IPL... Chak DE

Mmm is it IPL or ICL.. IPl yaar. That’s the one belonging to BCCI. Ya buddy but the basic idea for IPL came from Kapil who is now with the ICL. This was the regular talk that could be heard from pantries, eateries and even toilets a few months back.

For Indians the concept was new. Though PHL had brought in some hype with hockey being more popular, the plug died quickly.IPL is said to have been designed after an intensive study of the primary sporting leagues around the world such as the NHL, NBA, NFL and EPL. What has finally emerged as the IPL design is one that has been meticulously refined to work for cricket. As importantly, the league structure has been modeled so as to flourish in the uniquely Indian context, and drive the development of grassroots talent in Indian cricket.

The very truth of Symonds playing against Hayden and Dhoni against Yuvraj was the secret mantra for IPL. There was no barrier no country, caste or language. It was just cricket. The new breed of cricket which had everything colossal with it. Be it the maximum sixes, the cash flowing in, the music or the costly cheer girls flown straight front the NFL. Everything was large about this sports extravaganza and for a nation like India where patriotism reaches at its highest point on a day of cricket, IPL was a seven course meal served hot.

The hype and hoopla over the Indian Premier League cricket continues and only gets more strident. High-profile team owners ranging from liquor baron Vijay Mallya to the country’s top industrialist, Mukesh Ambani; some of the world’s top cricketers to play in the league, and multi-crore rupee bidding have all made for some heady brew. Thousands waited outside as English auctioneer Richard Madley conducted the bidding. The glitz and glamour of bollywood was brought in. Thanks to the stylish King khan and bubbly Preity.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni attracted the highest price of $1.5 million (approximately Rs6 crore) in the first round of bidding for players in the Indian Premier League, ahead of international stars like Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist. So came in all the money and all the glitz and glamour. No cricket fan could wait till April 18th when the clash would actually start. It had all the hype, attention that cricket could ever ask for. Some argued this was going to destroy cricket. They sighed “44 days of non-stop, pulsating excitement. The gentlemen’s game is now karamyudh, that is being fought between the Knight Riders, Royal Challengers, Deccan Chargers, Daredevils and all this happening in the presence of Bollywood stars, business tycoons and guess what a few cricketers are there as well.”
The debate continues and without taking a stance it’s always good to criticize the whole thing and also enjoy non stop cricket. The spirit imbibed by the game was arguably more than any sports extravaganza in India. Tickets were sold out like hot cakes and people rushed into the stadium in thousands. Women in huge number got glued to their TV sets finding more thrill in the “fast cricket” served to them than the pre scripted reality shows.
The inauguration ceremony didn’t batter the spirits expected from the T20.Vijay Mallya cashed in to give it all the glitz and glamour. Performers from all around the globe were picked up to add to the “Indian curry”. The mix of masala was perfect. Not very pungent and not too salty. It was all smacked up. Television partner Setmax brought in “Extra innings” show along with cricket. There was no Mandira Bedi this time though she was Setmax’s very own adopted female version for cricket. Instead the show had young anchors, along with veterans like Jadeja and Mpumelelo Mbangwa who is known simply as `Pommie' or `Pom’. The inaugural match saw some huge scores scored by the “Kings Men” Kolkatta Knight riders with McCullum looking like a perfect savage thrashing the ball to the fences to get his unbeaten 158 comprising of 13 sixes. So there was not just the glitz of the inauguration but also cricket.

There was cricket but there was also drama. The idea of Sachin playing a T20 match for Mumbai and opening with Jayasurya was like a dream come true both for the fans as well as the players. A groin injury caused Sachin to stay away from the initial matches. Bhajji and Sreesanth was involved in some “wrestling” though the two “brothers” patched up finally when their “Father” BCCI banned Bhajji from IPL for the season. Fair play award a new concept tried to keep cricket a gentleman’s game by giving credit to players who played it with “spirit”.Charu Sharma, the CEO of Royal Challengers got sacked for his belief that “test players would do well in T20” and was crucified by replacing him with Brijesh Patel. There were giggles, sledging and club fever. And above all there were crores flowing along with cricket.

The Drama and zeal of cricket had just begun. Some said it was end of cricket. Some protested against the IPL. Some others felt it’s the dawn of the new era of cricket. Cricket stars themselves had some interesting quotes to make

"When you go to your grave, people will remember what you did with your life rather than how much money you made." Justin Langer gets a bit philosophical while stating he's opting out of the IPL.
"There was a little element of feeling like a cow." Getting auctioned for US$700,000 got Adam Gilchrist in touch with his bovine side.
"I won't tell you what my first impression was." Says a beaming Shane Warne when asked about playing alongside his favourite foe, Graeme Smith, in the IPL.

The players talked about it, Fans waited for it. Television ads cashed on it. Businessmen utilized it. Bookies betted on it and in some stand in a packed stadium in Kolkata or Mumbai a little boy starting to love cricket sitting on his fathers lap would have looked at the stadium beaming in colors and a voice within him must have screeched
“Lights, Camera, Glamour and cricket”.

His vocal chords wouldn’t be a strong one to beat the noise and buzz in the stadium but the spirit imbibed in him by this new “Avatar” of cricket would sure make him tell stories of the change he witnessed in this game to his grand children some 40 years from now

Good or bad IPL is sure to stay. If you don’t like the form of cricket, just start accepting the beat it brings with it. For its going to rush into your blood soon, if you feel its getting on your nerves now…