India Travel Trends

 

The IPL Season – 2 has so far been an unpredictable affair. Taking a cue from the trend of the last season, not many have thought of Mumbai Indians as a potential winner against Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in the first game of the tournament in South Africa. But the T20 in South Africa is quite different from what it was in India. Indian pitches are paradise for batsmen but in South Africa it has been a different ball game so far. In the four matches played so far, Mumbai Indians were the highest scorer with 165 runs.

 

Unfortunately Kings XI Punjab has to bear the burnt of the rain delayed match against Mumbai. They lost to Delhi Daredevils by 10 wickets. It is not that they lost but the way they conceded defeat. The moment they came on the field, their body language was negative. It looked they’ve already resigned to their fate. Probably they missed the point that how critical it was taking wickets. Had they claimed even a single wicket, it won’t have a walk in the park for Delhi Daredevils.

Rajasthan Royals, the IPL champions had a dismal run in their very first game against Bengalaru Royal Challengers. They were bowled out for a paltry 58. Kumble was the man who turned it for Royal Challengers by claiming 5 Rajasthan Royal Wickets. Shane Warne needs to pull up his socks. Past laurels can’t keep one afloat all the time.  Deccan Chargers, the team that won just two matches last time thrashed Kolkata Knight Riders.

 

That’s the IPL -2 in South Africa so far. Exciting and upredictable.

The countdown for the IPL 2009 has already begun (it is to start exactly 10 days from today) but I don't see the kind of publicity and hoopla that it managed to attract in 2008. The main reason obviously is the shifting of IPL games to South Africa.

Managing elections as well as IPL would have been quite a task for the government. At one time the fate of the Indian Premier League was uncertain but good that the air finally is clear and we can look forward to 36 days of Twenty20 cricket.

The teams are coming with innovative strategies and the interesting one is from John Buchanan's, who has floated the four-captain theory. The idea of four captain is basically based on the premise that four individual will be experts in different departments of cricket, who will plan/strategise and help man (captain) on the field. The four-captain theory necessarily does not mean there will be four captains on the field.

Shilpa Shetty and her partner, the UK businessman Raj Kundra, have bought a 12 per cent stake in Rajasthan Royals, the team captained and coached by Shane Warne.

Check the following links if you want to know more about IPL teams, IPL match schedule in South Africa and owner & captain of IPL teams.

-         IPL 2009 Teams

-         IPL Match Schedule in South Africa

Such is the reach and popularity of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket that after creating ripples in the travel domain the effect is visible in other sectors as well. Many marketing managers have already christened their campaigns on the popular terms in use. One case in point is the latest promotion campaign of ZoomIn the online service that enables consumers to store, share, personalize and print their digital photos. It is a case of going with the flow and making the most when the sun shines.

Here is the promotional mailer:

 

Parle Ltd (Tiger Biscuits) has launched the new “20:20 Choice of Champions” cashew cookies under its 20:20 brand aptly in line with the crisp format of the Indian Premier League’s Twenty20 cricket. Keeping in mind the popularity of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 Cricket Matches, Parle has decided to make its new 20:20 cookie brand a permanent one in its cookies category (source: The Hindu Business Line).

Indian Premier League Update
After the last match between Delhi Daredevils and Kolkota Knight Riders washed away in the un-seasonal rains, Delhi’s chances of gaining a semi-final berth are bleak. Kolkata along with Deccan Chargers and Bangalore Royal Challengers is the third team that is completely out of the IPL Championship as for the semifinals are concerned.  Now, it remains to see which team will enter the semis between Delhi and Mumbai. Delhi must win its last match against Mumbai Indians to keep its hope alive of gaining a berth in the top four and pray that Mumbai Indians lose at least two of its three matches (see IPL Match Schedule).