Sidhartha Mallya Latest Posts

Off to a Great Start…

2011-04-12T06:51:37+00:00

A new season, a new team and a new kit. Everything has changed for RCB since the last IPL. But one thing has remained constant. And that has been the dedication and support from all our loyal RCB fans.

On Friday, we left Bangalore for our first game against the Kochi Tuskers Kerala. The mood in the camp was very positive, and everyone was in great spirits. After team training, I had dinner with some of the lads and the coaches, spoke to Zak and Virat about their amazing World Cup triumph, and how it felt to have become World Champions.... As a supporter in the stadium, the feeling was electric and one can only imagine what it must have felt like to have been one of the players!A new season, a new team and a new kit. Everything has changed for RCB since the last IPL. But one thing has remained constant. And that has been the dedication and support from all our loyal RCB fans.

On Friday, we left Bangalore for our first game against the Kochi Tuskers Kerala. The mood in the camp was very positive, and everyone was in great spirits. After team training, I had dinner with some of the lads and the coaches, spoke to Zak and Virat about their amazing World Cup triumph, and how it felt to have become World Champions.... As a supporter in the stadium, the feeling was electric and one can only imagine what it must have felt like to have been one of the players!

The next morning I had breakfast with Anil, Ray and the skipper Dan. We decided on the playing XI for the day and had a general chat about our new squad. Everyone was in an upbeat mood which is always a good sign!

At the stadium, Dan lost the toss and we had to field first. I’m not going to talk about the match, as all of you already know what happened! However, I will say that the team showed exceptional character to restrict Kochi to 161 after the blistering start that Brendon McCullum and VVS gave them. But AB was fantastic with the bat and showed why he is regarded as one of the best limited over’s batsmen in the world. A special mention must also go out to our two debutants, Mayank Agarwal and Asad Khan Pathan. Both played superbly and showed that they are players who were unfazed by the big occasion. Mayank’s six off Murali was my personal highlight of the day.

I also congratulate Team Kochi and franchise who not only did play exceptionally well on the field but also looked after us, off the field. It can’t be easy for them after all the problems they have been through, but they really put up a good show and all credit goes to them.

The night’s entertainment consisted of a performance by our very own White Mischief girls, as well as a fashion show by Bangalore’s very own Manoviraj Khosla!

So that’s it for my 1st blog of the year......the next game is a big one for us as we welcome Sachin and his Mumbai Indians squad to Bangalore. Looking forward to see you there. Good Luck!

SVM

RCB Celebrates Earth Hour – Beyond Switch Off

2011-03-26T17:38:51+00:00

RCB is all Game for Green this year and will be offering its whole-hearted support to Earth Hour 2011, celebrated on March 26th, where lights will go off round the globe for 60 minutes. Earth Hour has grown to become one of the world’s largest campaigns towards sustainability and climate change mitigation. From 35 participating nations when Earth Hour was first launched in 2007 to more than 130 nations participating today, it has indeed become a symbol of solidarity shown by citizens for the protection of the environment by embracing switch off for Earth Hour.

India has been a staunch supporter of Earth Hour with over 6 million Indians from 128 cities going in darkness for 1 hour in 2010! But this year, as we celebrate Earth Hour we at RCB aim to go beyond just switch off.
RCB is all Game for Green this year and will be offering its whole-hearted support to Earth Hour 2011, celebrated on March 26th, where lights will go off round the globe for 60 minutes. Earth Hour has grown to become one of the world’s largest campaigns towards sustainability and climate change mitigation. From 35 participating nations when Earth Hour was first launched in 2007 to more than 130 nations participating today, it has indeed become a symbol of solidarity shown by citizens for the protection of the environment by embracing switch off for Earth Hour.

India has been a staunch supporter of Earth Hour with over 6 million Indians from 128 cities going in darkness for 1 hour in 2010! But this year, as we celebrate Earth Hour we at RCB aim to go beyond just switch off.

