The Charm Of The IPL

Summers in India generally follow a predictable pattern.

We complain about the heat, say it’s much hotter than last year, despair over the pathetic condition of water supply and feast on the ripe mangoes that flood the markets during this time. The past few years have been no different barring the addition of another craze, the IPL.

The Indian Premiere League is akin to a B-grade Bollywood movie scripted to blockbuster perfection. And so it should be, having the support of so many actors on and off the pitch. Tales of betrayal, treachery and shifting loyalties are not uncommon and adds to the spice of the event.

During one of the seasons of the League, an incident involving Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth garnered great publicity. The former had slapped the latter after a disappointing loss and the rest as they say is history. Media channels played the incident over and over again, from different angles, taking a cue from our good old Hindi serials. Following a public apology and several attempts at reconciliation, the two had become ‘Bhai-Bhai’ once again.

Sourav Ganguly has had numerous ‘hits’ at the IPL Box Office. Recently, when he played in Kolkata as a part of his Pune Warriors team, it was touted as the return of the prodigal son. Who says youngsters have no idea of culture? They welcomed Ganguly as if he were Ram returning from exile. And who better to play Raavan than one of the most sought after actors in the country today?

And when there is so much sinister afoot, it’s only logical to imagine love lurking somewhere as well. Several team owners turn up for matches with pretty actresses in tow, which ensures that at least now they are shown on television. Apart from this we have cheerleaders (a first for sporting events in India) and several women analysts as well. It’s obvious the directors had no ulterior motives, they were simply practicing gender equality, the kind where women are kept as skimpily clad as possible.

The mania is not restricted to the teams alone. Even the administration knows how to cook up a masala story. The removal of Lalit Modi from the top post would have made even the Mughal rulers proud. The ensuing power struggle serving to entertain us after we got back from a tiring and frustrating day at work.

But let us not forget that in the midst of all this hullaballoo, surprisingly even some cricket is played. Last ball finishes; nail biting thrillers and the adventure that is T20 has made for great viewing. However, even these have now been brought under the cloud of suspicion. The recent suspension of 5 players for being involved in match fixing, spot fixing and receiving pay above their bracket has done nothing to improve the image of a faltering institution.

The League in its fifth edition now has registered a downward spiral in TRPs, the three all-important letters in Indian television. Stadiums are filled to a certain degree but the thought of probably witnessing a scandal they can relate to their grandchildren is what draws the gullible public.

Being from Hyderabad, I have always been a die-hard Deccan Chargers fan. I must admit every time Cameron White hits a six or Dale Steyn manages to take a wicket, it brings a smile to my face. (I won’t say every time we win because we haven’t been able to do that a lot this season.)  And in a world where we are plagued with so many worries, I am thankful for that moment of pure joy.  

Chris Gayle recently announced that he would love any opportunity to work in a Bollywood movie. Would someone mind telling the poor chap that he’s been part of one ever since he took guard on a cricket pitch?