The Hindu Business Line : India Cements’ Chennai Super Kings ropes in Srikkanth

Cementing ties: The Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, India Cements, Mr N. Srinivasan (left), with former cricket captain, Srikkanth, at the formal launch of the Chennai Super Kings, in Chennai on Monday. — R. Ragu

Our Bureau

Chennai, Feb. 18 India Cements, the franchise holder of the Indian Premier League’s Chennai team, on Monday formally launched the name of the cricket team — Chennai Super Kings — and introduced its brand ambassador — the former opener and captain of the Indian cricket team, K Srikkanth.

At the launch function attended by leading cricketers from the State, the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, India Cements, Mr N. Srinivasan, said that with India Cements winning the franchise rights for the Chennai team, cricket lovers could look forward to more of quality cricket in Chennai.

Earlier, as one of the five original venues for test cricket, fans here could only look forward to seeing one of 21 one-day international games or one of 13-14 matches that were being played. With the vagaries of the weather thrown in, cricket lovers here often missed even that rare treat, he said.

Now, with the India Cements’ Chennai Super Kings, one of the eight teams under the IPL promoted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), cricket fans could look forward to a regular dose of international quality cricket. Each of the eight teams would play the other twice, and seven matches would be in the home ground and seven away.

Chennai Super Kings cements the company’s traditional relationship with the game. India Cements has actively patronised cricket for over six decades — on occasions it could count among its employees most of the Ranji Trophy players, he said.

Apart from bidding for the 81 players under IPL, the Chennai team could promote cricket among the young. Four of the team would include players under 22 who would get a chance to rub shoulders with international players, Mr Srinivasan said.

On the opportunity that IPL presents for India Cements as a company, Mr T.S. Raghupathy, Executive-President, India Cements, said that as one of the largest cement manufacturers with plans for a presence across India, the IPL team would offer an ideal opportunity to build the corporate and brand image.

The Chennai Super Kings’ brand ambassador Srikkanth, responding to a question on his role, felt it was only apt that he was among those promoting the team playing a 20/20 match — “I do not think that I have ever stayed on the pitch for more than 20 overs,” he said. It is a team that will focus on winning every time, he said.

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