Besides switching off lights on 26th March, we are treading a greener path through our green initiatives by reaching out to all and encouraging them to adopt environment friendly practices. The Green Initiatives of RCB such as tree planting drives, switch over to CFLs campaign, solar water heater initiative etc., have helped in generating increased awareness and has received active participation & enthusiastic support from all. This is the first year we are working towards this noble cause and RCB will continue to launch many such initiatives in future too which will help in enabling a cleaner and healthier tomorrow.

So this Earth Hour, let us all join together and pledge that we will do our bit for the environment & our Mother Earth; and will go that needed extra mile beyond the Switch Off!

RCB is Game for Green, are you? Come and join us today!

Sept. 20

2010-09-20T03:21:46+00:00

So after what was probably an unrealistically easy start to the tournament, we were given a reality check by losing two on the trot. The first to the South Australian Redbacks, when we were simply outplayed in every department by a professional and determined team who wanted it more. We lost the second to the Mumbai Indians because we gave away far too many runs in the last five overs.

Something that we did in our semi-final clash against them in April in the IPL. This, however, was a classic game of cricket, and although it's a bitter pill to swallow to lose by 2 runs, I am thrilled that I was able to be part of such an exciting contest. I mean a game that boasts names like Tendulkar, Pollard, Zaheer, Bhajji, Malinga, Dravid, Kallis, Taylor, Kumble, White, Uthappa is always gonna be a classic.
So after what was probably an unrealistically easy start to the tournament, we were given a reality check by losing two on the trot. The first to the South Australian Redbacks, when we were simply outplayed in every department by a professional and determined team who wanted it more. We lost the second to the Mumbai Indians because we gave away far too many runs in the last five overs.

Something that we did in our semi-final clash against them in April in the IPL. This, however, was a classic game of cricket, and although it's a bitter pill to swallow to lose by 2 runs, I am thrilled that I was able to be part of such an exciting contest. I mean a game that boasts names like Tendulkar, Pollard, Zaheer, Bhajji, Malinga, Dravid, Kallis, Taylor, Kumble, White, Uthappa is always gonna be a classic.

Anyways, enough from the cricketing side of things. Whilst in Durban, I have been able to get the adrenaline flowing once again, by going for a second skydive. As well as this, I did the world's highest 'swing' over the Moses Mabhida stadium that hosted one of the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup. I have to say it was an amazing experience. A free-fall for 106 metres in a bungee, then swing a further 220 meters, 20 feet above the pitch. Only one word to describe it- AWESOME!!.

The day after the Redbacks game, the whole squad went to Shaka, which is a huge aquarium. We dived with the sharks there but from the safety of a cage! This was followed by an ocean walk. This was very amusing as our strength and conditioning coach Basu provided most of the entertainmet with his hand signals! It was a nice day out with the boys and a good opportunity to bond. It's important in a short tournament like this to indulge in these sorts of activities away from the pitch to bring everybody closer.

I have some pictures, and will definitely upload them with the next entry.

Till then, take care and log onto http://www.royalchallengers.com for more team information. We play on Tuesday next against the Highveld Lions in a must win game.

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For live updates, follow Sidhartha Mallya on Twitter @sidharthamallya

Sept 15

2010-09-15T14:00:19+00:00

After the game on Sunday, we headed back to the hotel and finished off all last minute packing. Even though we were flying out the next morning to Durban, the luggage had to leave that night by road. At this point, I have to mention our team manager, Avinash ‘George’ Vaidya. Anybody who has been on or part of a tour, knows the logistical nightmares that any team faces when moving from one location to another. Here at RCB, George is the man responsible for making sure everything is in place, and everybody and everything gets from one location to another on time! Not the most glamorous job in the world, but George carries it out with immense enthusiasm and commitment. It’s not just the players who make a team, but the people in the background who keep it together.
Anyways, after the packing, a few of us met in the hotel bar for a drink. It’s always good once you’ve won a game to unwind all together, as the mood is positive. I met Ravi Shastri there who was having a drink, and he told me how during the match he had commentated that I was looking nervous because I was biting my nails!! I’d like to clarify that I bite my nails out of habit, and NOT out of nerves!! Trust me, even if we had won the game in the 2nd over, I still would have been seen chewing my fingers off long into the night!! It was a fun night all in all, and the banter levels were as high as ever.

