IPL is here to Stay...

Let me set it right. I love the IPL, and I pity those who dislike the idea of it, for they have, and are, missing the infant stages of a league that is going to revolutionize the world. That is, if it already hadn't!! I really don't know what happened when EPL started- I am as aware of its history, as much I am aware of what goes on in a POM-2 class!!! But all I remember is I watched Football in bits and pieces in my younger days- the first match I remember seeing was some JCT Phagwara and Mohammedan Sporting Club Final, almost 12-13 years ago, that went into sudden death and finished 8-7 or something like that. It was a stunning match, and that brought me to the FIFA World Cup. Then came the real stuff- I was awed with that wonder kid- Michael Owen!! Then Zidane happened!! And some more research later, Liverpool came into the sporting equations of mine, and thus my love for EPL was born. I never really pursued it a lot further, partly because I was pissed off with our cable operators not showing ESPN, Star Sports. But I still love the game. A lot like this happened with F1 too, where Kimi Raikkonen was the effect. Mark my words- IPL will do that to kids over the world soon.

It is like seeing a kid grow. I know Lalit Modi went on and on about some life growth models- but what I am talking about is the strides this league has made. Those who have followed it will realize that. Not just the marketing aspect, but a domestic league happening in South Africa- well that's something really I couldn't have imagined. An English Premier League happening elsewhere will generate huge viewership, but that can't be said about every football league in this world. But IPL did it, in its second year(even with those stupid time-outs). You can now see teams getting to gel together better, and as they play more together, I really believe it will get better. In some years, IPL might even be played all round the year, in a format similar to the EPL..

We have already seen countries coming up, and doing well in the next divisions. A very few of you would know that there is even a Division 6, from which Nepal qualified this year. There are more Divisions too, and at least 50 countries play these games. There is a huge mismatch, but then that is there in all sorts of games. Probably, cricket shows up the magnitude of that mismatch because of its nature, but over the shorter periods of this game, you never know what may happen. A guy like Rizwan Cheema, or Davidson, can finish the match on his own. Imagine just one guy like Yusuf Pathan being on the other side - you need to fear that team all the time.

With the game going global, we need more of leagues in order to promote domestic talents, not specifically in India, but elsewhere. IPL might just fill up the purses, but as its examples get followed elsewhere, those countries might just unearth special talents. One I can think of, is Steven Smith, a really good leg-spinner.

One can hate the film stars, one can hate the time-outs. You can be irritated to the helm with those mid over advertisements- but any true cricket lover would accept that you can't hate the IPL. But again, it's my blog, and it's my views. Your views are welcome. :)

Blog-Less..

Where do I start? And where do I end?? Acha, leave all that, what all do I write? Some questions that eat me up every time I step onto this blog. I love writing, as all my friends would know, but I really don't get things to write upon. Either I am too lost these days to focus onto something, or I actually have a non-blogging events filled life.. I hate being emotional, but thats when I like to write most, but then thats actually not what I am, so then I shouldn't be writing it.. Right? Confusing? Probably yes..

Its Holi time in a few hours, and right across my window, I see the full moon.. Quite stunning actually. Reminds me of all those nights of promises, that, well never really were kept.. And its so long back, but still times seems to have stalled since then. Though as far as life here goes, it has been running at a breakneck speed. There's something or the other to do almost always, and days of chilling are only days like these, some festival or some major event. Amm... Not the exact concept of work hard and party hard, since I do neither!!!.. But still a kind of life you curse on days, and then there are days when you cant have enough of it. That's the relationship I have shared with MBA throughout- a love-hate one.

As this year ends for me, I feel I could have done much more here. Some of it is my fault, some of it is the fault of the process I am part of, where your ability is judged by the words you can speak in a 10-15 minute interview, rather than your actions. But then, I guess it is the same everywhere, from our Kindergarten days to the XAT days. Talk and talk.. call it gyaan, call it golbal, or call it Gas.. Thats the way to do it best..I am trying to get out of this grave that I have dug up these days, but till now it has been futile. Let's see how long my attempts last!!! I know I can lose it very early!

That is obviously one big chunk of my life- XLRI.. but I am living 2 different lives inside. Balancing it out, one is too fast, the other is too slow. One doesn't allows me to think, and the other doesn't want me to think. It is like batting on a pitch, where some balls keep low, while other just fly by your nose. You never know whether to come forward, or go back. So much the same here- move ahead or go back? Well I am doing what the purists would advice- just fight it out. Sehwagology might want me to hit out, but then I can't play like that!!

And look, i know the post has gone nowhere- it has just moved here and there, and come back to its old place. No value addition perhaps. But that's what I said- I can't think of anything worthwhile to write. The pains of a Non-Blogger...