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Pune Warriors players in the dark about future

Kanishkaa Balachandran

February 7, 2012

Comments: 15 | Text size: A | A

The Pune Warriors strike a happy pose ahead of the game, Deccan Chargers v Pune Warriors, IPL 2011, Hyderabad, April 10, 2011
It is understood that the Pune Warriors players want Subrata Roy to reconsider his decision © AFP
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A day after the BCCI extended an olive branch to sort out issues with Sahara, the Pune Warriors players still remain in the dark about their future. A few players, speaking to ESPNcricinfo, revealed that Sahara, who withdrew their ownership of the franchise, are yet to give them a strong indication that the team will participate in the fifth IPL season, which starts on April 4.

"We're in the dark just as everybody else is, but the franchise has told us not to worry," Robin Uthappa, one of the senior players at Warriors, told ESPNcricinfo. According to Uthappa, he had received an email after Sahara India Parivar chief Subrata Roy made public his grievances with the BCCI, which had forced him to end the eleven-year relationship with the Indian board and withdraw ownership of the franchise.

"They're doing all they can. It was nice of them to email us because they knew, as players, we would be worried. Hopefully in the next few days we should know something more," Uthappa said.

But not all of the Warrriors' players retain the same optimism. Murali Kartik, the Warriors' most experienced spinner, said the players have only been checking for updates via the media.

The batsman Abhishek Jhujhunwala hoped that Roy would not let go of the team. "We haven't heard anything further, but we're planning to ask Saharashri (Roy) to reconsider," Jhunjhunwala said.

On Monday, the former South Africa bowler Allan Donald, who was freshly recruited by the franchise as a bowling consultant, had described how it came as a shock for him when he was told Warriors were pulling out of the players' auction in Bangalore last Saturday. Donald was involved with the rest of the senior team management including Sourav Ganguly, the team's mentor and senior-most player, as they worked out the plan for the auction.

Wayne Parnell, the South African fast bowler, said he was waiting to receive some information from the franchise, but wasn't panicking yet. Mitchell Marsh, the Australian allrounder also part of the Warriors setup, tweeted on the day the news broke: "Someone tell me what has happened to my Pune!"

As the Sahara management prepares itself to sit with the BCCI top brass in the coming week, the Warriors players have decided to push hard, asking Roy to keep the team alive. It is understood that there is a movement within the squad, led by none other than Ganguly, to write to Roy, requesting him to seriously reconsider the decision.

(With additional reporting by Firdose Moonda)

Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Posted by MAR00N5 on (February 10, 2012, 12:51 GMT)

@Sameer Chebbi - For your information, India became No.1 in Tests in December 2009. Two seasons of IPL were over by then.. India were No.6 in Tests before the start of first season of IPL in 2008. Stop blaming IPL for everything

Posted by   on (February 9, 2012, 23:51 GMT)

I am not a big fan of IPL, still I have seen lot people making unnecessary bashing of IPL. IPL is not the reason of India's test or ODI decline. So called glory days of test cricket didn't came before ipl. India became no 1 test side and world champions only after IPL. Infact IPL did bring out some players from Indian side.

Posted by Sakthiivel on (February 9, 2012, 13:20 GMT)

@Kavindeven: Already we have a domestic cricket(Ranji) in India. why we need to go back.We love IPL and we go for it. By understanding and playing proper cricket are you going write exam on cricket. Its entertainer, else every one have stayed in Test why we need ODIs. Give me a break.

Posted by Sakthiivel on (February 9, 2012, 13:16 GMT)

@ anshu.s : Well said. As a Indian I love cricket as its Big bash or County or BPL. IPL is city based and there is certain patriotism towards that. We need entertainer so we watch IPL. Every sport has its own entertainer value else why you start ODI or Made 60 overs to 50 overs, its all for entertainer.

Posted by Bruisers on (February 9, 2012, 10:59 GMT)

@Mansi Arora - Graeme Smith?! Noways.. I would pick Jesse Ryder instead. And also Faulkner is with KXIP this time...

Posted by anshu.s on (February 9, 2012, 8:41 GMT)

Kavindeven you seriously need to take a break !! many people around India are very proud of ''some low life city ... " you so eloquentaly put it.. I am a proud Banglorean and i am a diehard RCB fan and i seriously do't need a lecture on patriotism from you....IPL provides a platform for many cricketers who can't selected for India,don't they deserve a spot in limelight and earn some money along with it.Every professional sports in the world is based on club structure weather it is football,basketball,baseball,NFL etc and nation v/s nation sport is restricted to world cups/European cups/other continentals cup .Olympics for me is the greatest arena where national atheletes are pitted against each other for olympics glory ...Anyways club v/s country debate is a non-starter cos IPL is only played for 50 odd days compared to the rest of the year where international cricket is played.As Indian cricket fans we should support all cricket coming from India not jst our National team !!!

Posted by   on (February 9, 2012, 8:17 GMT)

Pune warriors XI if plays - G. Smith, Manish pandey, robin Uthappa, A. jhunjhunwala, M. Marsh, M. Manhas, J. Faulkner, W. parnell, B. kumar, Rahul Sharma, M. Karthick. they hav six specialist bowlers and bats till no. 10, 2 spinners and 4 fast bowlers, all of good quality

Posted by   on (February 9, 2012, 7:55 GMT)

Robin Uthappa Ipl is a gr8 platform 4 u...i knw that pune will be playing IPL this year so Robin Just play well and get back in ODI's 4 India

Posted by   on (February 8, 2012, 21:39 GMT)

we love uthappaaaaaa............bring him bakkkkkkkkk

Posted by   on (February 8, 2012, 18:01 GMT)

Request - Stop watching IPL.. its not the players.. but the crazy spectators who are the money spinners for this entire thing. What entertains us has damaged the national team as a whole. Make a sacrifice.. stop watching this crap.. We'll back to the glory days when Ranji ruled the roost and India were the best in test

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