Exclusive interview with Rishabh Somani - The owner of Team SweetAcid!

Fox News

What is in the IPL without our own boxerclub IPL influenza? If you aint familiar with Boxerclub IPL thing, you missing out big! Last year, it was the reason, IPL was such a success even tough being at SA. This time around, Boxerclub IPL saw an increase in number of participating teams! Last year, the 4 franchises were owned by 4 multi-millionaires Tarang, Rishabh, Jimit and Dhaval. While Jimit and Dhaval suffered huge loses because of losing, they backed out! This year around we had Tarang and Rishabh as usual, few upcoming millionaires also took the risk of venturing their capitals- They are Rohan Patel, Kunal Bharucha, and Akshay Shetty ( The powerhouse from Chai-na ). The auction was held between these 5 men. There will be a report on the auction later on, but right now, we have with us, Rishabh Somani, The owner of team SweetAcid, Live and Exclusive, talking to us, about his team, auction, prospectus, strategy and everything!

Welcome sir!
Rishabh Somani - My pleasure!

Q - Can you plz tell us your team sir?
RS - Of corz, Team SweetAcid, for 3rd league of IPL and 2nd edition of Boxerclub IPL thing, is like under-

1) Sanath Jayasuriya
2) Graeme Smith
3) Gautam Gambhir
4) David Warner
5) Shaun Marsh
6) Mathew Hayden
7) MS Dhoni
8) Albie Morkel
9) Herschelle Gibbs

10) Manish Pandey
11) Mark Boucher
12) Roelof Van Der Merwe
13) Swapnil Asnodkar
14) Karan Goel

15) Praghyan Ojha
16) Ajit Agarkar
17) Praveen Kumar
18) Bret Lee
19) Jakati
20) Ashish Nehra

Now, arent you smiling? arent you thinking WOW, what a team?

Q - How did you manage such a nice team sir?
RS - Phew, it was not easy! Well, I had planned so much. Let me tell you all of it! 1stly others ( esp Mr.Tarang ) thought ( or would have never thought ) that I would never pick these players, like Dhoni, Hayden, Gibbs, Sanath. They had made it a point that they wont allow me to pick Adam Gilchrist, P Ojha, Rohit Sharma, and other Deccan players. I knew this strategy of theirs! So, obv I dint wanted to set up any plans to counter them! why should I? I would have fallen on my face maybe. So I thought and planned my way out. Came up with strategy which would see to it that I anyhow get away with best of players, and they cant even do anything about it! So I made a list of other strong players. and I managed to get most of them.

Q - How did you prepare the list?
RS - Well, thats a trade secret, cant tell you. But lots of effort goes into preparing a correct blue-print of the team you want. Because only if you prepare a list of 35-40 players, you will end up getting max 15 out of them! When at auction a name of a player appears, you have to be ready with; do you want that player, if yes then which is gonna be your max bid, which opponent is bidding against you look for that, then if you are out-bidden, then which next such a player you have to get! All these things you have to do prior! Same way, your list should be exclusive, you should come up and bank on such players that else wont be excited to buy or bid! For Eg - Some players who have the potential, but havent performed yet, like Smith.. I took him, a good buy he is! Same way, I had prepared a list, and ya I got about 16 players this time around!

Q - How was the auction?
RS - It was awesome, like always! We all were excited, prepared and enthusiastic. No1 was letting things low, every1 was charged up! An unwanted weed fought with me in middle. He was breaking the rules of the auction, which were set up earlier, we are not suppose to prompt, hint, give out details. He wasnt even owning a team, was a spectator, and when after 3 attempts I subjected to that, he threaten to get violent, and hit me with a chair. Was giving out abuses. I was disappointed that other managers dint support me into this, dint came to my rescue, they just saw everything happen, maybe enjoyed, and dint came upto my support! Anyways, I dint let that divert my mind, and concentrated on the auction as usual. and the team is in front of you, and I am extremely happy, satisfied and confident out winning this time!

Q - What do you have to tell about other teams?
RS - To be frank, I dont know any1s team yet, the official MAIL of EXCEL SHEET has not reached to me yet. And to be more frank, after picking such a team for myself, I dont feel like analyzing other teams. Maybe they are nice too, maybe better, but this around I am just concerned with my team, actually too happy for what I have got.

Q - Are you over-confident with your team?
RS - Hmmmmmmm, not over confident, I believe 1ce you are over confident, your turmoil is fixed. but I am confident. That doesnt mean I am not expecting competition, or even being 2nd or 3rd or even last for 1ce! You have to understand that your job was to pick the best possible 20! and I think I have done that job extremely well, and rest is upon destiny of my players if they perform I shall win! You are destine for whatever you achieve, your hard work pays in form of destiny too. So lets see.

Q - Whom you bank upon in your team?
RS - I have a strong opinion that openers/1 down/2 down batters will shed lots of points! They get a good opportunity to score. So all my openers like Sanath Jayasuriya, Matthew Hayden, Gibbs, Smith, Gambhir, Shaun Marsh, Asnodkar, and 1 down batters like David Warner, Manish Pandey, Karan Goel, they all will do very well. Esp my openers if you see are world class power-hitters. Then I also bank upon MS Dhoni. Amongst bowlers I bank upon Ojha, Praveen Kumar, Nehra, Jakati. will miss RP Singh a lot.

Q - Talking about missing some players, whom you wanted in your team but couldnt.
RS - Tarang out bidded me for Adam Gilchrist. ever since there was a plan for auction he had made sure he doesnt let me have Adam. By doing that, I some how lost interest in actually bidding for Adam. but still he is a 1 side player! apart from him, I miss Kallis, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Sanga, Sehwag, Flintoff, RP Singh, The giant Andrew Symonds! and Pollard, though I never wanted, and was so surprised when Mr.Rohan straight away bidded 200+ for him. But thats what makes me watch out for him too.

Q - So, there are other huge names outside your team also! dont you fear?
RS - If they were together in 1 team, I would have definitely feared! but they are scattered in different teams. Divided they fall. Though as I see just now ( during this interview Rishabh spoke to Mr.Tarang and Mr.Tarang has mailed him the EXCEL SHEET just now ) hmmmm, lets see Mr.Tarangs team, RNA Tigers huh, hmmmmmm Raina, Adam, Yuvi, K.P, Sehwag, Irfan, Dinesh Karthik is in good form, Bhajji, Jadega, Naman Ojha, nice team RNA Tigers, they are competitors! Mr.Akshay's team also is well balanced, with AB, Watson. Hmmmmmmm lets see what happens.

Q- Yup, Lets see what happens sir, wish you all the best for Team SweetAcid.
Rishabh - Thanks a ton. To all the supporters of SweetAcid, very soon, we will launch our team Anthem! Continue with all your support, love, wishes, we shall surely do well this time!

Thats about it folks. Tune in next time, for latest updates on boxerclub IPL thing!