Not quite good
Here are the reasons why the Indian Premier League (IPL) will do no good to the people associated with it.
- The IPL will help in identifying local talent and will unearth more T20 specialists. As if the presence of Uthappa, Gambhir, Sehwag (the ‘twenty run’ makers) in the team wasn’t enough, more such players who can contribute the same twenties in test matches as well will be unearthed.
- The IPL may remain a money spinning machine. But i doubt if it can’t be sustained in the long run. The audience will lose interest if there is too much of T20 cricket being played. I’m sure the corporate, who have paid the big bucks, will find it tough to break even. Someone like a SRK can even go bankrupt.
- T20 matches can be quite bad for the ego. Imagine someone like Shaun Pollock going for 20+ runs an over. The bowlers have absolutely nowhere to hide. Batsmen-friendly pitches and batsmen-friendly rules do not offer the bowlers any respite and makes the contest a lot more uneven. Too many one-sided contests will kill the interest.
- It will glamorise cricket by a greater magnitude (if it hasn’t already had). The younger players will no longer feel the need to improve their game if they earn so much money early in their careers. Also, more players will take to abusive language, slapping opponents and sledging to gain an easy entry to stardom.
However, there are some beneficiaries (in varying degrees) from this breakaway league as well.
- The Indian grounds will get a much-needed facelift in terms of infrastructure.
- Players like Ganguly, Laxman and Dravid, who are on the brink of their international careers, can bask on the big bucks paid for them (even if they don’t justify their icon statuses with their batting).
- The complimentary ticket winners.
- The audience who can watch cheerleaders from Uzbekistan and Russia draped in skin-revealing clothes.
What I don’t personally like about the IPL?
- The Set Max coverage and its presenters Shiv Pandit, Ajay Jadeja, Sameer Kochar, Shonali Nagrani and Lekha Washington.
- The Set Max camera men who cover the cheerleaders, SRK and Priety Zinta more than they cover the match.
11 responses so far ↓
Vibhash // April 28, 2008 at 6:41 pm |
i agree…its made a fun of the game
Suave // April 30, 2008 at 1:09 pm |
Not that it’s needed in India, but when it was introduced to county cricket, it brought a huge number of families to the game. Mums & Dads were able to take their nippers along after work, and still get the kids home in time for an early night.
I don’t think it needs to be changed too much here. It seems that the ECB & the counties have not been looking at their bank accounts recently, because the current 20/20 league is nearly all of their cricket related income. (most of county crickets income comes from sponsership & business events).
mukundhkv // April 30, 2008 at 2:23 pm |
Agree with you Suave. My mom is all charged up to watch chennai super kings play. I think Cricket, which is already popular in India, doesn’t need any more promotion.
I would instead love to see India producing good cricketers, which i think T20 will not help produce.
Suave // April 30, 2008 at 8:17 pm |
tOO tRUE. I am watching the highlights of delhi – Bangalore, and there’s no foot movement from the players.
It’s all well and good being able to smash it through the line, but what happpens when you get a moving ball, or a swing/seam friendly pitch.
Batsmen are losing the art of playing late.
Mukundhan // May 1, 2008 at 4:59 am |
That pretty much explains the sorry state of Indian cricket Suave. Remember they were annihilated for 76 against Saffers recently on a greenish turf? There was one Rahul Dravid who could play it late, he is not even half of what he was. No one in the present outfit look to replace Tendulkar and Dravid. We have a bunch of T20 sloggers, that’s all.
Suave // May 1, 2008 at 10:15 am |
That is spot on, 12th Man..
Too many sloggers, not enough touch players.
12 th Man // May 1, 2008 at 11:45 am |
As we speak, Yusuf Pathan is hitting ‘em for fours and sixes without moving his feet.
Miss Field // May 1, 2008 at 3:26 pm |
It’s strange because certainly it’s ‘exciting’ in terms of the fours and sixes. But it’s not interesting or engaging.
Which goes to show not only are we cricket lovers nerdy, we’re boring as well.
Yay!
12 th Man // May 1, 2008 at 3:46 pm |
You’re right Miss Field.
But then watching cricket is not all about fours and sixes. You also want to see the ball beat the bat. If not for McGrat, no one has managed to do it.
Its only been a money-spinning circus.
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