The Indian and even Australian media are hungry for information. They want to know what they cannot learn from studying a player's career statistics.
Otago's participation in the $US6 million twenty/20 tournament has lifted the association's profile, although "some of the people who ring up probably don't even know where Otago is," Volts coach Mike Hesson said.
"But they know a number of our players and they know a lot about them in terms of their credentials."
Cricket fans in the Otago region want to know the answer to only one question, though: will Otago be competitive?
"I think our chances are as good as anyone else in the competition. In twenty/20, once you get on a roll, as we learned last year, you can beat anyone. And our side has as many match-winners as most."
You would expect that sort of confidence from the coach, but Otago has genuine cause for optimism. Seven of the 15-strong squad have played international cricket.
English all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas can be devastating with the bat, as can Black Caps wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum. They are among some of the most destructive ball-strikers in the game.
Former New Zealand test opener Aaron Redmond had a superb domestic twenty/20 season and Craig Cumming, Neil Broom and Nathan McCullum give the Volts' batting order an intimidating look.
Black Caps all-rounder Ian Butler can also thump a long ball but it his ability to bowl at the death which will serve Otago best.
Nathan McCullum's knack of getting through his allotment of overs cheaply, and Neil Wagner's proven strike record, give Otago an attack which cannot be underestimated.
But there will not be any easy-beats at the tournament and Otago has drawn a tough pool. Its opponents, South Africa's Cape Cobras and the Bangalore Royal Challengers, are highly rated.
"There is no doubt the two sides we are playing are fancied teams in the competition. The Cobras have a number of world-class players, but so do we. We are looking forward to the chance to front up against them."
Hesson said the sense of occasion was starting to build. The squad flies to Australia later this month, where it will play warm-up matches against the Queensland Academy and South Australia.
"There is certainly a lot of anticipation. As soon as we get on the plane to Australia it is going to hit home a bit more.
"Going to Australia for a week beforehand will be quite a good transition."
The Volts will use ice vests to help acclimatise for the first three or four days. But Hesson said more than half the squad has experienced playing in India or on the subcontinent and that experience should serve the team well.
Hesson has had two coaching stints in India. He coached a New Zealand emerging side and last year led New Zealand A.
Over the winter he had a coaching stint at Gloucester and enjoyed the county cricket scene. Hesson has said this may be his last season coaching Otago and yesterday confirmed there were employment opportunities in the United Kingdom.
He remains committed to Otago for now but would like to coach overseas for a time before returning to New Zealand to make a bid for the national job.