The next morning we left for Durban. Before leaving, I had breakfast with Gurunath, the owner of the Chennai Super Kings, and a couple of his boys. It’s always nice to meet and chat with other teams, and during the IPL, I formed quite a close bond with some of the people involved with other franchises. The cricketing world is actually quite small and is very close knit, so everybody ends up knowing everybody!

After landing in Durban, we checked into the team hotel. It’s not the most glamorous of venues, but does provide an awesome view of the coastline from the rooms. There is also a superb Indian restaurant next to the lobby, and that’s where most of the squad flocked to after checking in. There is a huge Indian community here in Durban, and you can sense the excitement all around. It’s really nice for the locals to have such big Indian names as Kumble, Dravid and Tendulkar staying in their city.

Later in the evening, a few of the management team headed to the casino. As much as I’d like to say I came away financially better off, the sad reality is that it was the house that won again! There’s something very James Bondesque about playing in a casino, however one rarely leaves with a pocket full of cash and a hot eastern European on the arm!! Nonetheless, it was all a bit of fun.

So that’s it for now…keep watching this space for more news on RCB as we get closer to our next match, and be sure to check out http://www.royalchallengers.com for all the latest news on the boys in red.

Cheers

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For live updates, follow Sidhartha Mallya at Twitter @sidharthamallya

September 12

2010-09-13T02:53:51+00:00

So, finally our campaign got underway. After watching some of the other matches, we knew that we really have to be at the top of our game to go far in this tournament. There really is no room for error!

From a personal point of view, Sunday was a very big day for UB Sports, as we had both our Formula 1 team Force India and our cricketers in action. Unfortunately, for the F1 team, they were unable to repeat the heroics from last year at Monza and we ended up without a point. Fortunately however, the boys in red put up a lightning display, and we crushed Guyana. What was really encouraging was the performances from our two South Africans, Dale and Jacques. Both of them had slight injury concerns coming into the match, but they were able to put these behind them and came up with strong performances. Jacques was especially impressive, and he really showed his class with a superb all round performance. His man of the match award was thoroughly deserved.
So, finally our campaign got underway. After watching some of the other matches, we knew that we really have to be at the top of our game to go far in this tournament. There really is no room for error!

From a personal point of view, Sunday was a very big day for UB Sports, as we had both our Formula 1 team Force India and our cricketers in action. Unfortunately, for the F1 team, they were unable to repeat the heroics from last year at Monza and we ended up without a point. Fortunately however, the boys in red put up a lightning display, and we crushed Guyana. What was really encouraging was the performances from our two South Africans, Dale and Jacques. Both of them had slight injury concerns coming into the match, but they were able to put these behind them and came up with strong performances. Jacques was especially impressive, and he really showed his class with a superb all round performance. His man of the match award was thoroughly deserved.

What was also nice was the level of support we received. I have always said that RCB has the best fans out of any team, and this is something that I truly felt at the match. To see the love, passion and dedication of these fans was truly humbling and inspiring. Bear in mind that a lot of these people were locals, and others had made the trip from India, just to support their team. If we owe anything to anybody as a team, then it is to our supporters, and bringing the trophy back would be the best way to thank them for everything!

Anyways, the next stop is Durban, where we play our two matches before returning to Joburg. I hear the pitch suites the fast bowlers, so it will be interesting who we pick. Call it a blessing or a dilemma, but we have 15 world class players to choose from, but only 11 can play at any one time!

So that’s it for now from Johannesburg….Till the next time, take care and keep an eye on www.royalchallengers.com/news for all the latest news on RCB.

Cheers!

