IPL; A Monster in the Making!

Monday, May 4, 2009


Ravi Bopara played just one significant innings for Punjab Kings' 11 in this IPL-09. When it was time for National Duty, he had to leave. He has to play for his Country, England. But what did he say? IPL was the best experience of my life and I enjoyed this to the maximum.

Rohit Sharma has still not cemented his place in Indian ODI or T-20 Team. His performence in all forms of Cricket while representing India has been below average. But he becomes another man when it is IPL time. For all Cricketers who are part of IPL, this is BIG money and let us not forget it. A player like Kamran Khan has made a life even before he has played at the Ranji Trophy. Retired war-horses like Warne, Kumble and Ganguly are striving hard to excel. They have retired from International Cricket, but are still doing fabulously well in IPL. My take is, Anil Kumble has never bowled as well in South Africa before. And he looks to me, the best Indian bowler along with Ojha.

IPL has created a Monster. Ricky Ponting's worries were not at all out of place. In future, we will have players who might not like to play for the Country at all and still earn millions. The best example is Ashish Nehra. I can't remember when was the last time he hurled the cherry for India. He will have one or the other injury to nurse most of the times during the International Calender. But he comes back promptly during the IPL.

Already we have SAPL for South Africa being mooted. IPL is doing fabulously well and ICL also will do well in untested territories like USA and Canada. What will happen to International Cricket? It will go the Football way. Only confined to World Cup and that means ODI WC and T-20 WC. Where will this leave Test Cricket? Well, I believe Test Cricket is already on it's last legs. The way a recent Sri Lanka - Pakistan Test series was played was embarassing. No team was bowled out even once after 5 days of dreary Cricket dominated by batsmen on those featherbeds.

Unless ICC does something to induct life into Test Cricket by making it more even for both batsmen and bowlers, it is going to be "The End" for Test Cricket... Very Soon! And that will be a huge loss!

I have nothing against IPL and am enjoying it perfectly fine. But it will be unfortunate if there will be no Test Cricket in say... 2019!