ICL plan international matches and much more...

[manee]

ICL planning makeover with international matches
Ajay S Shankar
March 27, 2008

A year after its launch, the Indian Cricket League (ICL), is planning a makeover with significant changes to its structure and schedule. The revised blueprint, revealed by its business head, Himanshu Mody, includes matches between international XIs, four-day matches and opening up team ownership to minority stakeholders.

Full article: Cricinfo

It is good to see the ICL expanding to give its players a good opportunity to prove themselves in all three forms of the game. Unlike T20, four day cricket is an area where the ICL can really improve on the BCCI's version. Better, more consistently sporting pitches, flatter outfields and larger crowds would be a good place to start.

I don't see the need for international matches as it will pretty much destroy any chance of cooperation by national boards, but I guess that that ship has sailed already. I believe that there will be very limited support for, e.g. an Australian XI as no Australians will travel to watch an ICL Australia play.

 

[usy]

I agree with manee, IMO international idea sucks..

 

[Kev]

I'm not against the ICL in principle, but I don't see this happening. For starters four day domestic matches just dont draw crowds or probably more importantly for the ICL, they don't draw big tv deals. I don't see international matches taking off at all. In the cricinfo article the caption under the photo says "ICL has 46 international players in its roster" as it stands that should real 46 EX-international. I just don't know how much of a draw players will be once they haven't been playing for their country for a couple of tours, its pretty easy to be forgotten on the international scene.

 

[vaibhav mehta]

Wow It sound So wired...
Look out after 5 years One Day Matches will be of 20 Overs....
Test Matches will be of 2 Days...

 

[afridi118]

they can do this 20 20 like each team play 40 overs in two innings each team

 

[vaibhav mehta]

Or Better they will take whole ICC under them and corrupt ICC also by their crap Politics!!

 

[afridi118]

Or Better they will take whole ICC under them and corrupt ICC also my their crap Politics!!

agree with u.

 

[SaiSrini]

ICL is now trying to become what the BCCI feared - a rebel board. They are trying to become an alternative to the BCCI itself.

Lets see how far this goes. If the ICL can show that they dont function in the corrupt ways that the BCCI functions, they may be we can see some competition to the BCCI in the future and who knows, we might have a shift of power in cricket in India. I like that former cricketers are in charge of the functioning of the ICL instead of non-cricketers or politicians who take charge inspite of knowing nothing about cricket (apart from having watched it).

 

[.Mob]

Yeah, definitely, the ICL are making rational decisions which benefit both the players and the fans too, not just themselves. This could be promising, but I doubt the BCCI will lose power.

 

[usy]

Can I ask what majority of true Indian Cricket fans are for in India?

I bet IPL is still the more talked about due the the money and players involved.

 

[vaibhav mehta]

Ya IPL is Famous becuase of Stars which gonna play there.
As a True Indian Cricket fan If you ask me Usy then I only care for Indian team.
I'll never care for Sachin playing for mumbai than Sachin playing for India.Trust me.

 

[.Mob]

Yeah, in the end, only Team India matters, well, it should, for any true fan.

 

[vaibhav mehta]

But Actually I don't see its happening.
Actually I feels that now For players these Leagues are source of money and They are also normal individuals like you and me who borned to run after money.
Its human nature.
But Now I don't take a Crap that IPL is not affecting international Cricket.Sorry to say but It does.

 

[m_vaughan]

Wow It sound So wired...
Look out after 5 years One Day Matches will be of 20 Overs....
Test Matches will be of 2 Days...

I am very sure I wont be watching Cricket if that happens. Twenty20s are fun, no doubt, but the quality of cricket is always the highest in five day test matches.

Ya IPL is Famous becuase of Stars which gonna play there.
As a True Indian Cricket fan If you ask me Usy then I only care for Indian team.
I'll never care for Sachin playing for mumbai than Sachin playing for India.Trust me.

He doesnt play all that much from Mumbai actually. Even when he is free.

I like that former cricketers are in charge of the functioning of the ICL instead of non-cricketers or politicians who take charge inspite of knowing nothing about cricket (apart from having watched it).

Spot on there. Okay, its not like these former cricketers will never be corrupt themselves but I'd rather have them heading a cricketing board than people who come from a non-cricketing background.

I really hope the ICL does well because the BCCI is way too corrupt and needs to be brought down.

 

[angryangy]

I guess a lot of these points are interconnected. The World Series concept is enough to get people interested. Sure, people might not turn up specifically to see one country, but people are still going to put their trust on a Lara or Martyn or Cairns to put on a show. Mainly though, it's a self selling concept, it gets press. I'd figure they're not so worried about getting TV rights, but they need to keep doing things to draw interest.