Indian Premier League - To See or Not to See…That’s the question.

It’s been more than a week now that the World Cup got over, with a finale that promised us the moon but left us high and dry. I won’t say that it was the most exciting end to the grand tournament but certainly was played by the two teams which deserved to be there for that momentous occasion. In the end, Australians showed that while the rest of the cricketing world struggles to find their foot in ICC events, for them it’s far too easy to produce champions generation after generation. If McGrath will win for them in 2007, then Starc will do the honours in 2015.

Having said that, we are once again, in that period of the year when the biggest cricket carnival arrives to keep the public engaged for a good measure of two months. In due course, the debates between the purists of the game and the modern administrators will spark up again, whether IPL is good or bad for the game. Some will crib about flat tracks, shorter boundaries, commercialization of the game, while some will rave about De Villiers dispatching Steyn to all corners of the ground. Crowds will be there, stadiums would be full. Atmosphere - electrifying, pressure - inevitable. Every six shall be cheered and loyalties will stand divided.

To take a cue from Lana Del Ray, I would like to christen IPL as “Summertime Madness”. From the moment Brendon McCullum hit that unforgettable knock of 158 in the opening game of first ever season of IPL, the tone was set for the change that cricket would go through over the next decade or so. It was a statement to the predecessors that no more the arena belonged to the marathon runners - it shall be owned by the sprinters. Time and again we saw the fury of the batsmen getting unleashed on the bowlers and deliveries being clobbered around way into the stands. It has become too regular to see that how easily mistimed shots find their way to the boundaries and how even an asking rate of 10 in the last few overs is not a cause of concern for the teams anymore. Or how the crowds feel it’s a waste of their time and money if they don’t go back home without seeing a Maxwell or a Gayle or a Sehwag special. When one sees that how inventive batsmen have become with their shot selection, it feels that everything was already out there in the head, it just needed an occasion, a reason, to pop out. 8 years down the line, we saw much more than glimpses of the IPL effect in the recently concluded World Cup. Cricket for sure has come a long way.

There are always two sides of a coin. Few would disagree that IPL is like a welcome opportunity for all those cricketers who have languished at the bottom of the pyramid for far too long. For those who have been ignored by the selectors consistently, for those who were paying a heavy price for pursuing their passion and giving their blood and sweat for a better cause. In a country of a billion, where more than half of them dream to represent India, only 15 fortunate souls at a time get the privilege to deliver the goods. Far too many dreams run out of steam in an effort to make their name on a grand stage. Some succumb after University level, some after Zonals and some find the highest honour at the Ranji level.

This tournament is like a lease of hope for many aspiring cricketers, young and old. Look no further than Pravin Tambe’s story – A cricketer making his mark at the age of 43, when most would be advising their children to take the right career decision. Or how many times would an 18 – 19 year old budding cricketer get an opportunity to get the brain share of the legends of the game – Cricketers whom you have idolized, sharing dressing rooms with them, getting guided by them and at times even outscoring them, just in a hope to get their efforts acknowledged and become a household name, even if it’s only for few weeks. About the monetary aspect – less said the better. Suddenly parents have started encouraging their children to get into cricket, for if not the Indian team, one can always aspire for an IPL contract and the rest shall take care itself. When cities like Ranchi, Pune, Raipur start hosting matches at state-of-the-art stadiums, one can feel proud about the penetration of the game and how the money generated has been spent well for the betterment of the game and on the facilities being provided to cricketers. Many complain that IPL is all about glitz, glamour and entertainment. But there’s more to it – the fact that the Indian team has a strong bench and promising young cricketers on the horizon, can be attributed to the exposure and opportunity that IPL has provided over the last 7 seasons.

The flip side, however, is the number of controversies that have marred down the ‘trust quotient’ of IPL. Spot fixing, match fixing, scandals involving the owners of the teams have put in a lot of doubts in the mind of an average cricket fan in India. One doesn’t know whether he is watching a pre-decided game or not. Whether there’s a hint to the bookies every time a player tucks in a towel in his pyjamas. Or is there a catch involved when small time actors find their way to the VVIP Stands to sit right next to the ‘Big Daddies’ of the game.  Worse, when cricketers are made scapegoat for the rest to come out unscathed from the corruption issues battling the league. It just kills a viewer from inside when he contemplates if his idols could be involved too. That what if he finds out that the tickets he bought was for a game whose outcome was decided way before the first ball was bowled. That all the hours in the scorching heat, rooting for his home team, had gone to an utter waste. Maybe a lot of them have started keeping themselves at a distance from the league. They might have realized it’s futile to involve emotions with cricket now. But for loads of them, for whom cricket is a source of happiness, it’s a bitter pill to swallow if forced to disconnect from the game. One would also wonder whether IPL scores over playing for the country. That a bowler with a twisted action (read Sunil Narine), who has been instrumental in his team’s twin IPL titles, takes a break from the World Cup to work on his action and be ready for the league. The ugly side, when a team threatens to quit from IPL if this KEY player is not allowed.


In two days from now Mumbai Indians shall be playing against Kolkata Knight Riders. Hoards of people will be queuing up to enter the Eden Gardens. Business shall resume as usual. And I, as a fan, would still be wondering, whether to watch it or ignore it… that’s the question.

Comments

  1. An absolutely delightful read! I would love all updates from your blog - my personal dose of cricketing gyan.

    I witnessed the opening ceremony of IPL, and if that is anything to go by, I am keeping my hopes low. Virat's team is what I am supporting, besides Delhi and Dhoni's team.

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  2. Thanks a lot Saumya for such kind words!! I tried catching up on the opening ceremony too but couldn't .. hope the season won't be such a dampner

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