Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin on Monday said Sourav Ganguly was still “good enough” to play in ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals. “He is still good enough for the shorter versions of the game,” Azhar said at a function where Sourav was felicitated for playing 100 Tests and 300 ODIs. Going down memory lane, Azhar said, “when he played with me, he never wanted to stand close-in, but nowadays I see him standing close-in and doing well.”

Dravid says:“Success in T20 may not automatically translate into success in the four-day Ranji or Tests”

“T20 is unique and lot of young Indian players are excelling in this format. Whether they can take this confidence to the next level is debatable. It’s not going to be easy and the skills with which you achieve success in T20 may not help you give you success in Ranji and Tests”

Herschelle Gibbs: I’m really enjoying it. It’s been really good thus far. The entire tournament has been very well organised. All the guys are getting along really well. We took a while to get into our stride, but the last result has been very encouraging. We are getting closer to the business end of the tournament, so hopefully we can get the results required to put us in contention for the semifinals.

McGrath on Shane: “He is a great player and he leads from the front. He has done a great job in putting the team together and motivating them to give their best.”

McGrath on IPL: “IPL has brought different cultures from different countries together. The interaction of the players help to develop friendship among the players and as a whole, it contributes to the spirit of cricket.”

International Cricket Council will have to adjust IPL in its cricket calendar otherwise it may force cricketers from many countries to opt for retirement, India’s ODI captain Mahender Singh Dhoni said on Sunday.

“They will need to take this decision otherwise we may have a situation where cricketers will prefer retirement,” Dhoni told PTI here before leaving for Chennai. He was of the view that BCCI-backed IPL, which is currently holding its inaugural T20 tournament, will become an annual feature.

Source: hindu.com

Australian Cricketer Symonds says: “I must thank the owners for bidding for me in such a big way. It came as a surprise. But now my ambition is to win the tournament. Money is definitely a factor. I think IPL is a new frontier in cricket”

“I think that AV presentation went off very well and I’m hoping that my latest association is just as successful. I’d like the fans to turn out in huge numbers and, even if we aren’t the best team, their support will make us into one,” a grinning Shah Rukh told The Telegraph.

“The teams have players from different backgrounds. There are local players as well as international stars along with youngsters. They will have to gel as a team in this short period and that will be a challenging task for any coach,” said Delhi Daredevils coach Greg Shippard.

“IPL is a new concept. The players will have to bond together, develop a team relationship and play as a unit,” he added.