Dhoni bik gaya, Bhajji bik gaya, sab bik gaye...par idea chalega kya?
No offence meant with the title. Dhoni and Bhajji are very good players and so are the others on the Indian team (I can say that since Agarkar is not on the team). But what prompted that title is the insane amount of money being shelled out as part of the IPL bidding. Let me clarify that I have absolutely nothing against the millions being traded. After all, it's the free market principle at work here.
What I am worried about here is the future of IPL. Let's cast our minds to the time when an ambitious Subhash Chandra roped in Kapil Dev and formed the rebel ICL. Saying that ICC was shaken out of its slumber is an understatement. BCCI acted quickly to distance itself from the league and ICC, for once, backed BCCI with all its might. But the question arises, why didn't Subhash Chandra think of setting up a power plant? Why didn't he produce a film with Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta in the lead? Why cricket? A simple one-line answer is 'because of ICC and BCCI'.
The story goes that way back in 2000, ICC conducted a botched up telecast rights bid, which Zee lost to WSG-Nimbus. One losing a bid and the other winning a bid is perfectly understandable. That is, when you ignore the fact that WSG-Nimbus actually bid $75 million LESS than Zee!! And it didn't end there. In 2004, BCCI sold off its television rights to ESPN-Star even when Zee had placed an equal bid. The reason, or lack of reason, was that Zee had no 'experience' in sports production. Somebody should ask BCCI why Zee was invited at all. Or for that matter, why were Shahrukh and Preity invited to bid for IPL franchises? I forget, Shahrukh has coached a women's hockey team, isn't it? Ohh no, it was in a film, nevermind.
An unjustly done Subhash Chandra went ahead and did the inevitable. And thus ICL was born. The rest is history and I fear that soon, it will be history revisited. BCCI created the lucrative IPL, organized player auctions, got the best names around and now we are sitting and waiting for the first ball to be bowled. It should have been a victory for BCCI but is it? Not yet at least. For one, the economics of IPL are a little unnerving. Additionally, BCCI's face saving act has every making of an ICC party pooper. Malcolm Speed, ICC's Chief Executive, first ruled out a 'window' for IPL. What that means is there is no way any international tour would be rescheduled to allow the auctioned players to participate in the IPL. So, that rules out a good chunk of the auctioned players. Later, ICC softened its stand on the matter by saying that it could allow a window if seven ICC members voted in favour of the move. Easier said than done, considering the international commitments countries have and the contractual obligations with sponsors that may prevent players from participating.
So, everything depends on what stance the ICC takes on this issue. The BCCI is undisputably the most powerful board in world cricket today. But will it be able to arm twist the ICC into bowing to its wishes, as it has successfully done in the past? There are no clear answers but there sure is a nagging fear that we may head into another BCCI-ICC standoff.
Clarification: I have nothing against the IPL. I am looking forward to it just as most cricket lovers around the world are. I just wish the choice of captain were left to the coach or a cricket body. I am not a huge fan of icon players. Other than that, I like the idea. My beef is with the BCCI for the way it functions.
Due credits to Rahul Bhatia's insightful post on the ICL issue. Do read the entire post here. Credits to Cricinfo.com, my favourite cricket portal.
What I am worried about here is the future of IPL. Let's cast our minds to the time when an ambitious Subhash Chandra roped in Kapil Dev and formed the rebel ICL. Saying that ICC was shaken out of its slumber is an understatement. BCCI acted quickly to distance itself from the league and ICC, for once, backed BCCI with all its might. But the question arises, why didn't Subhash Chandra think of setting up a power plant? Why didn't he produce a film with Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta in the lead? Why cricket? A simple one-line answer is 'because of ICC and BCCI'.
The story goes that way back in 2000, ICC conducted a botched up telecast rights bid, which Zee lost to WSG-Nimbus. One losing a bid and the other winning a bid is perfectly understandable. That is, when you ignore the fact that WSG-Nimbus actually bid $75 million LESS than Zee!! And it didn't end there. In 2004, BCCI sold off its television rights to ESPN-Star even when Zee had placed an equal bid. The reason, or lack of reason, was that Zee had no 'experience' in sports production. Somebody should ask BCCI why Zee was invited at all. Or for that matter, why were Shahrukh and Preity invited to bid for IPL franchises? I forget, Shahrukh has coached a women's hockey team, isn't it? Ohh no, it was in a film, nevermind.
An unjustly done Subhash Chandra went ahead and did the inevitable. And thus ICL was born. The rest is history and I fear that soon, it will be history revisited. BCCI created the lucrative IPL, organized player auctions, got the best names around and now we are sitting and waiting for the first ball to be bowled. It should have been a victory for BCCI but is it? Not yet at least. For one, the economics of IPL are a little unnerving. Additionally, BCCI's face saving act has every making of an ICC party pooper. Malcolm Speed, ICC's Chief Executive, first ruled out a 'window' for IPL. What that means is there is no way any international tour would be rescheduled to allow the auctioned players to participate in the IPL. So, that rules out a good chunk of the auctioned players. Later, ICC softened its stand on the matter by saying that it could allow a window if seven ICC members voted in favour of the move. Easier said than done, considering the international commitments countries have and the contractual obligations with sponsors that may prevent players from participating.
So, everything depends on what stance the ICC takes on this issue. The BCCI is undisputably the most powerful board in world cricket today. But will it be able to arm twist the ICC into bowing to its wishes, as it has successfully done in the past? There are no clear answers but there sure is a nagging fear that we may head into another BCCI-ICC standoff.
Clarification: I have nothing against the IPL. I am looking forward to it just as most cricket lovers around the world are. I just wish the choice of captain were left to the coach or a cricket body. I am not a huge fan of icon players. Other than that, I like the idea. My beef is with the BCCI for the way it functions.
Due credits to Rahul Bhatia's insightful post on the ICL issue. Do read the entire post here. Credits to Cricinfo.com, my favourite cricket portal.
posted by Ullas @ 3:24 AM
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