Newspaper round-up – March 20

Showing appreciation of Preity Zinta commitment to the KXIP team, Yuvraj Singh was quoted as saying in the Gulf News, "She's actually the main captain. I think Preity is great. I think, in the last series she learnt a lot about cricket and cricketers and she's very generous and she makes sure the boys are like a family."

“Saturday’s game against Bangalore Royal Challengers is going to be particularly challenging,” Sanath Jayasuriya wrote in The Times of India. Appreciating Sachin Tendulkar’s captaincy and hailing the Mumbai Indians bowling attack, he added, "We have some genuine wicket-takers with the likes of Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga. Having domestic players of this quality is really important and it is a major reason why we have made such a positive start.”

“Shane Warne needs to turn things around for them quickly, as only he can, but it seems a little tough for them at the moment. He used to say that coaches are what gets players to the ground. He might now have to recognize that a coach actually does have a role”, wrote Steve Waugh in The Times of India. He added, “Captaincy is all about how you come back from adversity, so this is a good opportunity for Shane to prove himself”.

On the eve of Kolkata Knight Riders match against the Rajasthan Royals, KKR captain, Sourav Ganguly wrote in the Hindustan Times, “Chris Gayle, the West Indies - skipper, has joined the team and will definitely add to our strength. Apart from his tremendous batting prowess, Gayle's bowling is also a plus. It will add to our already existing variety. A loss at home means one has to try and make up by winning away. That is what makes our game against Rajasthan Royals more crucial. A win in Ahmedabad will calm a lot of nerves and set the record straight”.

“Just one glance at the way the Master Blaster is batting says it all. God! I still get goosebumps recalling his last innings. Where are all those pundits who predicted that T20 is a format for youngsters, here is Sachin Tendulkar, a veteran cricketer of the present world, literally playing with the bowlers mind. Shots like these leave very little for the bowler to do except for standing there and saluting the champion”, wrote Harbhajan Singh in The Times of India on Sachin Tendulkar’s blitzkrieg against Delhi Daredevils.

“Among the IPL teams, the Chennai Super Kings have one of the best offers for fan club members,” the Hindustan Times reported. It added that the Kings’ club has a range of offers on ticket purchases for their fans like, complimentary ticket with every first ticket they bought for the seven home matches, annual memberships, and for recent members opportunity to watch CSK practice and so on.