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. :)
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