IPL Inbox

By Aamod Desai, India ‘… And it’s time for the strategic time-out,’ the commentator says only to reappear – or rather, only to be reheard – about five seconds short of 2.5 minutes as the crowd at the ground counts down those seconds on the ticker. In between we have all the brands who have affiliated with the IPL promoting their products.

Cricket is probably the only sport that allows its advertisers so much live airtime, and the broadcaster often attempts to squeeze out every second possible for his investors. There’s nothing wrong with the advertiser or the broadcaster trying to maximise his potential gains.

During the current season, we have had two outstanding high-scoring ‘afternoon’ games, involving teams chasing down big totals (CSK v RCB and RR v DC), followed by the second game of that day. In between, the broadcaster manages to fit in only the post-match presentation and two-three minutes of packaged highlights; for a TV viewer this is too short a time to recollect the match that has transpired, especially when it’s a cracker of a match like those big chases.

So the fifth edition of the IPL is upon us. Kochi Tuskers have come and gone, Chennai Super Kings have established themselves the most consistent side, and we tune in again to witness all the excitement and glitz that is the most international of all domestic cricket competitions. Yet, there are some elements missing, and the IPL just isn't the same without them.

Shane Warne Love him, hate him, or just fancy his girlfriend, you can’t deny Warnie is a giant loss to the IPL. His spin was a draw card, his captaincy a boon, and his cut down, trimmed up figure had us all hoping to look that good on the other side of 40. Brad Hogg has joined Rajasthan Royals as their token senior Australian, but it's a tough task moving ahead without Warnie.

By Aashish Calla, India

While watching the IPL can be a lot of fun at times, the quality of the cricket is not always the greatest. Considering the matches are mostly played on flat decks with lightning-fast outfields, it isn’t only going to be the “outstanding” batsmen who score runs. The mediocre one’s also score their fair share. But if one were to listen to the commentators without actually watching the match, he would be forgiven for thinking that every batsmen participating in the IPL is blessed with an abundance of talent.

Every shot that fetches a boundary is either “magnificent” or “excellent”. What about the sixes then? Well, since they fetch more runs than the fours, they have to be something better. “Extraordinary” maybe?

It's 8pm in India. Time to grab a beer – or tea – and settle down to watch the tamasha unfold on TV on Set Max. You ask your buddy, ‘wasn't the game last night fun?’ He replies, ‘yes, they played so well, especially him’. If the IPL wants to continue selling itself, the ‘him’ in that sentence needs to be replaced with youngsters’ names. With nine teams playing 16 game apiece, it is a fair criticism that the IPL is too long, for the viewers and the players. A possible antidote would be if it threw up international quality youngsters on a regular basis. That would keep the players and audience better interested, but is that possible under the current format?

The solution, I think, is simple, and its effects will extend to the quality of cricket being played – another plus for the viewers. Allow each team to field five overseas players. It may sound counterintuitive: how does taking away an Indian's spot help India’s youngsters, those waiting to emerge from the anonymity of domestic cricket. Competition. That’s the answer.

Picture this. A boy and a girl, both in their teens, are walking through a marketplace after a late-night movie. It’s a windy night, the sort that distracts the senses from approaching danger. Out of nowhere, a goon appears and attempts to harrass. The boy grabs a discarded bottle and breaks it over the goon’s head, knocking him out. The battle is won. Woken up by the confusion, a grocer emerges from his store, takes in the scene and hails the boy as a hero.

Is the boy really that big a hero? It surely doesn't mean he is ready to enter the ring to take on Evander Holyfield the following day. Logic would suggest that. However, logic and the IPL don’t necessarily go together.

It is that time of the year when you have a live cricket match every day, when popular VJs discuss and analyse games instead of the more familiar cricket hosts, when you and your friend don’t necessarily cheer for the same side … The IPL is round the corner, promising to be its usual self – extravagant and glamorous. Along with the cricket, this year the big focus will be on whether the IPL brand can revive itself after a below-par performance last season.