Pietersen Close to Agreeing IPL Deal

[King Pietersen]

Captain Kevin Pietersen heads a list of English players being approached by the Indian Premier League (IPL) to play in the 2009 season, BBC Sport can reveal.

His agent Adam Wheatley said Pietersen was "keen to play" and the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) expects a number of players to follow his lead.

The IPL will conduct an auction on 6 February to bring in new players.

The PCA is already helping Essex all-rounders Graham Napier and Ravi Bopara with their negotiations.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source

This is ridiculous, I thought the whole point of this mickey mouse Stanford series was to give the English players a financial boost so that they stop wanting to saunter off to the IPL. It's annoying also because a year or so ago the players were complaining of having too much cricket, but now they're trying to fit as much Twenty20 into their schedules as possible. I understand that they're trying to make as much money from the game as possible before they retire, but Pietersen should be focusing on the Ashes, not boosting his bank balance by playing in the IPL.

Apparently he feels it'd be "useful for a number of the players to get some experience of the IPL." That's a ridiculous statement, KP's obviously being hounded by certain players in the England team to try and secure them an IPL contract as he's now the big man. If the England players that come back from the IPL fail to perform in The Ashes, then they've only got themselves to blame, and I'll lose faith in the game that I love. I cannot see Pietersen and the other England players going to play in the IPL having any possible benefits when it comes to playing for England.

If Pietersen signs for the IPL I'll be dissappointed, as I thought the whole point of the Stanford 20-20 was to be the financial boost that the players are missing out on by not playing IPL cricket. It should be 1 or the other for the England players. Twenty20 could potentially have a massive negative impact on cricket, we've been saying it for a long time.

 

[Highlander999]

And yet a few days ago he was going on about the credit crunch and how he doesn't want England players making a big deal about the Stanford game. Now he is talking about the IPL which automatically means big bucks. Rather pathetic, but I suspect as Dan said there is a lot more happening behind doors, within the England camp, then is being let on. Hopefully it all falls through

 

[vaibhav mehta]

If Pietersen signs for the IPL I'll be dissappointed

So will rest of us.Actually the whole point of the Stanford 20-20 was to be the financial boost that the players are missing out on by not playing IPL cricket but now they will earn two times more by playing in both leagues though I don't think at the end of year they would get much time for their respective national teams.

 

[Leicester Fox]

ooh I'm tired. Oooh loads of money. I'm not that tired anymore. Captain Cook, the IPL wll never want him.

 

[King Pietersen]

Cook's actually made himself out to be abit of a twat throughout this whole Stanford saga. He did a press conference where he told the press that the Stanford game was all about the money, and then Moores and Pietersen had to fix the situation by talking about the credit crunch and say it's warm up for India. Cook's not worthy of a money boost, not when Twenty20's talked about anyway, he's not good enough. If he's not good enough to get into the England T20 or ODi teams then he doesn't deserve to be called up for the Stanford game or the IPL. He won't get an IPL offer even if England players are allowed, and if he does, they won't be selecting him on his T20 skills they'll be selecting him on name alone.

 

[Leicester Fox]

He's just telling the truth. Better than the usual media bull you get. He's hardly going to turn the money down is he anyway, there have been tons of players who have been selected for stupid reasons, at least it's in a game that doesn't matter.

 

[evertonfan]

I'm sick of this T20 globalization. The original English domestic competition is the only form of it I like. The IPL can kiss my ringpiece.

 

[SciD]

No new player coming in IPL will get figures of first signups. These type of rumours have been floating for long and will do untill KP retires from cricket. Reliance, Mallya, GMR and Godrej are all feeling financial crunch. Only SRK can arrange money by doing his shows.

Deccan Chargers are already up for sale.

 

[WORLD CHAMPIONS]

As far i knew Mumbai wanted KP and he has been approaced by Ambani, SRK has approached Freddie personally

 

[King Pietersen]

Every IPL team would want Pietersen or Flintoff, Pietersen should be up there with the most expensive transfers in IPL tbh. Also, quick IPL related question, is the amount paid for each player in the draft thing the actual amount that the player makes? Because if the large amounts of money from last year have finished, then I can't see the appeal for a guy like Pietersen who could spend 2 weeks at home with his wife and do a few Adidas commercials and make the same money.

 

[Highlander999]

I'm sick of this T20 globalization. The original English domestic competition is the only form of it I like.

Exactly the same for me. Nothing can beat T20 Finals Day. Pure class. Very rarely do I cry when my team lose but I did after Kent lost in the finals. That is due purely to the passion in the way it is played. The IPL is just pure money, it has no character to it

 

[sohum]

Exactly the same for me. Nothing can beat T20 Finals Day. Pure class. Very rarely do I cry when my team lose but I did after Kent lost in the finals. That is due purely to the passion in the way it is played. The IPL is just pure money, it has no character to it

Right... : No passion... reminds me of similar comments being made during the World Twenty20 by people who weren't even watching the tournament.

What I wonder is what economic scandal passed by that suddenly all cricketers need so much more money.

 

[Animator!]

I don't disagree with Pietersen joining this, as he obviously wants to set up his family and future family members with the best possible financial chance, which is more than fair enough. It's just after his comments on the Stanford games regarding respecting those suffering in the credit crunch etc, he's totally blackened his reputation in my eyes. Says one thing, does another. Totally hipocritical and a stupid move, especially so soon after his comments.

 

[Highlander999]

Right... : No passion... reminds me of similar comments being made during the World Twenty20 by people who weren't even watching the tournament.

Read what I write next time! I said it had no character. I didn't say there was no passion involved, you only had to look at the crowds to see the passion that was present. However, any character, was lost amongst all the money thrown into it.

 

[KBC]

Pietersen, is probably thinking of getting used to the sub-continental pitches rather than the entire drama that's going. Remember, KP has not played much cricket in india, he's only toured india once, that's in 2006. So, i think! if he gets used to the spinning pitches, and the way ball seams and moves around in the air and the conditions in the sub-continent acting as a factor, he might well get some skills? in his arsenal. Money or friendship issue i would say, which is bringing KP close to signing the deal. He's not a "touch not" kind of a person. He rules by his wishes, doesn't matter what people think about him in the back. Or else, it's the money issue. But i partially agree with it too. The stanford 20-20, which is so blessed with money from Allan Stanford, i don't really think any kind of interest would be lasting with the money issue. But by playing in the IPL, he may be getting parallel contracts with england and indian domestic circuit. I don't know, once again, just hearing all this, never got into any of these issues practically.