tendulkar has the toughest assignment of the 10 IPL skippers, trying to keep the peace between long-time protagonists – Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh. Nobody will ever forget the all-time blow-up between the two during the Australia-India third Test at the SCG, in January 2008, that very nearly ended the tour, there and then.

And while a lot of water has passed under the bridge since, neither player will ever forgive the other, no matter what they say.

Tendulkar will captain the Mumbai Indians, and apart from Symonds, he’ll have two other Australians in the lineup – Moises Henriques, and Aiden Blizzard – along with the Sri Lankans “Slinga” Malinga, and Dilhara Fernando, West Indian thumper Keiron Pollard, Kiwi James Franklin, and South African keeper-batsman Davy Jacobs.

That’s potentially a great side, if Tendulkar can keep the peace.

The tournament starts tonight with India’s World Cup heroes MS Dhoni, and Gautam Gambhir, the opposing captains in Chennai.

Dhoni will lead the locals, including Suresh Raina, with four Australians in the lineup – Doug Bollinger, Ben Hilfenhaus, George Bailey, and Mike Hussey once he’s completed his duties against Bangladesh. Dhoni will also have two quality South Africans – Albie Morkel, and Faf du Plessis – with Kiwi Tim Southee, and West Indian Wayne Bravo – another top unit.

Gambhir will have Jacques Kallis, and England’s Eoin Morgan, along with Australians Brett Lee, Brad Haddin, and James Pattinson, when they’ve finished in Bangladesh.

Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakarra will lead the Deccan Chargers with support from Australians Daniel Christian, and Cameron White, after Bangladesh, plus the classy South Africans Dale Steyn, and JP Duminy.

Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardena leads the Koshi Tuska Kerala with VVS Laxman in the side, and the world’s most prolific wicket-taker Murali, along with Australians Steve Smith, and John Hastings, after Bangladesh, plus Brad Hodge, Steve O’Keefe, and Michael Klinger, Kiwi Brendon McCullum, and Englishman Owais Shah – Geoff Lawson is the coach.

Virender Sehwag will captain the Delhi Daredevils chockers with Australians – the dynamic David Warner, James Hopes, Andrew McDonald, Travis Birt, Aaron Finch, and Tasmanian keeper-batsman Mathew Wade, along with three South Africans Morne Morkel, Colin Ingram, and Robert Frylinck.

Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori will lead the Royal Challengers Bangalore with Indian World Cuppers Zaheer Khan and Virat Kohli, South Africans AB de Villiers, Charl Langeveldt, and Johan van der Wath, Australians Dirk Nannes, and Luke Pomersbach – and Sri Lankan Tillarkaratne Dilshan.

Another Indian World Cup hero, and the Man-of-the-Series, Yuvraj Singh, will captain the Pune Warriors with former South African ODI skipper Graeme Smith, and current paceman Wayne Parnell, Kiwis Nathan McCullum, and Jesse Ryder, West Indian Jerome Taylor, and three Australians – Callum Ferguson, and Tim Paine, after Bangladesh, and the exciting 19-year-old Mitchell Marsh.

Last, but by no means least, the final two teams will be captained by Australians – Shane Warne, and Adam Gilchrist.

Warne, the best captain Australia never had, will again skipper the Rajasthan Royals, with champion Indian batsman Rahul Dravid in the lineup, South African offie Johan Botha, Kiwis Ross Taylor, and Jacob Oram, and a couple of Australians – Shane Watson, after Bangladesh. and expressman Shaun Tait.

While Gilchrist will lead the Kings X1 Punjab, with Australians Ryan Harris, David Hussey, and Shaun Marsh, the very talented Englishman Stuart Broad, and a couple of little-known South Africans – Ryan McLaren, and David Miller.

The tournament, over seven weeks and 74 games, will be a big ask for the Indians, and Sri Lankans, who have already spent six arduous, and sometimes agonising, weeks at the World Cup.

But their bank managers will be clearly delighted, for the vast majority of the players will earn far more than they could have possibly imagined, playing for their countries.

And after winning the World Cup, the interest generated in the 50-over game in cricket-mad India, is at all all-time high.

So some of the bonuses that will be paid to the successful teams, will also make a lot of players blink in disbelief.

In effect, the IPL is a license to print money.

Despite the knockers, the IPL is here to stay, and the ICC should leave a window available so they can always sign the best, and not miss out on the likes of the master blaster Chris Gayle.

The tournament deserves nothing less.