CAPE TOWN, April 20: The first round of matches in IPL-2 have not been kind to celebrity owners. Whether the players like it not, the owners have taken a fair share of the spotlight and in turn could be adding pressure. Inadvertently the team does get affected as it takes the focus away from the game.

In the inaugural edition after Bangalore Royal Challengers failed to make the knockout, the focus shifted to Vijay Mallya and his decisions, rather than what went wrong with the team itself on the field.

Deccan Chargers did not enjoy the best of 2008 either but Adam Gilchrist noted the attitude of the team owners was one bright spot. "I can’t comment on the other teams but our owners have been extremely good. Even when the going was tough last year there was not a single comment in public or an adverse remark passed. We have started well here and that should make them happy. There has always been a sense of balance."

To say Shah Rukh Khan, Priety Zinta and Shilpa Shetty have dominated headlines in the South African media would be an understatement. A popular cricket website hired the services of a visiting journalist from England to cover Shah Rukh’s press conference. This explains the shift in power and the role the glamour world has to play with the IPL.

Brendon McCullum could have won a seat at a diplomat school with his answer to the query on the impact of high-profile owners on players. "Shah Rukh is a proud man and very passionate about his work and team. I am certain he would be disappointed about the result today.

Long messages from the Bollywood icon filled the mobile phones of KKR players after each loss last season. It cannot be any different this year.

Having invested, the owners have all the right to decide. From the moment the job is handed over to a professional, they should be no intervention. Deccan Chargers, Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils have got this spot on. As long as there is no meddling with cricketing matters, the captain and team management should have no complaints.