IPL changing the Character of World Cricket

IPL has been a huge success. Leave alone the current two controversies of “Cheerleaders” and “Slap spat between Bhajji and Sreesanth” … and we have a wonderful event which is very well organized, and a treat to watch the best and most talented cricketers of the game on one platform … its just too delicious a watch !

This tournment was conceived by taking Premier Leagues in Europe for Soccer in mind. So, the idea is that the Eight Teams that currently play in this IPL are owned by independent ownwers. Players are Bought and Sold. Hence essentially, the “market value” of players who have offered their services to be part of the teams in IPL, depends upon their Talent, Reputation and Goodwill as Cricketers.

The immense talent that we get to see from the players in this league is just too mesmerising.

Consider this, in the Match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challenders Bangalore on 28apr2008, Micheal Hussey dives full streach near the Point to save an imminent boundary … Wonderful successful attempt at fielding.

And consider this, in the same match. Joginder Singh successfully manages to divert the ball that is coming to his hands … to the boundary for Four … which reminds me of the DD’s Comedy Show that used to come of TV some 15 years ago ! Complete hilarious !

And the “Cheerleaders” making their presence felt is all part of the game …

What i mean to say is that this IPL has all the colors to make it a wonderful Cricket League … and my congratulatons to the BCCI for creating this league. Cheers to them !

 It is true that Most of the Foreign Players who have offered to play in this “Indian” League have been lured by the “Big Bucks” that have been offered to them … courtesy the “deep pocket” of the worlds richest cricket board .., the Board of Control for Cricket in India. This standing of BCCI as the richest cricketing board in the world … signifies the Cricket crazy nation that India is … and hence it is just fair to say that India is the Mecca for Cricket !

Some time back, India had won the first World T20 Championship … and hence are now the reigning World Champions of T20 version of Cricket. The fact that India has excelled in T20 with its “unexpected aggression and attitude” is very well recognized by even the current world champions of World Cricket Australia. In one interview, the Aussie Captian Ricky Ponting had publicly admited how amazed he was at the “aggressiona and attitude” of the Young Indian Brigade which won the T20 WC under the dynamic captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. And he admitted that the Aussie team has to learn from India … to excel in this form of cricket, namely T20.

Hence, i guess IPL provides Ricky and Co. who have decided to play alongwith the T20 World Cup winning Indian Team Members … in Eight different Teams … a perfect chance understand those “nitty gritties” which may help Aussies to excel and beat India in T20 matches. All is fair in love and war you see ! … Ofcourse … Money also becomes a major determinant in their decision to play in this league.

I am sure that Dhoni and his boys are very inteligent and are quite aware of this possibility … as they start to play with Australia … after this IPL ends !

But, i find it very heartning to that all the players of different nationalies having the “Gamemanship and Teamspirit” … and wanting to win matches for the teams they play for. It is also true that their performance and their behaviour in these matches … helps them to gain more “Market Value” in the next edition of IPL. Hence, all players would want to present their best personality both on the field and off the field.

The spoilsport of Bhajji slapping his Sreesanth is just too much for me to digest … and i think it is just fitting that he got 11 match suspension. Bhajji … yaar kya kar diya ?

But, essentially the World Cricket … in all forms of the game … is going for an enormous change, the way cricket is being player, the way Players interact with each other, whether or not they belong to the same country … the money pouring into this game that will get bigger and bigger … and the “incidents” like this “Slap Spat” will be on the rise …

And for bloggers like me … there could not have been more bonanza time that this !

Vamsi Krishna Karra