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It’s Dream Come True for Kerala Cricket Fans

The six-member consortium, Rendezvous Sports World Ltd, headed by Shailendra Gaekward, won the Kochi franchisee at the auction held in Chennai on Sunday.

“Rendezvous Group consists of Anchor Earth, Parani Development Pvt. Ltd, Anand Shah Developers, Elite Group and Film Waves,” said Vivek Venugopal, who heads the Elite Group. He told Khaleej Times that all the members of the consortium were leading business groups in Kerala and outside.

There have been rumours that Tharoor himself had stake in the venture. However, he has categorically denied any involvement in the venture. He told the reporters after the bid that he had only facilitated the bidding. “My role is limited to blessing and encouraging the venture,” he added.

The junior minister, who is the patron of the Trivandrum District Cricket Association as well as chairman of City Cricketers, a cricket club based at Trivandrum, said that he had taken the initiative to bring together the business groups as he felt that it would help in the transformation of his home state.

“I certainly hope that those who have put this bid together will really help transform the state and bring it into the forefront of cricket loving states in India. I am ready to share my vision with the promoters of the venture,” he added.

Tharoor joined the bandwagon after Malayalam super star Mohanlal and film maker Priyadarshan abandoned their plan to bid for the team following certain changes in the rules for the bidding that called for substantial increase in the net worth of the promoters of the team.

He had first tried for a team based in Trivandrum, the constituency he represents in the Lok Sabha, with the help of a leading business house in Uttar Pradesh and a consortium of Non-Resident Keralites from the Middle East.

He lent his weight behind the Rendezvous Sports after the chances of Trivandrum getting a team dimmed in the absence of an international cricket ground. The IPL management considered Kochi team after the Kerala Cricket Association agreed to build a new stadium in the port city.

Association secretary T C Mathew told Khaleej Times that the new stadium at Kochi will be ready within two years. Till then, the Jawaharlal International Stadium, which has already hosted about six one day internationals, can be used with modifications.

IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said that the team would also be allowed to select an alternate venue anywhere in the country. Mathew said that the IPL team will change the face of cricket in Kerala. It will give a big boost to the budding cricketers, he added.

Leading cricketers are delighted with the development. S Sreesanth, who is the only Kerala player in the Indian team now, said the team would offer lot of opportunities to young cricketers, who have not been able to rise to international standards due to poor infrastructure. Sreesanth, who is currently playing for the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, said that he would love to be part of the Kochi team in future. “It would be my pleasure to be a part of the home team,” he added.

Former Kerala Ranji team captain Ananthapadmanabhan said it was great news for the game and fans in Kerala.

“The state was not able to produce many international cricketers due to the lack of infrastructure. With the arrival of the IPL team, these things will be sorted out. This would immensely help the young cricketers,” he added.

devasia@khaleejtimes.com