Indian riches may only go to Pietersen
Despite Lalit Modi's encouraging talk, in reality the IPL franchises are likely to bid for a select few of the England team, writes Mike Selvey in the Guardian .
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
Despite Lalit Modi's encouraging talk, in reality the IPL franchises are likely to bid for a select few of the England team, writes Mike Selvey in the Guardian.
What I find most rib-tickling is the notion that, when or if the all-clear is given, England's finest will be pouring through the door and off down the road to riches. Perhaps in this they, or once again their agents, have been paying too much attention to what Modi has been saying, for he too plays games.
Only a few weeks ago he said he would love to have the English players. On the back of this we hear through Sean Morris, chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, that many of the England team have received approaches from IPL franchises. At this point I prefer to suspend belief. On what basis would a franchise owner put in a bid for all but a very select few of the England team? Net fodder? Were I a franchiser and I wanted reinforcements, I would make a start in the Caribbean. Instead, for the idea of multiple approaches look no further than the same agents, whose interest on behalf of their clients is to shout their availability from the roof tops.
The current boom in cricket pricing is the result of the seemingly unending enthusiasm of the Indian consumer, the relative, and often willing lack of competition from other Indian sport and the heady economic situation here, writes Harsha Bhogle in the Indian Express.
That is what worries me the most. Cricket’s financial ambitions rest on one shaky premise; that India will continue to generate enough resources to finance everyone else. To prevent that from happening, each country will have to generate its own revenues, as they had been doing before mega television deals for the ICC became reality. However, having tasted a gulab jamun they are unlikely to be happy with a dry roti. Expectations are now irrational.
Also in the Guardian, Dileep Premachandran says, "If the English players were allowed into the IPL they might acquire the dash and flair they so badly need."
George Binoy is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo