Modi v the world

Everything Lalit Modi does makes news. Everything Lalit Modi does divides opinions. Everything Lalit Modi does reverberates around the cricketing world. In a freewheeling interview with Karan Thapar on the news channel CNN-IBN, Modi defends himself against critics, denies the Ranji Trophy has been rendered meaningless, explains why the IPL has revived and rejuvenated cricket, and much more.

Karan Thapar: ‘The Hindustan Times’ says: 'What the IPL has done is create a generation of half-baked players with faulty techniques, they strut around as superstars based on their dubious performances in the IPL. They are living in a fool's paradise but they are only fooling themselves.'

Lalit Modi: If they are fooling themselves, they will fall down. You have to understand that we have eight to ten owners out there, who have very little tolerance for somebody not being able to perform. So, they will just replace him and go forward with somebody else. If a person wants to be in the team then he needs to be consistent.

Karan Thapar: So these players are fodder for you. You are building them dreams and then casting them aside.

Lalit Modi: You may call it fodder but for us, it is giving them platform to showcase themselves, be consistent and prove themselves. You call it fodder, but we don't call it fodder. We call it a great stage to play with the world's best.