THE CRICKETING WAY OUT --->>

Revolution 20:20. No this isn’t the latest novel. This is actually the revolution 20 20. The IPL, the CLT20 and all other formats. We never get tired of watching any of these matches nor do we get tired of criticising the very existence of these formats, for we believe they are taking a toll on our international player’s fitness and performance.

2008 was the year the IPL started, on the script of the widely acknowledged EPL (soccer league). The basic motive was to form teams, sell and buy players and make money. Big corporate houses got involved (for only they could) and the league went bang bang. It was a huge success. People involved made big money (not to ignore the BCCI appointed chairman who didn’t held back either).

It took only a couple of years for people to notice that the IPL had some added advantages. It gave the domestic players the opportunity to share the dressing room with some of the veterans, it enhanced the hard hitting skill of batsmen, and it polished bowler’s skills of containing a batsman in a T20 game. It actually gave the Indian youngsters the right mindset to play 20 20. The selectors did notice these performances. Exceptional performances were rewarded by reserving a national berth. Players became serious and the crowd loved it.

Then came the CLT20, again much on the script of Champions League (soccer). Both the formats grew into real hits and the management decided to make more money by introducing the participation of more teams in the IPL. It was then, that the formula failed. The players started getting injured and the schedules longer. They were jammed in between tournaments. Players  were criticised of preferring club over country (or money over country) and the real debate started.

My question is “Do we really need a debate?” I don’t think so.

The best cricketing way out is to stay with the same no of teams. What this will do is:

1.       It will reduce the number of matches and hence shorten the period, hence giving them due rest and leaving them fresh for international matches.

2.       It will make players work hard to survive in the playing eleven of their respective teams and not rest back to assure them that even if they don’t perform well, there will be new teams to accommodate them. This would surely encourage competition.

The idea is to make IPL a “talent - hunting” tournament rather than a “money – making” tournament. Let the young guns learn from the legends on this stage. Let them compete with the talent all around the world.  Extract the top performers from here and inject them into the national side to face even more fierce competition. This approach would suit everyone. Players would remain fatigue-free and fresher, playing standards would rise and IPL and CLT20 will have a value of their own.