IPL: India Premier League - Money Game :

59 matches...44 days...over 5 million dollar prize money... 723 million dollar committed by Franchisees and ... And the fever is on. Everyone is waiting for 18th April to feel the same....

English Premier League for Football, PHP or I league again in Football, National Basketball League in Basket ball have all made a lot of difference in several countries and these led to the birth of Indian Premier League, a billion dollar baby, from the brain of BCCI vice president Lalit Modi.

Well looking at the benefits of IPL, we have a few to count them on. First being the benefit of expertise and experience from International Player. Team constituting of eight foreign players of which only four can be in the starting XI, four players from the local catchments area and four Under-22 players, this will help to learn a lot from the international players to our growing Cricketers. No doubt, the gain by playing will prove invaluable, whether it be in terms of stronger Nation Team, getting in-depth knowledge or Cricket as a Sport of the World. Breaking the boundaries between the countries of the World and play as one team, is indeed a great benefit, which shows a world as a single great place to be bonded in all respects.

But when we count more on benefits, we have to start looking for words without base. Will it do any good to Cricket?? With Cricketers getting bonus with a single win and a lot of offers from media pouring in, it reflects positive as well as negative impact. Isn't it only Money which is pulling every nation and their great players to come up and play Cricket? Yes, money seems to be prime factor by ICC and national administrators. Advertising Money, Franchisee Money and money from different sources pouring in from a long time before the League. The idea of players disappearing off to play franchised cricket would be hugely detrimental to national sides and eventually ruin the game. Looking at the development of Country Cricket, there will be no theatre for players to develop.

Looking at the administrative view, it's only the money which brings actors, business community, players, politicians everyone at the same place. On the whole, the love of game is suppressed to a great extent in front of the glory and shine of money which is blinding most of us. Looking at the overall impact, the IPL is going to do some damage with BCCI, for putting their own greedy aims ahead of the needs of cricket.

Indeed IPL is a great initiative taken for Sports in India... We could say yes, if Cricket were the only Sports in the Sports category... But looking around, there are many other sports which have gone behind the halo of Cricket; there is darkness in the scarcity of any thoughts about the other Sports. Talk around the globe is India has willingness and money to do this innovative thing then why won't players around the globe will come ahead. But if India has money why the talents in Table Tennis, Chess, and F1 are are not coming up.

Same as IPL as a brainchild of Lalit Modi, do we need one amongst us to be brain parent of other sports to come up and prove itself, but before expecting this, we need to come ahead to build in confidence to show the zeal of India in other sports. There are many other sports in India which are getting suppressed with lack of funds, lack of knowledge, lack of proper guidance and so on....

Well, looking at the positive aspect, what we want is zeal amongst the youth of India to come ahead and carry forward their enthusiasm and passion for Sport other than Cricket. Currently, everywhere the glory of Cricket is brightening and we are moving towards that brightness, but someone needs to take a light from darkness to light the other sports in India.

...Sugita Kumari

Courtesy : civilserviceindia.com