Kochi fans want home boy Sreesanth in IPL team

KOCHI - There was excitement in the air as the newly-formed Kochi franchise geared up to select players in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction to be held in Bangalore Saturday.

Fans are looking forward to the auction and to see the composition of the Kochi team.

A bunch of girls at St Teresa’s College, an all women college, said they want home boy S. Sreesanth in the team.

“Of course, we want Sreesanth in the Kochi team. We also want to see some of our Ranji team players in the squad because this could be a launching pad for them to progress in their career,” said one of the girls.

Former Australian pacer Geoff Lawson, who has been confirmed as the coach of the team, said he is excited about the new job.

“There were a few hiccups and now everything is through and I am looking forward to my new assignment. This is going to be a challenge for me because Kochi is a new team and I know that the people of Kerala are also eagerly waiting for the Kochi team,” Lawson, who also coached Pakistan, told a television channel.

KCA secretary T.C. Mathew said they have a job on hand and expressed confidence that the Kochi team would be ready well in time.

Meanwhile, the Kerala Cricket Association is burning the midnight oil to ready Jawaharlal Nehru stadium for staging its first IPL match April 8.

“The floodlights have been changed. We are taking help of a Malaysian company to see that the ground is ready. There is a drainage problem and we have to rectify it,” Mathew told IANS.

The name of the Kochi team is yet to be announced. Mathew said it is going to be announced very soon and he has suggested a few names.