Srinivasan all praise for Dhoni
Special Correspondent
Mumbai: Chennai Super Kings targeted Mahendra Singh Dhoni and off-spinner Muralitharan and picked them both in the first set of auction for the DLF IPL Twenty20 competition.
Franchise owner India Cements, owner of the $91 million priced Chennai region shelled out $1.5 million to Dhoni and $600,000 to Sri Lankan off-spinner Muralitharan as salary for the first season.
“We wanted them. Dhoni is an outstanding cricketer, a match-winner and India’s captain for one-dayers and who won the ICC T20 competition. He is a three-in-one player,” Mr. Srinivasan, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, India Cements told the The Hindu.Agarkar happy
Ajit Agarkar is looking forward to playing under Sourav Ganguly again and making Eden Gardens his temporary home for seven home matches for the Kolkata region.
Chosen by Red Chillies Entertainment, the franchise owner of the Kolkata region for $350,000, the 30-year old Agarkar is looking forward to wear the Kolkata colours.
“It’s great for the cricketers money-wise and it’s taken the earnings of the cricketers to another level. That said, I am looking forward to play six weeks of cricket with international players. Teams have targeted specific players and it will be a great opportunity to interact with international players with whom I have played against.”No difference
Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik said he will not find it new to play with a set of international cricketers. Kartik, too has been taken by the Kolkata region for $425,000.
“It will not be a new experience for me. I have been playing county cricket for four years for Lancashire and then for Middlesex. I have played with Nathan Astle, Stuart Law, Andrew Strauss and Chaminda Vaas.
“Yet, I like the IPL concept because it will provide a chance to match your skills against teams that will have a mix of international and Indian players. It will be a challenge. If John Buchanan is going to be the coach, that will make it even more interesting.”