Match practice for the big boys,a chance to dream for unknowns

Some mistook him for Indias World Twenty20 hero,but this was Joginder Singh,not Sharma,a Delhi-based all-rounder who will...

Some mistook him for Indias World Twenty20 hero,but this was Joginder Singh,not Sharma,a Delhi-based all-rounder who will be leading the BSNL team. The team,like the skipper,is unanimously considered one of the most low-profile of BCCIs corporate event Joginder,of all the 12 captains,is the only one who hasnt played a single first-class game (ITC captain Bablu Kumar is the closest,with four games for Punjab). Over the course of next two days,he will stand face to face with two of his own heroes Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid for the toss,as his team take on an army of reputations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

Apart from the Rs 1 crore prize-money,and providing Team India players with vital match practice,the Corporate Trophy is an opportunity for a battery of unknowns to put their names in circulation,with performances in what could be a high-profile event leading to dreams as varied as first-class games,national reckoning and,who knows,a couple of IPL contracts as well.

At the other end of the spectrum from Joginders BSNL side are the India Cements squad cynosure of all eyes at the stadium on Monday. They are coached by Stephen Fleming,and Steve Rixon has traveled straight from the ICL into BCCI secretary N Srinivasans squad as the fielding coach under the amnesty scheme. Former Team India trainer Gregory King was there giving the players a helping hand. Almost all players,incidentally,were carrying their Chennai Super Kings gear,indicating that there wasnt too much of a difference between the two sides but for the switch from one high-profile skipper to another,Rahul Dravid taking the place of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

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The third team in the fray here,Air India Red,has players such as Yuvraj Singh,Suresh Raina,Robin Uthappa,Dhawal Kulkarni and Irfan Pathan who will not play the first two games due to a swollen knee in their ranks,and they are coached by national selector Narendra Hirwani.

On Tuesday,BSNL take on Air India Red in the first game of the Bangalore leg,one that could turn out to be a direct contest between Yuvrajs side and India Cements for the semi-final slot.

Inside the venue though,its the Karnataka Premier League thats creating the buzz,with most of the space already gobbled up with names of the franchises.

While that could be seen as another battle between the 50-over and 20-over format,Fleming believes that the longer of the shorter versions has its place in the bigger scheme of things,with a few tweaks perhaps. The 50-over format still has its place,but 40 overs a side is an option going forward it just takes 10 overs out of the middle stages. For a while now,ODI cricket has been under threat from T20 and there will come a time when a decision will have to be made.

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The Former New Zealand skipper was happy to have Dravid leading the side. Great players dont come along often. He encourages guys to ask questions and speaks to them. Its nice to have him in the side, he says.

Joginder,meanwhile,is hoping that his little daughter will watch him on television tomorrow while he tries to churn out a performance that can earn him a place in the Delhi side. Next time he comes out for the toss,hed like to have at least played a first-class game.

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