I think it's a bit of a weird one. I mean he talks about negative press in the UK, but I'd argue that apart from the odd Cricket journalist taking a few swipes at it, it just receives very little press from the UK media. I mean the way I look at it, is that people need to identify with the teams taking part to care about it. So many people care about County Cricket in England because it's ingrained in them, they follow 'their' team. With the IPL, how is that possible?
It's no different from following any sport in another country, some people will, but the majority won't unless they have a good reason. A good reason in this case, would be seeing a load more England players in the teams. But then we'd probably tune in to watch them play and instead see them sat on the bench while, as KP puts it, some second rate Australian player gets a gig.
I don't care about it, because they give me no reason to care. I might take a look at the odd scorecard to see how someone like Alfonso Thomas is getting on, only to notice that he doesn't get a game, but Steve Smith, Jesse Ryder and Marlon Samuels do. I mean come on, if Thomas isn't injured, that's plain embarrassing.
I'll happily sit and wait for the T20 in England to come along, rather than watch a few quality players mixed with some International has-beens and never-weres, thank you very much.
How would Steve Smith or James Faulkner or Maxwell walk into England's Test team?? Or even T20 team? The others are closer, but none of them make it either: Gilchrist walks in ahead of Prior? Maybe Shaun Marsh in form would bat #6 for England in Tests, that's about it.
