IPL

Remember the horrendous days of watching Cricket Test matches on T.V where we had to wait for hours to watch a four or a sixer. Cricket both test or limited overs is a great game to play but to watch it is another thing. Ever since limited overs became the norm for competitive cricket watching cricket has been much more easier on the eye than test matches.

I also understand the beauty in playing a Test match but to watch it on T.V or from the stands can be a punishment.

My interest in cricket has waned over the years. A friend of mine and who is probably one of the best experts on the game even gave me adverse reports of the BCCI and several match fixing things of the past that made me ditch cricket for good although I always liked a good match.

The other aspect was the probability of the rate of victory for a team. Except for Australia who have been very consistent there was hardly any other teams that I thought was consistently winning. Worst of all was Ganguly's decision to field in the world cup that India reached after 20 years and lost it purely due the decision of going to field and that too after winning the toss. It was one of the most stupid decisions ever made and asking Australia to bat easily put the World cup in their lap. Australia thrashed India with the biggest scores ever in a World cup final. Who can then forget the way India struggled with under dogs Bangaldesh and even getting a bashing from them.

Enter IPL, the Indian Premier League. It has saved cricket and even got me to change my decision on abandoning cricket. In fact what IPL has served in the last one month of games has no parallel even from the limited 50 over version of the game played all these years. I have a strong feeling even the players who played IPL 20/20 may be reluctant to go back to play the 50-50 format. The Finals concluded yesterday and spectators and viewers got their money's worth. Honestly it feels a big void that there is nothing to watch on T.V from today evening onwards.

Though initially cheerleaders didn't fit in I think gradually the audience and viewers have accepted them. It still looked phony and poorly imitated from the west where even getting into the cheerleading team is considered a prestigious issue.

I have had the experience of watching live in Singapore a Pakistan vs India match live but I never enjoyed it amidst the heat and the sweat and the screaming. A friend who also went to one of the IPL matches in Chennai also had a similar story saying the noise was unbearable and one finds it difficult to appreciate the game. Even here I think imitating the shows abroad is more the norm.

However on T.V nothing came close to the entertainment IPL could deliver. If only they had cut down on the same ads being repeated all over again. But then that's how the sponsors and advertisers make their money, don't they? The excitement of watching live cricket with sixers and fours a plenty was truly a treat. Not forgetting the great, catches, bowling and dismissals. Truly IPL made this years summer vacation a great one. Looking forward to the next season.