The euphoria since India beat
Sri Lanka to secure the 50-over world title on Saturday can only be good news
for the fourth edition of the IPL, which starts in Chennai after allegations of
corruption prompted a change in management.
The league's former head
Lalit Modi has been suspended since April 2010 by the Board of Control for
Cricket in India, which has been investigating bribery allegations in the 2008
auction for new IPL teams. Modi was later replaced by Indian Cricket Board Vice
President Chirayu Amin.
The IPL is the world's
richest cricket tournament, worth $4 billion in franchise fees and television
rights. It has some of the best known Bollywood cinema stars and billionaire
tycoons among its owners, while several of the world's top cricketers play in
its teams.
Two new franchises — Kochi
and Pune — joined in 2011 after bids worth a combined $703 million. The
newcomers will increase the league to 10 teams and the number of matches from
60 to 74 for the April 8-May 28 event.
Sahara Adventure Sports, part
of the diversified Sahara Group, bought the rights for a team in the western
city of Pune for $370 million, and called it Pune Warriors. A consortium called
Rendezvous Sports World won the franchise for the southern city of Kochi for
$333 million and named it Kochi Tuskers Kerala.
Teams have also undergone an
overhaul following the second player auction in January. Only 12 players were
retained by five of the eight teams from their original squads.
Defending champion Chennai
Super Kings retained Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his compatriots
Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay, and South African Albie Morkel — as it parted
with half of the $9 million salary cap available to teams.
The 2010 finalist Mumbai
Indians kept India stars Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh, Sri Lankan pace
bowler Lasith Malinga and West Indian all-rounder Kieron Pollard for $4.5
million.
India batting star Gautam
Gambhir was the most expensive player at the auction, picked up for $2.4
million for two years by Kolkata Knight Riders. The team also bought Indian all-rounder
Yusuf Pathan for $2.1 million.
Among other top
internationals at the high end of the bidding were Sri Lanka vice-captain
Mahela Jayawardene, bought by Kochi for $1.5 million, Australian David Hussey,
hired by Punjab for $1.4 million and a South African trio — Dale Steyn, netted
by Deccan Chargers for $1.2 million, AB de Villiers by Bangalore and Jacques
Kallis by Kolkata for $1.1 million each.
Mukesh Ambani, who controls
India's most valuable company, Reliance Industries, and film actors Shah Rukh
Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty, all own teams in the IPL.
