The T20 Super Series is being lined up to follow the T20 Champions Trophy matches and Cricket South Africa (CSA) has been oozing confidence on its conduct. However, it may have to clear a few hurdles before actually taking off.

India, Australia and South Africa are the three countries which would participate in the T20 Super Series. The cricket boards of the countries have already begun discussions for the series.

The Indian IPL series has already been useful in making T20 a very popular game in the cricketing world. The legions of foreign players in IPL teams – often as captains – and complaints from international players who could not make it into IPL have all served its cause well.

Cricketing enthusiasts believe that it will indeed have to clear several hurdles, including finding a window in an already crowded international calendar and negotiating the ICC ruling of maximum seven T20 matches a year.

A top Cricket South Africa official has said that it will be happening next year, and the T20 Super Series matches will be held in South Africa and Australia. The tournament is in fact being designed in such a way as to resemble the Tri-Nations Rugby Series. The proposed T20 Super Series, which was finalised by the three boards during discussions in Dubai recently on the sidelines of ICC chief executives meetings is being positioned as a tournament with a distinct identity of its own .

There are so many formalities to be attended to before final announcement could come through. The organisers are yet to finalise a window for the tournament next year considering the fact that the calendar is overcrowded already. The international calendar for the coming season already has the Ashes, the World Twenty20 Championship in England, the Champions Twenty20 League, the one-day series between India and Australia, and the Champions Trophy. It is quite unclear as to where the Super Series could be placed in such a tightly packed year.

Besides, many an aspect such as venues, dates, prize money and sponsorship for the T20 Super Series are yet to be even discussed on a serious note.

Chennai Super Kings led by Indian ODI and Twenty 20 skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will miss the two star foreign players Makhaya Ntini and Albie Morkel in their inaugural match against Kings X Punjab in Chandigarh on Saturday.

Makhaya Ntini and Albie Morkel of South Africa are expected to join the team only for the match against Bangalore Royal Challengers on April 26, it is reliably learnt.

This means M S Dhoni’s side would also miss the services of Makhaya Ntini and Albie Morkel for their match against Mumbai Indians on April 23.

But Chennai Super Kings have a battery of foreign players to make up for this : Stephen Fleming and Jacob Oram of New Zealand, Michael Hussey and Matthew Hayden of Australia and spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka can make up for this.

This is exactly why they took on so many foreign players on board, despite criticism. Only four foreign players can be part of the playing eleven as per IPL rules. A key recruit, Laxmipathi Balaji, may also be ruled out following injuries.

This, however, makes Chennai Super Kings’ bowling look a tad weaker than it should have been, with options getting limited.

It is being alleged that the players did not focus on the game at hand because they were preoccupied with the cash-rich IPL tourney. Critics have said that most of the cricketers now do not have the motivation to play because they have no fears about their future. Many former Indian players have already questioned the commitment of players in the Indian team. Angry reactions poured in after Anil Kumble’s men succumbed by an innings and 90 runs to South Africa on April 5, 2008. This is India’s worst defeat at home since losing to Australia by an innings and 127 runs in New Delhi in 1959.

The allegation is that Indian players had missed practice due to shooting commercials and attending IPL functions in between matches. There are reports that many team members had skipped net practice before the Ahmedabad Test and joined the inauguration ceremony of IPL franchisees. IPL teams are about to play a 44-day competition between eight city teams from April 18 this year.

While Indian players were busy participating in commercial shoots for IPL franchises after the Chennai Test, South African players had declined to do the same even though they were part of the IPL teams.

IPL had earlier attracted harsh criticism from many media organizations over the new set of regulations imposed on covering this cricket extravaganza. The restrictions prevent media organizations frm displaying match photographs on news websites. The conditions include IPL’s right to use all pictures taken at its grounds for free and without restrictions; the commitment by news organisations to upload on the IPL site, within 24 hours, all images taken at the ground; and the restriction of web portals’ access to images without prior permission from the IPL.

Rahul Dravid will become the only third Indian after Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar to enter the elite-10,000-run club — And only the sixth in the world– if he takes 80 runs.

Anil Kumble, 37, has all ready set the ball on batsmen’s court saying India always took advantage of big scores on home soil. For that, his Karnataka and Bangalore Royal Challengers mate Rahul Dravid along with Sachin Tendulkar will be the key.

In the bowling department, Harbhajan Singh, Rudra Pratap Singh and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth will give him company. And Sachin Tendulkar can bowl a few overs too. Sourav Ganguly is another option for a few overs.

And its only incidental that a South African is taking over the Indian team’s coahing duty when the team takes on South Africa itself.

Gary Kirsten will have to pitch in with all his experience to take on a new-llok South African side, with fresh pacer Dale Steyn looking to trouble the Indians.
Dale Steyn and Mark Boucher also will play alongside Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble for Bangalore Challengers in the DLF IPL Twenty20.