Business over sentiment in auction

Suresh Menon writes on Dreamcricket.com that not much has changed about the IPL despite the ouster of Lalit Modi. The much-promised transparency was not evident, salaries of retained players remain a mystery and the feeling that rules are being made on the run persists, he says.

The message from the franchisees was clear: sport is not about sentiment. It is business. It is about the bottom line. It is about results. Corporate India dealt with cricketers in a matter-of-fact manner, reducing the great names in the game to their bowling averages or strike rates. Getting a young team together or a bargain or a cheap buy was more important than anything else.

It was a lesson for the cricket board which often lets emotion cloud its judgement, and is happy to rely on past glory when the current form is not so good.