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For live updates, follow Sidhartha Mallya at Twitter @sidharthamallya

September 11 - during the CSK match

2010-09-12T06:11:31+00:00

So finally the tournament has gotten underway, and what a victory to start with for the Highveld Lions! Their determination and enthusiasm really got them going, however their execution of the basics was what finally gave them the upper hand. Going into the game, Mumbai Indians would have been the favorites, but this victory once again shows that anything can happen in 20/20 cricket and the term, ‘underdog’ is simply not applicable. I remember back to last year’s tournament when we opened against the Cape Cobras at Chinnaswamy Stadium, and after posting a score in excess of 180 we still went and lost the game. J.P Duminy scoring a blistering innings. So I can sympathize with Mumbai because I know how it feels to lose a game after everyone had expected you to walk it.So finally the tournament has gotten underway, and what a victory to start with for the Highveld Lions! Their determination and enthusiasm really got them going, however their execution of the basics was what finally gave them the upper hand. Going into the game, Mumbai Indians would have been the favorites, but this victory once again shows that anything can happen in 20/20 cricket and the term, ‘underdog’ is simply not applicable. I remember back to last year’s tournament when we opened against the Cape Cobras at Chinnaswamy Stadium, and after posting a score in excess of 180 we still went and lost the game. J.P Duminy scoring a blistering innings. So I can sympathize with Mumbai because I know how it feels to lose a game after everyone had expected you to walk it.

I think that this is the beauty of T20 cricket, as it really requires a team to be on top form to win a game. As the games are so short, there really is no margin for error, and the team that executes the basics better on the day is going to most likely end up victorious.

So before the game started, we as a management team decided that the whole squad should watch the game together. Not only to watch two future opponents, but also to bring the lads closer. It’s really important that when you are only together for such a short period during the year that you make the most of the time you have to develop a sense of unity. Many of our cricketers play for a number of different teams, be it national sides, state sides or counties, so it becomes imperative that they come together as a group for the duration of the tournament.

It was also Manish’s 21st birthday, so we cut a huge chocolate cake for him. Robin, Virat and Vinay all made sure that Manish got a full taste of the flavour by covering his face in the cake! It was a very amusing sight! The cake tasted amazing, and I’m wondering if they still have some left over!

I also had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan Foo, the 19 year old sensation from Guyana. He is the first Chinese cricketer to play at this level, and he really is one to watch out for in the future. I look forward to seeing him in action against us on Sunday.

Anyways, that’s about it for now….I’m watching the CSK v Stags game as I type, so will let you know my thoughts on it later!

Cheers

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For live updates, follow Sidhartha Mallya on Twitter @sidharthamallya

September 11

2010-09-11T12:09:43+00:00

While I've been here, I've tried to do some other activities away from the cricketing world. This has included going on a couple of safaris, to quadbiking to finally jumping out of a plane! Thats right, jumping out of a plane! I finally fulfilled one of my biggest ambitions and went for a skydive. I can't begin to explain what it feels like to be plummeting towards the earth from 11,000 ft, but I can say that I highly recommend it to everybody! It truly was one of the best experiences of my life! The reason I've included this is because I think that it is equally important to get away from the cricketing side of things to clear one's head once in a while, especially in a tournament like this which is short but extremely intense.

Anyways, enough of my escapades! On Thursday, the coach Ray Jennings organized a trip to Soccer City, the stadium that hosted both the opening match and the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It was really amazing to see the vastness of the stadium, and to be able to walk on the pitch (something that is not normally allowed). The lads all had a great time, and there was plenty of banter! From here, we went to the house where Nelson Mandela grew up in Soweto. And along with everybody else, I was really filled with a sense of awe to be standing so close to the place that such a great man once lived in. Truly inspiring.

Following on, we attended the kick off concert where Enrique Iglesias performed. It was nice to see so many cricketers from the different teams in attendance. Before this started, each of the ten captains were introduced to the crowd, wearing their respective team kits. They then signed the ICC Spirit of Cricket pledge before rejoining the action. I have to say, without being biased, we definitely have the best team uniform! People will have all sorts of views about our squad, but one thing is for sure, there can't be any doubt in anybody's mind that we simply look the best!

From whatever I've seen so far, I think the organizers have done a wonderful job in putting this championship together, and we are in for a real treat over the next 16 days.

---

For live updates, follow Sidhartha Mallya on Twitter @sidharthamallyaWhile I've been here, I've tried to do some other activities away from the cricketing world. This has included going on a couple of safaris, to quadbiking to finally jumping out of a plane! Thats right, jumping out of a plane! I finally fulfilled one of my biggest ambitions and went for a skydive. I can't begin to explain what it feels like to be plummeting towards the earth from 11,000 ft, but I can say that I highly recommend it to everybody! It truly was one of the best experiences of my life! The reason I've included this is because I think that it is equally important to get away from the cricketing side of things to clear one's head once in a while, especially in a tournament like this which is short but extremely intense.

