MUMBAI: Delhi Daredevils has traded Indian fast-medium bowler Ashok Dinda and Australian all-rounder James Hopes with Sahara Group-owned Pune Warriors India for the coming Indian Premier League season.

"Ashok Dinda is a quality paceman, who has done well for the various teams he has represented in various formats of the game, be it Bengal, East Zone, Kolkata Knight Riders or Delhi Daredevils," said Sahara Adventure Sports Ltd Director Abhijit Sarkar.

He added, "The versatile James Hopes is an ideal cricketer to have in your camp, especially in the shorter forms of the game. Both players will boost our prospects in the upcoming IPL."

Hopes and Dinda were part of the Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders outfits respectively, before being acquired by Delhi Daredevils in the 2011 IPL Players Auction.

In another development, Shreevats Goswami, the wicketkeeper-batsman, has been transferred from Kolkata Knight Riders to Rajasthan Royals."

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians have signed up T20 sensation Richard Levi as a replacement of former Australian batsman Andrew Symonds, for the fifth edition of IPL.

MUMBAI: Cricket?s loss might be Hockey?s gain as disgruntled Sahara Group is mulling renewing its agreement with Hockey India, which ended last month with a hefty increase in sponsorship fee.

The development comes even as the two parties are planning to engage in back-room parleys to hammer out a solution over several vexed issues like replacement player for Yuvraj Singh and reduction in franchise fee topping the agenda.

According to newswire PTI, Sahara and cash-strapped Hockey India will sign a new five-year deal worth around Rs 150-170 million.
 
The agreement would include men?s and woman?s team at both senior as well as junior level till 2017.

"More or less everything has been finalised. Most probably tomorrow, the agreement would be signed. We are hoping for a deal worth between Rs. 15 to 17 crore (Rs 150-170 million) because we need more money to promote the sport," an HI official has been quoted as saying.

Sahara India head of corporate communications Abhijit Sarkar said a decision will be taken in next two-three days.

"Nothing has been finalised as yet. Talks are on with Hockey India and within next 2-3 days we are expecting to take a decision," Sarkar said. "Our sponsorship deal with Indian hockey ended last month after and Hockey India has approached us to renew the contract," he added.

Sahara recently announced its decision to pull out of all cricketing activities which included franchise ownership of IPL team Pune Warriors India and shirt sponsorship of the Indian men?s and women?s team.

The company had indicated that it might step-up investments in other sports that it supports which includes Hockey, Boxing, Archery, and Shooting among others.

MUMBAI: IPL?s franchise from Pune, Pune Warriors, has retained Sourav Ganguly, who was included in last year?s squad as an injury replacement.

Pune Warriors director Abhijit Sarkar said, "We are privileged to have a player of Sourav Ganguly?s calibre in our squad. He has been one of India?s greatest and most inspirational cricketers. We have no doubt that his presence in the team will boost the team?s prospects in the IPL, and motivate the boys to excel themselves."

Ganguly has played with Shah Rukh Khan?s Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL?s first three editions. Last year, he signed up with Pune Warriors after the start of the 2011 edition of the tournament.

Kings XI Punjab has signed David Miller, the middle-order batsman from South Africa, for the next two seasons.