IPL vs IPL

Subhash Chandra controlled Indian Cricket League (ICL) is being reported to be busy packing its fateful entry ‘for the game of cricket’.

The end of ICL is not a very bad development. But what is bad is the way it has been brought to end. The way BCCI has went above the board to stop it was entirely avoidable. Lalit Modi has done a good job as IPL commissioner but again not without a pinch of salt on the conceptual level. While Modi has shown a lot of enterprise, for which he must be given due credit, it should not be forgotten that this excessive commercialization will have its own side effects.

The men in blue become popular, rather icons, overnight in this country. The selection is subject to a lot of public scrutiny. Despite we came to hear about news of money exchanging hands for a place in the national teams a couple of years back. The way money has entered the game it is entirely possible that same things can happen and without much public scrutiny as these players do not have such identities. The ultimate result can be cricket again being another game where an Irfan Pathan, son of a poor father can't become a cricketer. The next challenge for Modi and BCCI would be to check any such development.

I am sure the existence of a private initiative like ICL would have been an effective check as players would at least have had an option. Here it is equally true that there would have been more probability of money making rounds in ICL than IPL. It was undoubtedly a business venture and not a 'For the welfare of cricket' initiative. But I do not think, it would have posed BCCI any threat. Even if it would have it would have been good for cricket and cricketers.

As of now we do not foresee any ICL kind of development. The real test of BCCI’s “good merits” and Modi’s managerial abilities would be now. With a powerful politician at the helm of affairs BCCI has everything to raise the bar. It would be interesting to see if Sharad Pawar does not try to keep his control intact after demitting office. Mr. Modi will continue to hit headlines but he must remember money is not everything.

BCCI and Modi better keep in mind, how popularity of cricket went for the toss when the news of match fixing were first broken.