Posted on: 17-04-09 13:11:26
So much drama has unfold in last month or so and IPL will take-off tomorrow.
Owners are in the line of "my money, my team and I do as I want to do".
Last year and everytime, even today ... we hear from the team owners, from IPL itself and from everyone else connected to cricket that how good the IPL will be for the development of cricket in India.
Every team has trimmed down the squad to about 20 from at least 30 last year. All those who have got pink slip are Indian young cricketers. Every team has around 8 foreign players out of which only 4 can be in the team. So if I do the math, Out of 12 remaining Indians - 8 will be almost every other day. I would hate to see Zaheer/Ishant/Munaf breaking down at the end of IPL & not 100% for Team India.
Last year we saw Laxman giving up captaincy, earlier Rahul had to surrender, Kaif was booted & sent packing, and today it was turn of Dada.
I dont understand how 2nd & 3rd Layer of International player will help franchises. Why are they still with the team while other Indians might have come handy.
Its a mix-n-match of Sports & Business. I hope sports wins ... but it won't (at least in near future). Its too much glamour & too new for that to happen.
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Mumbai Maazi Ladki ...
I would rather have entertainment and glamour in a match than a fixed one. I saw couple of them in 2007. Was so cool!
KM
Quote:IPL, and 20/20 in general, has nothing to do with Cricket - it's all about the dough.
Originally posted by Maharaj
Its a mix-n-match of Sports & Business. I hope sports wins ... but it won't (at least in near future).
IPL is the latest form of complete commercialization of cricket.
Pretty soon, Cricket will be like what Baseball and American Football is today.
For over 50 years, Cricket did not catch the attention of the businessmen and media magnets because there was no big money to be made in it (legally, that is - betting had been going on all along).
But now because of the increasing wealth of the South Asian middle classes and to appeal to South Asians settled abroad, Cricket is being commercialized in this manner.
Test Cricket is already one leg in the grave - soon one-day cricket will not be able to compete and will be put to bed.
That day is not far when there will be a 10/10 World Cup.
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"Mah deah, there is much more money to be made in the destruction of civilization than in building it up."
-- Rhett Butler in "Gone with the Wind"
Why is it called Indian Premier League? 
They might as well name it as International Premier League.
IPL: Indian Preity League
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Sunny Leone a true Canadian DESI now back in India !.
I dont see death of ODI or Test Cricket. Definitely, T20 will change the mentality & manner in which ODI & Tests are being played. We already witnessed couple 400+ run chased in second inning of the test in last one year.
Every youngster that has got chance to play in IPL2 will improve their overall cricket just because of the conditions. I hope upcoming batsman like - Pujara, Kohli & bowlers like - Gony, Dhaval Kulkarni gets to play each n every game.
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Mumbai Maazi Ladki ...
Arey Bapu, tamasha kaa mazaa loni yaar...Test Cricket yaa ODi jiyega yaa marega, apun ko kya farak padta hai...apna sagaa waala thodi na hain...
On a more serious note, that commercialization is very apparent and could be good to a certain level. Think about the opportunities new and young cricketers now get - ever heard of the highest wicket taker in Indian cricket history never played test/ODI cricket in his entire career??? well atleast now players playing in the galli/nukkad have an avenue to earn a career in 20/20. Inspite of IPL, there will be more local games/tournaments, corporate competitions, etc...they will employ tons of people and make more people take up the sport as a career.
Add to this the level of physical conditioning, quick thinking, innovation which will get carried over to Test and ODI..
Afterall, change is the only constant in this world, let cricket evolve in more ways than one...
Just my 2 cents.
Hiren
