From past couple of weeks, celebrations have been touching the zenith, where all other sporting events would dream off reaching. These celebrations, or visual spectacle, as per media are called as IPL T20 cricket. IPL has been mesmerizing the cricket lovers as well as the regular, city living, working class people to highest possible extent. As a cricket lover I, Myself felt that idea of IPL as one of the greatest exciting cricket event ever, but it turned out to be mere compliance of entertainment and exploitation with the interest of prolific profit.
BCCI was always against the shorter of form of cricket. The Team India was not ready to play this format either at home or outside the sub continent. But BCCI, which accounts for interest in earnings, changed their stand when they learned the response and revenue it generated in short amount of time. One of the lucrative minds put forth the idea of this Indian Premier League, IPL. IPL’s arrival was loud and clear with the multitude biddings that were made at the payer’s auction (I know, it sounds odd). The owners of the clubs are one of the well known entrepreneurs of Indian Market and some hot shot bollywood stars. It was displeasing to see this deceitful union of cricket and corporate or cricket and celebrity.
About T20 format, I love as much as any other format of cricket. I am sure it is leaving the bowlers handicapped. But small amendments can bring bowlers aggression back. That can be an upgrade to the current version of T20 format. In one of the matches played between Kolkatha Knight Riders and Hyd Deccan Chargers, the pitch was bowler’s paradise. It kept batsmen at bay and bowlers utilized the conditions very well and the match turned out to be an absolute humdinger. But the perplexing statement was from VVS Laxman captain of loosing side, Deccan chargers, blasting the pitch condition. It sounded utter ludicrous. Just because its shorter version doesn’t mean that, a storm of runs is expected. Playing on these kind of pitches brings the best out of batsmen and who ever adjusts to the situation and stay alive till end, will be considered as a matured batsman. Demanding for an inspection of the pitch was farcical. Of course, I felt absurd looking at the team members of the Deccan Chargers. It has the most explosive batsmen of contemporary cricket as well as most conservatives. It was an odd mixture and their opening pair was a weird mixture. Seriously, Gilly and Venugopal Rao, that pair was as weird as it gets. However, we all know that some of team members are there in the team to attract and bring the local people to the stadium. For example Dravid in Bangalore club, Laxman in Hyderabad club and so on.
These manipulations were made by BCCI. Not only this, adding music bands, dancing girls, and laser show, and etc. When I go to watch a cricket match, I would expect pure entertainment etched out of cricket show put on by 22 players. I would even enjoy the pause of one minute between the overs discussing the happening and predicting the possibilities. I wouldn’t want my cricket to get adulterated with this unwanted glitter. I doubt, if we would feel the same way if Sachin scored a century as we felt few days back when he hit against the Australia in one of the finals. If a spectator comes to stadium expecting entertainment other than cricket then it is an utter disgrace to game itself, it is almost like going to bar to eat some peanuts, how preposterous??. Watching at IPL, I felt like, I was there to enjoy loud music played, to catch flying kisses of bollywood celebrities or to steal the glimpses of flaunting cheer girls and, oh ya, some cricket in between.
To me, IPL was an event where cricket is played by corporate, not by players. It is an easy and attractive way to make money. Commercialization of cricket is like cursed gift to the cricket and cricket lover. Inclusion of money brings the professionalism down.
BCCI was always against the shorter of form of cricket. The Team India was not ready to play this format either at home or outside the sub continent. But BCCI, which accounts for interest in earnings, changed their stand when they learned the response and revenue it generated in short amount of time. One of the lucrative minds put forth the idea of this Indian Premier League, IPL. IPL’s arrival was loud and clear with the multitude biddings that were made at the payer’s auction (I know, it sounds odd). The owners of the clubs are one of the well known entrepreneurs of Indian Market and some hot shot bollywood stars. It was displeasing to see this deceitful union of cricket and corporate or cricket and celebrity.
About T20 format, I love as much as any other format of cricket. I am sure it is leaving the bowlers handicapped. But small amendments can bring bowlers aggression back. That can be an upgrade to the current version of T20 format. In one of the matches played between Kolkatha Knight Riders and Hyd Deccan Chargers, the pitch was bowler’s paradise. It kept batsmen at bay and bowlers utilized the conditions very well and the match turned out to be an absolute humdinger. But the perplexing statement was from VVS Laxman captain of loosing side, Deccan chargers, blasting the pitch condition. It sounded utter ludicrous. Just because its shorter version doesn’t mean that, a storm of runs is expected. Playing on these kind of pitches brings the best out of batsmen and who ever adjusts to the situation and stay alive till end, will be considered as a matured batsman. Demanding for an inspection of the pitch was farcical. Of course, I felt absurd looking at the team members of the Deccan Chargers. It has the most explosive batsmen of contemporary cricket as well as most conservatives. It was an odd mixture and their opening pair was a weird mixture. Seriously, Gilly and Venugopal Rao, that pair was as weird as it gets. However, we all know that some of team members are there in the team to attract and bring the local people to the stadium. For example Dravid in Bangalore club, Laxman in Hyderabad club and so on.
These manipulations were made by BCCI. Not only this, adding music bands, dancing girls, and laser show, and etc. When I go to watch a cricket match, I would expect pure entertainment etched out of cricket show put on by 22 players. I would even enjoy the pause of one minute between the overs discussing the happening and predicting the possibilities. I wouldn’t want my cricket to get adulterated with this unwanted glitter. I doubt, if we would feel the same way if Sachin scored a century as we felt few days back when he hit against the Australia in one of the finals. If a spectator comes to stadium expecting entertainment other than cricket then it is an utter disgrace to game itself, it is almost like going to bar to eat some peanuts, how preposterous??. Watching at IPL, I felt like, I was there to enjoy loud music played, to catch flying kisses of bollywood celebrities or to steal the glimpses of flaunting cheer girls and, oh ya, some cricket in between.
To me, IPL was an event where cricket is played by corporate, not by players. It is an easy and attractive way to make money. Commercialization of cricket is like cursed gift to the cricket and cricket lover. Inclusion of money brings the professionalism down.
Money Talks, Boss!!
(These views are based on cricket and spirit of game. There are some other dimensions which would prove the whole event as the most disastrous event ever.)