Anyways, enough of my escapades! On Thursday, the coach Ray Jennings organized a trip to Soccer City, the stadium that hosted both the opening match and the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It was really amazing to see the vastness of the stadium, and to be able to walk on the pitch (something that is not normally allowed). The lads all had a great time, and there was plenty of banter! From here, we went to the house where Nelson Mandela grew up in Soweto. And along with everybody else, I was really filled with a sense of awe to be standing so close to the place that such a great man once lived in. Truly inspiring.

Following on, we attended the kick off concert where Enrique Iglesias performed. It was nice to see so many cricketers from the different teams in attendance. Before this started, each of the ten captains were introduced to the crowd, wearing their respective team kits. They then signed the ICC Spirit of Cricket pledge before rejoining the action. I have to say, without being biased, we definitely have the best team uniform! People will have all sorts of views about our squad, but one thing is for sure, there can't be any doubt in anybody's mind that we simply look the best!

From whatever I've seen so far, I think the organizers have done a wonderful job in putting this championship together, and we are in for a real treat over the next 16 days.

---

For live updates, follow Sidhartha Mallya on Twitter @sidharthamallya

September 10, 2010

2010-09-10T12:26:26+00:00

So we were based at the High Performance Center at the University of Pretoria for a few days, before moving to Jo'burg. The facilities available were state of the art, and this is where the SA national cricket team meets up for training camps before embarking on an international tour. The centre boasts many rugby pitches, soccer fields, and other facilities that encompass just about every sport imaginable. In fact, during the recently concluded FIFA World Cup, it played home to the Argentine National team. A few of the locals who worked there, were telling us about how they had to arrange a special golf cart to transport Diego Maradona, simply because he refused to walk even 5 feet!! They even had to install a 'special' toliet in his bathroom as he was too 'small' for the existing one! I am glad to say that our lads didn't have any such problems, and we found the facilities available to us most adequate.

The South African women's national netball team was also staying there, and they were a lot of fun! I must say however, that it was a pretty intimidating feeling to be surrounded by a group of girls with an average height of 7ft! The banter was good however, and there was a really light mood around the place.

Meanwhile, we've also played a little bit of cricket amongst all of this. We started with a warm up game against the Central Stags from New Zealand, which we won quite comfortably. Robin 'Six'appa and Whitey put some balls into orbit, and Dillon ripped through the Stags batting line up finishing with figures of 4/9.

Then we played against the Victoria Bushrangers at The Wanderers. This was a harder game and Vic batted realy well to post a score of 179/6. We knew we had to bat even better to achieve the target, and that is exactly what we did. Manish played well to score a quick 50 from 39 deliveries, and Akhil also chipped in at the end with some big shots. The star however was Rosco who blitzed 66 from 29 balls which included some massive sixes into the stands. If he continues to do this throughout the tournament, I think the CLT20 organisers may need to provide helmets to the spectators! Anyways, it's always a great feeling to win, even if its just a practice match. It's important, however, not to get too carried away by this, and focus on the games which will actually mean something.So we were based at the High Performance Center at the University of Pretoria for a few days, before moving to Jo'burg. The facilities available were state of the art, and this is where the SA national cricket team meets up for training camps before embarking on an international tour. The centre boasts many rugby pitches, soccer fields, and other facilities that encompass just about every sport imaginable. In fact, during the recently concluded FIFA World Cup, it played home to the Argentine National team. A few of the locals who worked there, were telling us about how they had to arrange a special golf cart to transport Diego Maradona, simply because he refused to walk even 5 feet!! They even had to install a 'special' toliet in his bathroom as he was too 'small' for the existing one! I am glad to say that our lads didn't have any such problems, and we found the facilities available to us most adequate.

The South African women's national netball team was also staying there, and they were a lot of fun! I must say however, that it was a pretty intimidating feeling to be surrounded by a group of girls with an average height of 7ft! The banter was good however, and there was a really light mood around the place.

