SSMG SWAMI ARMY

How IPL and ICL will help India

There has been a lot of negativity in the main-stream Indian media about IPL and ICL recently, and even though most of it is justified, the media has failed to look at the positives that these two leagues will bring about to team India: A classic case of seeing the glass half empty. Firstly, IPL and ICL will always field a minimum of 7 Indian players, 3 or 4 of them will be under 22. Can you imagine what tremendous growth there will be of these players who will be coached by or be playing alongside the absolute legends of the modern game like John Buchanan, Shane Warne, Michael Bevan, Inzamam ul Haq and Brian Lara ? Not to mention they would be playing alongside the holy trinity of Indian cricket !

There will be opportunities galore for the Sangwans, Jadejas, Kohlis and Rahanes of young India. They will have already experienced the pressure cooker and cut throat environment of cricket at the highest level even before they would have donned the tricolours. The effect it would have on their mental make up and fortitude, not to mention sheer cricketing skills is bound to be significant. Imagine Sangwan opening the bowling alongside Asif, with Mcgrath to follow for the daredevils while Rahane is opening the batting with Tendulkar or Jayasauriya for Mumbai. Even though it's 20-20 cricket, this will be a great opportunity for the youngsters to showcase their talent to a global audience and toughen their mental strength.

The media has been awash with speculation that the young players will be led astray because of the fame, adulation and money thrown at them by the IPL. But isn’t it true that they will do so if they broke into the senior Indian team as well ? So, if they are already exposed to the fame and money in the IPL environment and have survived it, they have a much better chance of being unaffected by it when they are exposed to even greater fame in the senior Indian cricket team. It could be thought of as another aspect of mental toughening.

IPL and ICL will be great in exposing unknown talent to the Indian selectors. That is how Sreesanth was found, a great outing in a challenger trophy match, selection into team India and he hasn’t looked back since. During the first edition of ICL, everyone who was worth his salt was gushing around the talent of 17 year old Ali Murtuza for he made his ball talk against a certain Inzamam. Now this is the talent that will be available to the zonal teams once the inevitable fall of ICL is complete (more explained later). Already there is the talk of Hyderabad signing an absolute novice from districts namely M Sarveesh. What have their talent hunters spotted ? What awesome opportunity does that represent for the young Sarveesh who if he’s talented enough will get fast tracked into the Ranji team and maybe one day even team India out of relative obscurity. The opportunities are truly limitless for the young and the gifted of India.

One major talking point at the start of the domestic season in India was how the teams had been badly weakened because of the mass exodus to ICL. But as is the case in life for every door that is closed for someone another opens for someone else. Because of the exodus, Wriddhiman Saha got the opportunity to play for Bengal and scored a maiden ton on debut. And he’s been a star for Bengal and Eastzone since then, he wouldn’t have got this chance had it not been for the exodus. Same could be said about Samad Fallah of Maharashtra and numerous others. But the main point is what will happen once the inevitable fall of ICL has happened. For no cricket venture cans sustain itself which has less TRP ratings then one that involves Bangladesh and faces hostilities from every board on the planet. Assuming the ICL players are exonerated the domestic teams will be strengthened more then even before. The quality of cricket will go up as will the talent pool.

Another great thing ICL is doing is that they are operated as strictly commercial and professional ventures. The professionalism and corporate winning mentality the Ambanis, Mallya’s and Wadia’s will bring to the franchise cannot be undermined, for business at the highest level is all about performance and quality and that can only lead to a stricter and more professional approach toward the team and their cricket and the whole cricketing structure. This can only be a good thing and may finally get Indian cricket rid of the BCCI babus and replaced with proper hierarchical corporate system to run BCCI.

This leads me on to my final and closing advantage IPL will bring to cricket in India. Because of the corporate backing the money will be spent freely and the stadium’s around the India which will host IPL games will be refurbished and may finally be fit to watch cricket gracefully and with a great deal of joy. Example of this can already be found at Lalit Modi’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur where he has completely lavished the stadium and where corporate hospitality boxes are going for 20000 dollars per game compare that to Lord’s where they only go for about 1000 dollars per game. Already there is a financial incentive from BCCI to reward the best grounds and best pitches in the IPL. This can only enhance spectator experience and once it’s over the domestic teams.

For all its negatives such as surplus of twenty20 and too much money being thrown around, the IPL (long-term) and ICL (short-term) have its advantages for Indian cricket. What remains to be seen is whether these advantages are maximized and the negatives minimized and this truly helping Indian cricket achieve success and that elusive number 1 tag. It is all possible if the Ravi teja’s, Rahane’s and Sangwan’s grab this unique opportunities with both hands and distinguish themselves on such a stage.

IPL Scheduale

For the Match scheduale of the inaugural Indian Premier League, click here

For the printable version of the match scheduale please click here