When in 2008, the passionately high-strung Lalit Modi, who seems to always be living on the edge, designed and executed a product called the Indian Premier League, the world, barring the minority “purists”, applauded. The concept was borrowed from a rebel league created by businessman Subhash Chandra, that was playing across the country. The BCCI gave Modi carte blanche to put this tournament into motion. Modi delivered, much to the consternation of those who believed that traditional cricket had been dealt a life-threatening blow.
On April 18, 2008, Bangalore witnessed the first giant step towards this radical change cricket was going to see, when Royal Challengers Bangalore played Kolkata Knight Riders in a match which saw New Zealander Brendon McCullum rain sixes and fours at a pace never seen before. This breathless pulping of the ball in the backdrop of a carnival atmosphere in the presence of filmstars created a psychedelic world that mesmerized a new generation of followers. Money, fame, glamour, publicity in abundance to create an enticing world whose allure even the most puritanical found hard to resist.
Ten years later, IPL has become the centre-piece of world cricket and almost every activity is designed keeping in mind the two-month period in which this high decibel event takes place. Players are willing to forgo national careers for this extravaganza as the money to be made is in millions, outstripping whatever they make playing for their country. Unknowns become household names, paupers become kings, new stars get created while many others roll into history’s dustbin.
No matter how much the traditionalists crib, the genie that Modi and the Indian board unleashed has created a mass entertainment product and if one finds it crass, just lump him. Even while the product may still not be sustainable for investors, the very association with it has become the owners’ pride and neighbours’ envy.
Among the many practices the IPL has introduced, none perhaps is more obnoxious than the feudal mode of selecting players through public auctioning. It reminds one of the abhorrent slave trade that existed, when labour was sold to the highest bidder. Among Modi’s many “innovative” ideas, this was the one that was lapped up by the corporate czars and a few of the most glamorous names of the film industry, with tremendous enthusiasm. It perhaps gives them a vicarious sense of power, especially when the stamp of “sold” is put on the likes of Kohli or Dhoni in full public view watched by millions. Some players may feel humiliated but that is a small price to pay for the money they get in exchange!
That could be the reason why no one has complained so far. On the contrary, there are many “stars” who give live running commentary on the day of the “sale” and then tweet their happiness at having enjoyed doing so. A rare voice of dissent has come this time, from the New Zealand cricket players’ association. Its chief executive Heath Mills has called it ridiculous, archaic and unprofessional. The stronger condemnation has come from Wellington cricket executive, Peter Clinton, who tweeted “the IPL auction is such an undignified, cruel and unnecessary employment practice. Ridiculous that it exists today, belongs in the medieval ages.”
Can we have more Indian voices speaking against this deeply troubling practice or have we put our conscience too on “sale”?