Anything for entertainment
Yes exactly, in the IPL, entertainment is the numero uno factor when it comes to pulling in crowds and getting in the TRP’s. It has gone from being a “slam bam thank you ma’am” competition to a serious form of sports entertainment. The presence of Bollywood stars Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta as owners, cheerleaders on-field (and now also in the broadcast studio); entertainment and sports have amalgamated perfectly in the IPL.
While Australia’s Big Bash and South Africa’s Ram-Slam can claim to have similar tournaments, the ability to pull some of the biggest stars, on and off the field places the IPL at the summit of T-20 leagues.
The entertainment doesn’t end only with star names wearing snazzy frames. On field too, entertainment has taken an entirely new meaning. In the pre-IPL era, a couple of sixes, a jumping catch or a swinging yorker got crowds going. The IPL has revolutionized the game completely. Gone are the days when batsmen took a few overs to get set and then hit out.
Now, David Warner, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and the likes get going from ball one, looking to send the white nut into oblivion. The kind of shots players play now range from textbook and classy (Virat Kohli) to innovative and outrageous (AB de Villiers). Batsmen have been forced out of their comfort zones and have responded brilliantly. Players like Steven Smith (Australia, Rising Pune Supergiants) have shown that the IPL can be used as a platform for getting international recognition too.
Similarly, bowlers also have been made to think. Already a batsman dominated game, cricket has become even tougher for bowlers now with batsmen becoming carefree and not holding back on attacking from the word go. Variations like the back of the hand slower deliveries, sudden changes in action or mastery of the yorker have become an essential part of a bowler’s repertoire of tricks. That is why a Mustafizur Rahman (Sunrisers Hyderabad) has been devastating in the shortest format and the IPL 2016, as compared to a Dale Steyn.
Strong performances in the IPL have helped players improve and thus have resulted in much better performances for their national side; A win-win situation for everyone.
Stepping stones for the future
A massive competition now, with virtually unlimited financial backing, the IPL has the potential to bring in changes to benefit the game as a whole. It could bring in some rule changes like uniform ground sizes, or an extra over to a particular bowler (5 in place of the current 4). Bowlers could benefit from being allowed an extra bouncer or fielders directly behind the bowler/wicket keeper. The possibilities are endless.
Ex-players and officials must use the IPL for more than increasing their bank balances. The IPL is a fertile land full of budding players and the right guidance to a couple of them even could take their careers a long way. Other leagues, spin-offs of the IPL, in Pakistan, West Indies and Bangladesh are doing their best to compete but it’s a David vs Goliath battle which Goliath has already won. Reminiscent of Hulk vs Loki, the IPL has smashed all competition with their financial might.
There is a great scope for cricket to go the football way with T-20 leagues dominating most of the year with international cricket restricted to World Championships. While that would mean the death of test cricket, it would open windows unknown.
The IPL has evolved greatly from being an idea in 1995 to becoming a cash cow and now it can become a potential game changer. What remains to be seen though is, will it?
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