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As per recent media reports, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to get an expanded two-and-a-half-month window in the upcoming FTP cycle (2023-2027).
The development came on the back of a lucrative e-auction that saw the IPL media rights being sold for a whopping ₹48,390 crore. The IPL is now the second most valued sporting league in the world in terms of per match value, second only to the NFL.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri recently made a big statement over the IPL, predicting that there might even be two IPL seasons in a year going forward. Speaking to the Telegraph UK, he commented:
"I think you might have two (IPL) seasons. I wouldn’t be surprised at all. If bilateral cricket is reduced, you might well have a shorter format of the IPL in the latter half of the year, more like a World Cup format with a knockout that decides the winner.”
While there is no doubting the popularity of the Indian T20 league, a number of former cricketers have raised concerns over the growing influence of the IPL. Take a look.
#1 Adam Gilchrist
Australian legend Adam Gilchrist has expressed concern over the growing dominance of IPL franchises in the T20 leagues. All six teams in the South African T20 league have been purchased by IPL franchise owners. Three IPL franchises have also invested in teams in the UAE T20 league.
Reacting to reports that David Warner might opt out of the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) to take part in the UAE T20 league, Gilchrist told SEN’s Whateley radio show:
“It’s all part of this global dominance that these IPL franchises are starting to create given they own a number of teams in Caribbean Premier League. It’s getting a little bit dangerous the grip that it’s having to monopolize that ownership and the ownership of the players and their talents and where they can and can’t play.”
During a promotional event in Mumbai, he also urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to allow Indian players to participate in overseas T20 leagues. Gilchrist commented:
"No Indian plays in any other T20 league, why? I feel it (Indian presence in other leagues) won't diminish the IPL, it will only grow if they can play in Australia or South Africa."
#2 Aravinda de Silva
Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup hero Aravinda de Silva has also criticized the BCCI’s rule of not allowing Indian players to take part in other T20 leagues.
De Silva opined that the standard of cricket across the globe will drop if India do not support the growth of other nations. In an interaction with AFP, he said:
"If you have one dominating country, you can see from the IPL, they basically run a monopoly on the premier leagues because the Indian cricketers are not allowed to play in other leagues."
De Silva added:
" Unless (India) find a way to support the other countries and get them up to grips with the kind of support levels which the game requires nowadays, it's a negative for the cricket world.”
#3 Michael Atherton
In November last year, former England captain Michael Atherton expressed reservations over the growth of the cash-rich Indian T20 league.
Sharing his concerns after the organizers increased the number of teams from eight to 10 for the 2022 edition, Atherton wrote in his column for The Times:
"There will be adverse knock-on effects. The calendar cannot contain the competing demands of international and franchise cricket as it is now, with a two-month window allotted for the IPL. India will want a longer window and, who knows, maybe the owners will eventually want a second station carved out of the schedule."
Atherton claimed that Test cricket would have to suffer if the IPL gets a bigger window in the international calendar. He wrote:
"Cricketers will follow the money. If the market is left unchecked, and the least profitable aspects of the game will suffer - notably Test cricket among countries with small television markets.”
#4 Michael Holding
Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding is not a fan of T20 cricket itself, let alone the IPL. He has often criticized the format and has even blamed T20 cricket for West Indies’ downfall in Test cricket.
Back in 2010, he famously commented that he did not watch a single match of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.
During an interaction with the Indian Express last year, he was asked why he doesn’t commentate on the IPL. He responded by saying:
“I only commentate on cricket.”
#5 Michael Vaughan
After India canceled their fifth Test of the 2021 series in England due to COVID-19, Michael Vaughan alleged that the visitors did not play the Test due to the IPL.
The Test match at Old Trafford in Manchester was canceled a couple of hours before the scheduled start, citing COVID-19 cases in the Team India camp.
Writing in his column for the Telegraph, Vaughan wrote:
“Let’s be very honest, this is all about money and the IPL. The Test has been canceled because players were petrified of catching Covid and missing the IPL.”
India and England recently took part in the rescheduled Test, which was played to compensate for the cancelation in Manchester last year. England won the Test match, which was held in Birmingham, by seven wickets.
Also Read: Rohit Sharma’s top 5 cracking one-liners to the media
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