Shane Watson can make a lot of difference to Rajasthan Royals’ fortunes: Eric Simmons

Shane Watson can make a big difference with the Rajasthan Royals’ fortunes, said Team Delhi coach Eric Simons, according to a report in The Times Of India. Australian allrounder Shane Watson, who was busy playing against the West Indies, joined Rajasthan on Monday to bolster the team. After losing three consecutive matches, Watson’s inclusion in the squad will definitely boost the morale of the players.

“Watson’s presence will make a massive difference for Rajasthan, who now face a difficult task in qualifying for the play-offs. All the Australian cricketers are good and have been important for their teams. They contribute off the field too. David Warner with his striking capabilities will make us stronger and Michael Clarke as a pure batsman for Pune. For Rajasthan, Watson will make a big difference with his all-round capabilities,” Eric Simons said.

Meanwhile an article in Hindustan Times says that Marco Polo was one of the greatest travellers but the Indian Premier League has forced some serious travelling on the players too. “The route's not so silken though, connecting the top metros and some not-so-major cities through a maze of domestic flights and road travel. And when you consider that by the time two of the eight teams actually reach Chennai for the final on May 27 --- the distance covered would be equivalent to more than half the circumference of the Earth, you know where the fatigue stems from,” says the article, adding the average IPL player has to travel at least 19,000 km in the group phase.

Meanhwhile according to a report in The DNA, DLF may pull out of the Twenty20 competition. “The buzz in the market and IPL circles is that the Delhi-based real estate firm, which has been associated with the league since its inception in 2008, will not renew its contract for the title sponsorship. DLF’s five-year contract ends with the current edition of the championship,” reads the article.

“Not just DLF, the continued association of other sponsors like Hero Moto Corp, Citi, Volkswagen, Vodafone, Karbonn Mobile and Royal Challengers is also in doubt. Their contracts will be up for renewal and IPL insiders claim there will be a tendering process for the new deals. Given the prevailing market realities, how many would come forward to be associated with the league will have to be seen.

There is intense speculation that DLF will not renew the contract although it has the first right of refusal for the title sponsorship. The company had shelled out Rs 200 crore for the five-year deal but it may have to come out with a bigger offer to continue its association. But the real estate sector has been in a bad shape for quite some time and the slowdown could force a pullout,” the article adds.