IPL: India's loss is everybody's gain

The IPL has spelt only trouble for India this year. First, its shift to South Africa damaged India's image as a safe nation then it created health problems for India's senior players, who lost all their energy to play for India in ICC T-20 World Cup

CJ: Ashok Menon

Thu, Jun 25, 2009 11:53:06 IST

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Indian Cricket News :

THIS YEAR, Indian Premier League (IPL) has caused a lot of damage to India's image and to Indian cricket. First of all, the shifting of IPL from India to South Africa announced the world that India is a country, which could not arrange proper security for the teams.

In fact, it is true. India had major trouble arranging security for the IPL teams, specially with General Elections round the corner. The Union home ministry repeatedly requested the IPL bosses to postpone the IPL to a convenient date after the elections. But they were adamant. Maybe because they had huge commitments to various parties, which had financial stakes in the IPL.

But India is a huge market and it was very much possible for the IPL bigwigs to hammer out an understanding with the teams, sponsors, etc, and hold the prestigious league after the elections. That would have suited all. But no! They immediately got an alternative venue and shifted the IPL to South Africa on a short notice.

Did anybody gain with this strategic move. Yes, of course. Everybody who had anything to gain, gained from this. The players who found quick money in their accounts, the team owners, who had invested huge sums, wanted quick returns, the sponsors, who wanted to get on with the show and of course the IPL bosses, who had a point to prove to India - We can get on without you!

Did anybody lose? Yes, one small and in their eyes an abstract party. The image of India! It was once again brought to the fore that India is a country, which cannot even hold a cricket league. Shades of our neighbour?

Secondly, holding the IPL just a couple of weeks before the T20 World Cup was a bad move for India. The Indian players, who rushed in to play the IPL seeing the green bucks, were so tired of playing so many matches on the trot that they had nothing left for the country.

It was most surprising and saddening to note that not a single Indian player cut down on his IPL appearance so that he could be fit and fine for the World Cup. It would have been so nice to see some of the senior players miss a few matches specially in the last leg of the IPL, which was a few days before the World Cup.

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