Sunday, March 30, 2008

Chennai’s IPL team launched

Courtesy: The Hindu


GLITZ AND GLAMOUR: M.S. Dhoni, captain of the Chennai Super Kings, with brand ambassadors Nayanthara, Vijay and former India captain K. Srikkanth at the team’s launch.

CHENNAI: In a glittering function that had loads of dance and music, the Chennai Super Kings cricket team was launched here on Saturday.


The team — none of the foreign players could make it due to “prior commitments” — was introduced to the gathering.


Chennai Super Kings assistant coach, V.B. Chandrasekhar, described the team as a group of “fearless entertainers.”


K. Srikkanth, the brand ambassador of the Chennai Super Kings, explained why he was the perfect man to represent the team. “As a player I never lasted more than 20 overs. Did I?” the former India captain said.


M.S. Dhoni, the skipper of the team, said he is proud to lead a young team. “Our ultimate aim is to win the Trophy,” he said unveiling the team apparel whose sponsor is Reebok.


The Brand ambassadors of the team, actors Vijay and Nayanthara, Gurdeep Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Aircel Cellular Limited, the team sponsor, were also present at the function.

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Dhoni: We’ll win it for Chennai

Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle

Chennai, March 29: “We will win it for Chennai,” declared Mahendra Singh Dhoni, captain of the Chennai Super Kings cricket team. India’s ODI captain who is Chennai’s star catch for the Indian Premier League, was presented by India Cements at a glitzy ceremony featuring splendid entertainment in the city on Saturday evening.

Responding to the master of ceremony’s comment about there being veterans in the team, Dhoni said emphatically that Twenty-20 cricket is all about youth and to win the IPL for his adopted city would anyway be his main aim after the series against South Africa got over. The team’s star ambassador, actor Vijay, talked of how ‘Captain Cool’ had won limited-overs matches in crunch situations for India by instilling confidence in his players and said that he would do the same for the IPL franchise.

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Chennai Super Kings’ captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Centre) unveils his team’s colour jersey while star ambassador Vijay and brand ambassador Krish Srikkanth look on at the formal launch of team apparel in the city on Saturday.

The other star ambassador, Nayanthara, also said that to win the first edition of the cup would be the finest gift Dhoni could give the Tamil film industry. Having made time in the midst of a Test match to be at the launch, Dhoni spoke only a few words while the high octane entertainment laid out for the evening captured all the attention with performances from an array of entertainers ranging from singer Vasundhara Das and dancer Reema Sen to a laser artist who stole the show combining optical special effects with athletic juggling. The show, put together by the franchise owner India Cements, team sponsor Aircel and apparel supplier Reebok at the Chennai Trade Centre held a large audience spellbound.

Dhoni, who came up on stage on a chair lift, was the major star present at the team introduction in which players came up in categories of cricket specialization. None of the foreign players were present, which came as a disappointment. Of those signed on from abroad, Kepler Wessels, the coach, who is at the India-South Africa Test as a television expert, was there to absorb a bit of Tamil cinema culture. The brand ambassador Krish Srikkanth had those present in stitches with his brand of earthy humour.

The Chennai Super Kings begin their IPL programme with a match on April 18 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata against Knight Riders while their first home game will be on April 24 at the Chidambaram Stadium.

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