Rant On: The Indian Premier League

So there’s been a lot of hoo-haa of late surrounding the Indian Premier League; firstly there was the record breaking sale of star England players Freddie Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen – both of which were bought for $1.55 million each (no pressure there then...)

And then there was the whole “where to host it?” debacle after the Indian government decided it could not guarantee sufficient security for matches (as the General Election was planned to go ahead during the same time as the IPL, for which security is paramount).This was followed by a series of crisis meetings with potential countries (including England) which the tournament could migrate to and after much umming and aahing [cue drum roll] South Africa was announced as the new home of the Indian Premier League...
 

We’re now a good two weeks in to the tournament and having watched it religiously last year, I’m not entirely convinced with the move. Why? I guess I just don’t feel the excitement, the buzz, the hungama of it all...
 

Correct me if I’m wrong (don’t mean to sound ignorant) but clearly South Africa was selected due to its ‘better’ weather conditions... the irony being that since the launch of the tournament, there hasn’t been a dry seat in the stadium. Agreed, the weather in England can be somewhat temperamental but we’ve been basking in the rays this past week and forecasters are predicting it to last well into May (just going to add a quick woo hoo!)
 

Not to be sour grapes about the whole fiasco but England was indisputably the best destination to host the Indian Premier League. It would have been a lucrative move not only for the organisers, but for everyone involved.
 

Recalling the 2008 inaugural tournament, the IPL carried all the qualities which are synonymous with being a proud desi; the band baja playing (out of synch and nearly always out of tune) when your hero bats a sixer, the candid shots of the crowd munching on paani puri and samose while jumping up and down when there’s been a run-out, the glimpse of a Bollywood star sitting in the VIP box, the honking of truck and car horns in the background amidst the chanting and singing of popular Bollywood tunes in the stands...the party atmosphere showed the world what being desi is about...
 

Preity Zinta, Bollywood hottie and co-owner of the Kings XI Punjab franchise supports this very notion arguing “no one is happy to shift from home ground. That thrill of playing across our own country at domestic tournaments is gone. Going to various cities with the matches is a high”. She did however conclude on a positive note; “But we’ve to be optimistic. Last year when the IPL started everyone thought it would flop. It became the biggest hit ever. Likewise, the shift to South Africa could make the IPL bigger.”
 

Maybe ZInta’s right, but the thrill she’s talking about could have been emulated in England. Despite what your Dad will tell you, cricket was born in England and as a nation of curry lovers, the Indian Premier League would have felt comfortably at home, in England.
 

As Brit-Asians, the passion for the sport has been infused in us by our hippy Dads who love nothing better than to watch a meaty rival match between India and Pakistan (or Sri Lanka or Bangladesh...feel free to switch the nations which best reflects your origin). The fanatical but fervent shouting at the TV which we’ve been exposed to has naturally permeated our blood stream and we therefore share a mutual enthusiasm for all things cricket with our desi counterparts. For that reason alone, us Brit-Asians would have rallied together and generated the party atmosphere that is prerequisite to an event as big as the IPL – picture it now, stalls set up at Lords serving masala dosas’, samosas’ and fans singing Jai Ho as Tendulkar knocks back a sixer – seems like a utopic ideology but our parents are responsible for creating a home away from home here in Blighty... and that’s something not to take for granted - big wigs of the Indian Premier League take heed.,,

It must be said however the IPL in South Africa hasn’t deterred me from watching avidly – that would be stupid. The tournament has and continues to spark debate... it’s like watching a soap opera only better because you have the Bollywood glitterati and the talent of the some of the world’s finest cricketers in tow...
 

The debates too have been fairly trivial. There have been on many occasion the objection of the questionable saucy cheerleaders parading on stage, the franchise teams and which one to support and the most recent furore surrounding Flintoff and Pietersen... $1.55 million well spent?
 

But the ongoing dispute which I find myself getting in a tizzle over is Twenty20 Cricket or Test Cricket?
 

I’m going to open this forum up to you guys to discuss all things IPL – from Ms. Shetty’s choice of attire to a match (the starlet owns Warne’s Rajasthan Royals) to the team your supporting (Kings XI Punjab for me because... I’m... err Punjabi...)
 

Plus don’t forget – you can catch the Indian Premier League exclusively on Setanta Sports.
 

Rant over.