The 11th edition of the Indian Premier League begins in the backdrop of bans to the tournament’s premier Aussie draws, Steven Smith and David Warner, but don’t expect any less fi reworks.
It may be the first time in the history of the Indian Premier League that another country has dominated headlines in the lead-up to the T20 competition. The consequences of the ball-tampering controversy in the recently-concluded Test series between South Africa and Australia were far-reaching, with year-long bans handed out to Australia’s captain-vice-captain duo for their part in the event. A year that was set to be dominated by stories of the return of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals after serving their respective bans due to spot- xing related charges, Steven Smith and David Warner appear to have bitten away a considerable chunk of it.
The auctions preceding the tournament were an apt precursor to the event, with most franchises choosing to rejig their combinations after playing with settled teams in the seasons before. Mumbai Indians, the defending champions, seem to have kept the core of their squad intact, besides bolstering it with the arrival of exciting new faces. The three-time champions, however, let go of two of their premier bowlers, Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh; the former taking up a mentorship role with the franchise, while the latter was snapped up by the returning Chennai Super Kings.
Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) are the only two captains to have retained their positions besides MS Dhoni (CSK), who returns to the leadership role after playing under Steven Smith at Rising Pune Supergiant. For every other franchise, these are fresh steps towards a new era.
Among players that have been thrust into leadership roles for their franchise are R. Ashwin (Kings XI Punjab), Dinesh Karthik (Kolkata Knight Riders) and Ajinkya Rahane (Rajasthan Royals).
This story is from the April 2018 edition of Maxim India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 2018 edition of Maxim India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Earth Is Suffering, Here Is Why You Should Care
The environment tends to pay the price for our celebration. It’s time we think about leaving a livable earth.
A Luxurious Weekend
Whether you are heading to Hyderabad for a business trip, a leisure stay, a holiday or family getaway, Hyatt Hyderabad Gachibowli is the destination for a pleasant experience.
Keep It Movin'
Keep It Movin'
The Inglostadt Ideal
Last year marked 10 years of Audi in India. We caught up with their Brand Director, Rahil Ansari, for a freewheeling chat deconstructing innovations, clean energy and strategies for the way forward.
Negroni Riffing!
Why bartenders around the world can’t stop experimenting on a classic.
alt to the rescue
blondie’s chris stein and debbie harry talk to the gregory brothers, the new rulers of youtube.
play to win!
there’s some similarity to traversing a cards game and wooing women. both require knowledge, observation and a high degree of charm. here’s how to win at both, without coming across as a total d-bag... or, worse, a guy who has no game.
Priyanka Chopra- The Hottest Woman In The World
Maxim’s first covergirl has topped the hot 100... Again! She’s also the undisputed queen of everything that’s pop. As she takes over the world, she returns to maxim in her hottest avatar yet! Gents, prepare to be blown away... Again.
Total Control
The military-inspired Rezvani Tank is the extreme utility vehicle from hell.
The Rise Of The Sexbot
The debate on whether sex robots can actually offer real benefits to society—and to women—rages on.
