Indian Premier League: The real great Indian Festival

Image Source: IPL official twitter account

By Omkar Narvekar

India shocked everyone in the first edition of ICC World T20 tournament by lifting the trophy. Having played only one T20I before the tournament, a freshly made team went up to create history. The team, then had a gargantuan welcome in the nation in an opena-top bus. This was just not a victory, this was a sign that T20 was here to entertainment and mainly to stay.

This triggered an idea in the head of Lalit Modi, who then came up with the Indian Premier League (IPL). And soon in years, this brainchild of Modi became the richest cricketing league in the world. Suddenly, IPL seemed to be all that the Indian crowd needed during the summers. IPL is more of fun, than of cricket. People who do not keep much interest in cricket also come and watch IPL. The league has added more colours of entertainment in the blue and white Indian cricket.

IPL came during the kids summer vacation and the match timings were suitable for the working-class public. The league was the new family time entertainment, and what better than cricket as the medium. This was one time when Sony Max did not telecast Sooryavansham for a month or so. Now that Star has overtaken, bare with it.

What other thing that IPL did was get the small players in the limelight. Where scoring a double century in Ranji trophy on a flat pitch against a weak opposition went unnoticed, smashing 20-plus runs against Dale Styne in IPL was the road to fame. Sarfaraz Khan is the living example of the same. However, he did not make it big after that one night storm. Players like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik-Krunal Pandya, Ambati Rayudu are few who made it big with their consistent performances.

International players are now have fan base in India. It won’t be wrong to say AB de Villiers is equally loved (or maybe more) in India as he is in South Africa. Even Kavin Pietersen was quoted saying that he is loved more in India. Johnty Rhodes, when coaching Mumbai Indians felt so much at home that he named his daughter India. One would even spot him on the roads of Mumbai during his coaching days.

The revenue generated from IPL helped the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) to organise more home series in a year. Last year, women T20 exhibition match was arranged to see the turnout and now talks are on for a three-team T20 women’s match for this season. This will help to get the women’s cricket to people’s notice and generate more revenue.

With Star’s entry in the media business and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) heroic comeback in 2018 IPL, this year’s season is bound to have more excitement.