Identifying an IPL trade loophole
6th December 2023
Would you call RCB the best run franchise in the IPL?
Jay Shah & RCB pick up top honours, Pakistan Women make history, and Nepal wants to play against India’s state and regional sides next year.
Jay Shah won the Sports Business Leader of the Year (Male) while RCB won the Sports Franchise of the Year in the inaugural CII Sports Business Awards. From what I understand, CII is trying to make a new sports awards system in India, but I’m not sure if these count as the best or flashiest selections.
Fatima Sana’s second consecutive three-wicket haul led Pakistan Women to their first ever T20 series win outside Asia & Ireland, as they swept New Zealand 2-0.
ESPNcricinfo’s Vishal Dikshit reports on the nearly settled quarterfinal lineup for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Head Coach Monty Desai has requested that Nepal get a chance to play in the Syed Ali Mushtaq Trophy next year. It wouldn’t be the first time an associate nation played in a test nation’s domestic tournament.
ESPNcricinfo’s Matt Roller reports that the ECB is looking to wrap up investment in the Hundred franchises by early 2024. Reportedly, 50% ownership will be given to the local cricket authorities and the other 50% will be put up for investment firms, IPL teams and other private entities to bid on.
It’s a good thing IPL owners aren’t rich…
…because the Hardik Pandya trade has just shown an incredible loophole in the IPL trade & auction system. Plus, how can England beat Harmanpreet, Smriti & the rest of India’s top order?
Former Punjab Kings analyst Dan Weston has a fascinating piece on how to game the IPL trade and auction system. In essence, the auctions lock in breakthrough players at low purse numbers, while the trade system allows a team to essentially ‘buy’ a player for cash, as happened with Pandya. What is stopping a rich team owner (say, an Ambani) from just paying over the odds transfer fees to bring a series of underpaid stars like Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma & Jitesh Sharma at a low purse number, thereby letting them spend big in the auction as well?
Cricket.com’s Hardik Worah breaks down the weaknesses in India’s seemingly formidable top order ahead of the Women’s series against England this month.
Reasoning out New Zealand’s test selections
The Kiwis don’t think Rachin Ravindra’s ease on subcontinental pitches mean as much as Henry Nicholls away test average of 20-odd runs, why Pandya is going through a regimented 18-week rehabilitation, and what it takes to hit a 150 T20s!
Stuff’s Mark Reason explains why the non-selection of Rachin Ravindra & Mitchell Santner for the first Bangladesh test makes no cricketing sense, but is a logical result of New Zealand’s broken, nepotistic selection system.
News18’s Sahil Malhotra takes up behind the scenes at the BCCI, explaining why Team India chose a robust 18-week long rehabilitation for Hardik Pandya, rather than rushing the all-rounder back after his freak World Cup injury.
ESPNcricinfo’s Tom Hamilton talks to England veteran Danni Wyatt ahead of her 150th T20 cap against India tonight.
Did the REVENGE series mean anything?
India’s got another good looking international side that recently beat Australia in a home series - but that’s what we were saying on November 18th too. So, what can we actually learn from the recent 4-1 T20 series win?
Ashwin & DJ discuss what India can takeaway from the redemption win against Australia in the recent T20 series for The Edges & Sledges Cricket Podcast. [Apple Podcasts]
Cricket.com have a fun a little video on the man whose only wicket at the international level is Sachin Tendulkar, and how it may have led to Rahul Dravid scoring a hundred at the 2004 Asia Cup.
Editor’s Note
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