Meanwhile, we've also played a little bit of cricket amongst all of this. We started with a warm up game against the Central Stags from New Zealand, which we won quite comfortably. Robin 'Six'appa and Whitey put some balls into orbit, and Dillon ripped through the Stags batting line up finishing with figures of 4/9.

Then we played against the Victoria Bushrangers at The Wanderers. This was a harder game and Vic batted realy well to post a score of 179/6. We knew we had to bat even better to achieve the target, and that is exactly what we did. Manish played well to score a quick 50 from 39 deliveries, and Akhil also chipped in at the end with some big shots. The star however was Rosco who blitzed 66 from 29 balls which included some massive sixes into the stands. If he continues to do this throughout the tournament, I think the CLT20 organisers may need to provide helmets to the spectators! Anyways, it's always a great feeling to win, even if its just a practice match. It's important, however, not to get too carried away by this, and focus on the games which will actually mean something.

September 9, 2010

2010-09-09T06:25:01+00:00

It seems like only yesterday that we secured our place in the 2nd edition of the Airtel Champions League T20 competition by giving the Deccan Chargers a good hiding at DY Patil in the 3rd/4th playoff…

5 months have since past and here we are again, re-grouped and raring to go….And during the course of this tournament, I will be bringing you exclusive content right from the heart of the action...What will be unique about this endeavour is that it will be the first of its kind, as it will come from a team owner's point of view. Throughout, I will share with you the flavours of the rainbow nation, news on the squad, behind the scenes stories and of course, the goings-on on the field. Basically, watch this space for everything ROYAL CHALLENGERS, BANGALORE!

So moving on.....Most of the management party has been here for more than a week now, and so too has Robin. As you may be aware, Robin had a surgery after the IPL, and such is his dedication to this team, he insisted on travelling early to ensure he had time to work with our trainer to gain full match fitness.

The rest of the squad has since arrived, and I must say that everyone is in great spirits. There is a great camaraderie in the squad that infuses a generally positive mood.

Even though I’ve worked with this same group of players before, I still feel humbled when around them. To be able to be part of the same set up as Anil, Rahul and Jacques is a truly special feeling, seeing as I, like many other young cricket fans, used to watch them while growing up. What strikes me the most about this certain generation of cricketers is the grace and humility in which they conduct themselves. They really are a true credit to the cricketing community and to the sporting world as a whole. I hope that the younger generations coming through will not just look at these players as legends on the field, but also as role models off it as well.

So thats it for now, keep watching this space for more.

Ciao!It seems like only yesterday that we secured our place in the 2nd edition of the Airtel Champions League T20 competition by giving the Deccan Chargers a good hiding at DY Patil in the 3rd/4th playoff…

5 months have since past and here we are again, re-grouped and raring to go….And during the course of this tournament, I will be bringing you exclusive content right from the heart of the action...What will be unique about this endeavour is that it will be the first of its kind, as it will come from a team owner's point of view. Throughout, I will share with you the flavours of the rainbow nation, news on the squad, behind the scenes stories and of course, the goings-on on the field. Basically, watch this space for everything ROYAL CHALLENGERS, BANGALORE!

So moving on.....Most of the management party has been here for more than a week now, and so too has Robin. As you may be aware, Robin had a surgery after the IPL, and such is his dedication to this team, he insisted on travelling early to ensure he had time to work with our trainer to gain full match fitness.

The rest of the squad has since arrived, and I must say that everyone is in great spirits. There is a great camaraderie in the squad that infuses a generally positive mood.

Even though I’ve worked with this same group of players before, I still feel humbled when around them. To be able to be part of the same set up as Anil, Rahul and Jacques is a truly special feeling, seeing as I, like many other young cricket fans, used to watch them while growing up. What strikes me the most about this certain generation of cricketers is the grace and humility in which they conduct themselves. They really are a true credit to the cricketing community and to the sporting world as a whole. I hope that the younger generations coming through will not just look at these players as legends on the field, but also as role models off it as well.

So thats it for now, keep watching this space for more.

Ciao!