IPL to outset in Mumbai on Friday

The third edition of the IPL buzzes into life on Friday night with the meeting of the Deccan Chargers and the Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai.

The main question, apart from that of security is how much age has wearied the tournament's most bankable Australian assets. Warne is now 40 years old and more poker player than cricketer, while Gilchrist is 38 and a commentator as much as opening batsman/'keeper.

Chennai's Matthew Hayden sits on the board of Cricket Australia when he's not writing cook books and Martyn hadn't picked up a bat in anger for around 18 months before he joined the Royals as a speculative pick by the ever-creative Warne.

As in previous years, the tournament offers rich early opportunities for teams that have sculpted a squad not dependant on fulltime internationals, as players from Australia, New Zealand and England in particular will be late arrivals due to prior engagements for their states, clubs and countries.

Gilchrist's Chargers have much to live up to after rising from the cellar in IPL year one to the penthouse in its sophomore season and the relationships forged in 2009 will be the cornerstone of whatever they can achieve third time around.

West Indian speedster Kemar Roach looms as a key inclusion for the Chargers, while Mitchell Marsh, younger brother of Shaun and an extremely likely prospect for higher.