The arrival of the month of April brings with it the extravaganza called the Indian Premier League. Now in its tenth year, the glamorous Twenty20 domestic league has always found itself embroiled in controversy and debates. Critics question the tournament’s legitimacy and the Lalit Modi-founded initiative is often dismissed for ostensibly focusing more on glamour rather than the game itself.
By oscillating between Shah Rukh Khan and Virat Kohli, is the IPL a cricket tournament in the garb of showbiz? Is the sanctity of the sport maintained when hordes of uninterested spectators throng the stadium, to catch a glimpse of Preity Zinta and not T Natarajan? Is the IPL in actuality a “cricket” tournament which offers everything but cricket?
Not really.
A carnival with cricket as its main attraction
Unlike the dialogue all around, the IPL at its very core remains an event that revolves around cricket. The hype around this hectic league is built around the glamour that the sport has to offer. While cricket is the adhesive that keeps the carnival together, the presence of cheerleaders grooving to the latest hit numbers is just the ornamentation that is needed to attract a variety of onlookers to the ground.
Having pushed its way to success, the IPL remains the biggest platform for someone like the 45-year old Pravin Tambe to finish his career on a note where he is recognised, acknowledged and appreciated.
Players like Rising Pune Supergiant’s Rajat Bhatia will probably never end up playing for the country but courtesy the IPL, their years of toil and sweat remains a story that has found its way into the archives. If the league borders on just entertainment, a cricket aficionado would not revel in Kamran Khan’s “rags to riches” performance or stand in unison to applaud the mental courage displayed by Rishabh Pant, who had barely cremated his father before notching up a gritting half century for his franchise.
He's 20,been performing the last rites for his father & he's come to play a special innings for #DD. Rishabh Pant is going to be some player
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 8, 2017
Just like any other format of the game, the IPL too thrives on a worthy contest between bat and ball. While international star Akon can peep through the curtains, the sight of an aging Ricky Ponting diving full throttle for a catch is what sends the audience into frenzies of hysteria. The variations on offer by the bowlers, who desperately cling on in this batsman’s game or the thorough cricketing shots played by Chris Lynn, while he continues to whack the opposition, are images of pure delight for a cricket lover.
The effects of the IPL on Indian cricket
Gone are the days when youngsters would be overawed by the occasion when they made the step up to the big stage. Rishabh Pant, Manish Pandey and Sarfaraz Khan have vastly different temperaments in contrast to Rahul Dravid or Sachin Tendulkar at their age. This new generation exudes a noticeably visible confidence.
Effused with nonchalant confidence, each youngster, after having shared the dressing room with greats of the bygone era in their respective IPL franchises, emerges a more moulded cricketer. Defined by professionalism from a very young age, the players are introduced to situations of high intensity and pressure moments, while up against international stars. The benefits then, are many.
Yes, the old world nostalgia of Test cricket seems missing in the shortest format. The sight of Glenn McGrath’s delivery whizzing past Brain Lara still retains its charm, which the slam bang version of cricket cannot even dare to replace.
But, there remains a different joy in watching a thundering Virat Kohli notch up a century in just 15 overs with stitches on his left hand, defined by an array of exquisite cricketing text book shots. The dedication and the determination showcased in such a feat is nothing less than his exploits on the international circuit with the Indian jersey.
The tournament remains surrounded by lavish after-parties and merriment, but more than it all, it remains a platform where ambitions are waiting to flourish and where the dreams of a starry eyed youngster is awaiting take-off.
