And for a Friday as India’s mega sports carnival IPL is progressing; some thoughts….. some musings…..
Today is match 26 out of the 74 matches before the playoffs of IPL 2024. Every evening, millions of Indians need no other entertainment between 7.30 to 11.30 pm. And weekends are bonus as there are two matches. The day match at 3.30 pm and evening at 7.30 pm. With the Tata WPL (Women’s Premier League) has also been fairly successful. We now have T-20 cricket as the most spectacular TV sport in the country; watched by mothers, fathers, grand parents, teenagers, tweens, boys and girls. Every cricket fan is also a cricket expert. Every stroke and wicket is analysed and each match defeat of the favourite team justified to the fullest. It’s India’s family entertainment exemplar free of cost. Ofcourse people talk of World Cup Football or US Volleyball and Baseball as huge revenue spinners. Well India is getting there. In a few years from now. Cricket particularly T20 will be the biggest money spinner of all TV sports especially since the next T20 World cup is being hosted in the US and Caribbean.
Another huge differentiator of IPL is the the fundamental constitution of Team selection and players composition. Each of the ten teams have their marquee players – the big names who command huge fan followings across the world. The Dhonis, Kohlis, Rohit Sharmas, Hardik Pandyas, Jasprit Bumrahs, their auction prices run into crores with advertisements and endorsements galore. But most important are the unknown but hugely talented and gifted young players from the villages, small towns and hinterland of India. Every such player is an inspiration and ikon to millions of budding aspirants who want to make professional cricket their career. Yashaswi Jaiswal from Badohi village in UP sold pani puris at Azad Maidan and slept in Mumbai cricket tents is today the dashing opener for Rajasthan Royals. Ashutosh Sharma, from a small railway town called Ratlam in MP; his 31 runs in 17 balls helped PBKS beat GT. Or Mohammad Siraj from Hyderabad, son of an Auto rickshaw driver, his mother Shabana Begum a housewife of no financial means, is RCB strike bowler. There are many many more. Each an inspirational story, makes IPL and T20 cricket so unique.
Cricket is a great leveler. From the PM to CM and industrialists Ambanis and Goenkas to ShahRukh Khans and Preity Zintas to small town labourers, farmers, all enjoy IPL. Let’s celebrate India’s joyous moments, the sporting way, the entertainment way, the SEEGOS way.