David Dwyer says: ”I think there is far too much cricket and the schedules they keep up are. I think it is a lot on the players for them to be able to play, pack up and travel the next day and than play again”

Leg-spin great Shane Warne on Friday said the International Cricket Council should ensure that the world’s top players who got signed up with the Indian Premier League play in the “revolutionary” Twenty20 venture. Talking to news persons after the official launch of the Jaipur franchisee team Rajasthan Royals, Warne rubbished the notion that IPL would have negative influence in international cricket.

“It is a new and revolutionary concept and if ICC uses a little common sense it can co-exist with international cricket,” he said. “ICC should accommodate IPL in the international calendar and ensure that best players of the cricketing world play in it. It would make the IPL more colourful and competitive,” Warne, who would be the captain-cum-coach of the team said.

Yash Gandhi, a 17-year-old cricketer from Wadala, is over the moon after being picked in the Mohali team for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) under the scholarship scheme.The class 12 student of HR college was contacted by the team’s cricket manager Sachin Bajaj and was taken on board on March 24 and has been named in the team list announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday.

“We have signed Yash under the scholarship scheme. He is a talented cricketer and we have a long-term strategy and wanted to invest at the grass route level,” Bajaj told HT.Sahil Kukreja and Wilkin Mota are two other cricketers from Mumbai who have been signed by the Mohali team.

Yash said he will join the team on April 8. “I will have to work hard now. It will be a big test for me,” said Yash, who also played for Copsewood West Indian Wanderers Second in the Boundary Warwickshire League in England last year.Yash had also scored an unbeaten 365 for Don Bosco, Matunga against St Sebastian in Harris Shield semifinal in 2006.

Kaif says: “When we won, in 2000, there was not that much money. We got recognition and that egged me on. We were absorbed into the National Cricket Academy and played the Challengers. Though things have changed now, this fame will not last if these youngsters lose focus and forget their responsibilities. They know cricket comes first. If they don’t perform, money and fame will not last.”

Shishir Hattangadi the former Mumbai opener has finally quited The Indian Cricket League ( ICL) and has joined the Deccan Chargers (IPL Hyderabad ) to play in the April 18-June 1 Indian Premier League as the squad’s manager.Asked how Hattangadi was allowed to join the Hyderabad franchise team as its manager, BCCI’s Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty said that the former Mumbai Ranji Trophy player has sought and obtained a No Objection Certificate from the ICL after leaving the rebel league.

“He was asked to get a NOC from ICL before joining the franchise team. Our contention has been that you cannot be part of both (entities) at the same time,” Shetty explained.