Current Issues
Current Issues IPL: Boon or Bane? IPL was started with much fanfare in 2008. It was regarded as the next big thing in cricket. Under the able guidance of Lalit Modi, it started off really well. It was inspired by the highly popular EPL (English Premier League). Since its inception, it has caught the eyes of players and viewers alike. It brought Bollywood and corporates under one roof. It resulted in a huge amount of money being poured into the game. Presence of Bollywood stars during matches raised the glamour quotient. Pay-package of international players increased by leaps and bound. Players who appeared for a season, started drawing much more than what they were paid by their respective boards. This has lured a number of international cricketers to cut short their international career. Many others have become freelancers. This has resulted in questions being raised over a player’s loyalty for his country. There is no harm in players opting for these leagues which offer them lucrative money but definitely it should not be at the expense of the country. It was only when they played for their country that their exemplary performance got noticed by the franchise. IPL, in spite of its money and glamour quotient, was projected as a league for nurturing young Indian talent. Youngsters get to share dressing room with the greats of the game. Useful tips from the seniors in the team really helps them improve their game. Truly, IPL has helped in unearthing new talent. Just that it has been in the news for a number of wrong reasons, its contribution to Indian cricket has taken a backseat. This tournament provides great opportunity for budding cricketers from India to showcase their talents. They get to learn the nuances of the game while playing along side top cricketers from around the globe. Owing to the popularity of this tournament, it gets wide media coverage. As a result of which a player who performs really well, stands a strong chance of making it to the Indian