CHENNAI: Amidst glitz, glamour and laser show, Chennai Super Kings formally announced their 24-member team, led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for the 2008 DLF Indian Premier League cricket tournament.

T S Raghupathy, executive president of India Cements, also announced Aircel Cellular and Reebok as the title and apparel sponsors, respectively here on Saturday night.

Former South African captain Kepler Wessels will coach the team while Gregory King will be the physical trainer. Tommy Simsek will be the team physio. Chennai Super Kings have also appointed Tamil cine stars Vijay and Nayanthara as their "star ambassadors", both of whom were present at the gala launch along with Dhoni.

Former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth is the team's brand ambassador.

The IPL, made of eight franchises, is scheduled to kick-off April 18 and will be played over 44 days involving 59 matches, including two semi-finals and the final at Mumbai June 1. All matches will be played under floodlights.

Chennai Super Kings boast of seven imports in Mathew Hayden and Michael Hussey (Australia), Stephen Fleming and Jacob Oram (New Zealand), Makhaya Ntini and Ablie Morkel (South Africa) and Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka).

Other members of the team are:

Suresh Raina, S Badrinath, Parthiv Patel, Joginder Sharma, Lakshmipathi Balaji, Napolean Einstein, Abhinav Mukund, Sudeep Tyagi, Rashwin, Viraj Kadbe, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan, Anirudha Srikkanth, P Amarnath, S Sresh Kumar, Arun Karthik and Shadab Jakati.

Source : IANS