Gayle doubtful, Burdett refuses

Gayle out?
Chris Gayle has been ruled out of the first edition of the Indian Premier League after failing to recover from a groin injury that he sustained during the recent series against Sri Lanka, the Kolkata based Telegraph reported. However, he will be in Kolkata in the first week of May to spend some time with the team. The franchise are yet to name a replacement.

However a spokesman for the franchise said a final decision was yet to be made. "He's injured but he's still not out of the tournament," he said. "No decision has been made yet."

Gearing up on a centre-pitch
Both the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings were allowed centre-wicket practice on the eve of the match, it was reported. Mumbai, who practised second, were initially asked to use the adjoining net facilities but the moment they realised that their opponents had used the one of the centre strips, they demanded similar facilities too. "The match won't be played on the pitch on which the teams are practising. It will take place on the pitch adjacent to it,'' one of the TNCA officials was quoted as saying in the Times of India.

Burdett turns down SOS
The Kolkata franchise sent out an SOS to South Australia's 57-year-old chief curator Les Burdett but he is unlikely to oblige, the Asian Age reported. Burdett, who is vacationing with his family in the outback, said: "I can't come to India now for few days at least. I am enjoying my holiday and I have recently returned from your country where I inspected the pitches (at Mohali and other centres). For a few more days I can't leave Australia again."

The bad blood ain't over
Though they may share the same dressing room for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Ishant Sharma has emphasised there will be no comradeship with Ricky Ponting when the two face-off against each other while playing for their countries. "It is a privilege to share dressing room with a great player like Ponting," Ishant said. "We discussed cricket and joked at each other at the dressing room, we are just like friends now. But it is not that I won't show aggression at him while playing for India against Australia."

The spell that Ishant bowled to Ponting at the WACA was one of the highlights of India's tour to Australia. "No colour comes before you when you are donning your national colours. I will give back if I am provoked and the same thing had happened in the Australia series."

Empty stands greet Hyderabad's opening game
The first game in Hyderabad was preceded by a gala opening but there was hardly anyone watching. One of the reasons offered include the distance one needs to travel outside the city to reach the stadium. There is also a view that the people have been saturated with the Indian Cricket League, which recently staged seven matches in the city.