IPL season 4, what went wrong!!

We have reached to the end of Indian Premier League season 4, semifinal spot are clear and final is only a week away its time re collect memories of last 2 months of Indian Premier League season 4.

IPL season 4 did you care ?

It was started just after the historic World Cup win of Indian cricket team and more than players, all cricket lovers wanted more time to enjoy the celebrations. Probably BCCI didn’t expect that India will reach the finals, otherwise they would have kept more gap between these 2 biggest cricketing tournaments in the world. Whatever it may be the reason but this proved to be one of the causes of season 4’s failure.

When tournament started there were only 2 teams which Mumbai and Chennai, which were having familiar faces. With the re-auction after 3^rd season, all other teams were totally changed and audience was in confusing situations that whom to support, introduction of 2 new teams Pune and Kochhi made it more difficult. Even in 1^st few matches captains were not able to remember all names in team eleven. Till the time people become used to, half of the season was gone.

No Dada No IPL campaign seemed to be successful with the empty stands of Eden Garden. But Cricket Crazy nation’s most sports loving city couldn’t resist themselves, they accepted the fact that Game is above player. Players come and go but Game remains the same.

Chennai and Mumbai were always very strong side and they started very well. Kolkata and Bangalore had shaky start but managed to do well later in the season. Kochhi was lacking big names, especially none of was permanent member of Indian team. But individual brilliance of Jayawardhane and McCullum with small contribution of other members helped them to secure few wins.

Pune with fresh team with few big names started good but after few matches luck changed, 7 losses in a row sent them to bottom of the table. More than the team’s loss in the ground it was strategic loss of franchisee outside the ground. Due to geographical closeness of the Pune and Mumbai, there are more Mumbai Indian supporters in Pune as compare to home team. Team’s poor performance and absence of home game took the interest away from the supporter.

Deccan came back to home ground after 2 years but nothing much change, series of losses took audience away from the ground. Punjab played well in the 2^nd half of the season, raised hopes for semifinal spot. Though they couldn’t make it in the end but left something for the fans to cheer about. Delhi had a worst season which they would not like to remember, for Rajasthan it was more an emotional season as Shane decided to retire.

Overall it wasn’t a successful season as compare to previous 3 seasons. IPL organizing committee need to analyze what went wrong. They will have to rethink on the schedule, number of matches, host stadiums and many more things. People have came out of hangover of 3 seasons and looking for something different. Cricket is not a medium of entertainment in India, it’s a religion. IPL can’t keep everyone stuck to chairs for a long time only with entertainment, it demands more.