Given that India is to soon travel to England for a series later, I am surprised England was not considered as one of the options for the IPL. Just think how much playing in England for 2 months would have helped prepare the Indian team. Instead, they are playing on the flat tracks of UAE, and Ban/Ind. No doubt some batsmen will shine who will then travel to England and another 4-0 drubbing for India will follow. This lack of foresight by the BCCI may hurt. Having said this, I will be honest and admit that given that BCCI and ECB are not exactly close friends, BCCI may have approached ECB and have its request turned down. The point is either way, IPL in England would have led to a more competitive series in England.
Also I really think that to be truly global IPL needs to lower the player restrictions. The present restriction on 4 foreign players starting a match needs to be extended to 5. Then 5 Indians + 1 Uncapped Indian + 5 Foreign Players would be a better balance. If IPL features players largely from but a few nations, its global charm will go. Pak players are largely not touched by franchises because they do not when the tensions escalate between the two nations and they do then naturally no franchise will want to field a player of the 'enemy'. Then they are left with players they are playing huge salaries to, but cannot use. This happened in 2009 and 2010 when India - Pak tension was at a peak after the late 2008 Bombay terrorist attacks, and thus when the auction happened for the 2011 IPL almost all Pakistan players remained unpicked by franchises who were all once bitten and twice shy. Why have a player who you will keep paying salaries but cannot play. Who doesn't want to see Pak players in the IPL, but non cricketing reasons do sometimes dictate these things. BCCI cannot ask franchises to pick Pak players, in the same way that FA cannot force say, Chelsea to sign, players from Ireland or USA or England for that matter. The franchise is free to decide who to buy and the same is true with cricket. Coaches are another matter as they remain out of the main light and work in the background, so they can be employed much more safely and that is why even though IPL franchises have stayed away from Pakistani players, but Pakistani coaches, most notably, Wasim Akram have been employed in the IPL.
With English players its another story, and they have traditionally never made themselves available for the IPL and the franchises in any case have not shown any keenness in signing English players. Barring Kevin Peterson, no notable English players has played in the IPL. A lot of the key players in IPL have been players from SL, but even they were overlooked by the franchises, largely because SL will be playing a series when the IPL is on. Malinga is the only player who was signed for the IPL. Increasing the foreign restriction will help open up more spaces in the franchise for more foreign playes making IPL truly global.
That being said, IPL still does feature a nice mixture of foreign players from all over the globe, including Aus, SA, WI, NZ and even from Holland !! and not to mention the super cocktail of coaces from all over the world. All these players playing with each other and interacting with these coaches will only help, not just Indian players but all foreigners. In the absence of players from Pak and Eng and now SL, IPL still needs a few steps to be a truly global event.
IPL needs to be looked at positively and the money it generates, especially form countries where cricket is not exactly lucrative, like say someone like Corey Anderson of NZ, is great. IPL has placed cricket, or eventually will place cricket among the super money sports of the world. Yuvraj Singh with his IPL package will see him earn more than some of the super rich Footballers like Eden Hazard, John Terry, etc. Yuvraj Singh will get more than John Terry, Samir Nasri! - The Times of India. While these are not the highest paid footballers, but they are definitely representatives of the super rich higher salary bracket footballers. Google shows Hazard's salary to be 8.84 million GBP, and so if Yuvraj is getting more than him then simple google search shows he is also getting more than some more top footballers like Iniesta 5 million Eur, Fabregas 6 million Eur, Juan Mata, David Silva 6.76 Million GBP to name a few. I mean these are not just any players, these are some of the top paid players at super Oil Rich clubs.
A few years ago who have thought that cricket could ever financially compete with salaries in Football. In terms of NBA salaries simple math calculation will show that of the top 30 paid NBA players HoopsHype - NBA Salaries, will show that #23 highest paid NBA player and all below him earn less than Hazard and thus less than Yuvraj. #23 paid player on the list earns roughly 14.7 USD, which when converted to GBP at the existing rate of 1USD = 0.60 GBP, comes to 8.82 million GBP which is less than 8.84 million GBP salary of Hazard and thus using the article as a base, less than Yuvraj's salary.
So IPL is no doubt taking the money in Cricket to places previously thought impossible, and needs to be encouraged. The more the money the better for the players. Also this is 'clean' money - the salary, no match fixing required. IPL needs to take players of all the countries along in this ride, for the more the nations involved, the more the finances will go up. Someone like Ryan Ten Doeschate from Holland would normally be playing for peanuts, but thanks to the IPL lands a 150000 USD per year contract. Where on earth was he going to get this kind money playing cricket, that too in Holland. This is more than 3.5 times the per capita income of England !! Who would have thought a cricket player from Holland would ever this kind of money. Ryan Ten Doeschate is some one from Holland, just picture what a player from one of the bigger cricket nations stands to make.
IPL is the way to take cricket to the Super rich Sugar daddy leagues of world sport, and all nations need to support the IPL especially England, which has so far not exactly shown a keenness to have its players play in the IPL, and the IPL cannot keep ignoring players from countries like Pakistan and now SL. IPL needs to be given space the Cricket boards and IPL needs to find ways to accomodate players from all across the world.
Also I really think that to be truly global IPL needs to lower the player restrictions. The present restriction on 4 foreign players starting a match needs to be extended to 5. Then 5 Indians + 1 Uncapped Indian + 5 Foreign Players would be a better balance. If IPL features players largely from but a few nations, its global charm will go. Pak players are largely not touched by franchises because they do not when the tensions escalate between the two nations and they do then naturally no franchise will want to field a player of the 'enemy'. Then they are left with players they are playing huge salaries to, but cannot use. This happened in 2009 and 2010 when India - Pak tension was at a peak after the late 2008 Bombay terrorist attacks, and thus when the auction happened for the 2011 IPL almost all Pakistan players remained unpicked by franchises who were all once bitten and twice shy. Why have a player who you will keep paying salaries but cannot play. Who doesn't want to see Pak players in the IPL, but non cricketing reasons do sometimes dictate these things. BCCI cannot ask franchises to pick Pak players, in the same way that FA cannot force say, Chelsea to sign, players from Ireland or USA or England for that matter. The franchise is free to decide who to buy and the same is true with cricket. Coaches are another matter as they remain out of the main light and work in the background, so they can be employed much more safely and that is why even though IPL franchises have stayed away from Pakistani players, but Pakistani coaches, most notably, Wasim Akram have been employed in the IPL.
With English players its another story, and they have traditionally never made themselves available for the IPL and the franchises in any case have not shown any keenness in signing English players. Barring Kevin Peterson, no notable English players has played in the IPL. A lot of the key players in IPL have been players from SL, but even they were overlooked by the franchises, largely because SL will be playing a series when the IPL is on. Malinga is the only player who was signed for the IPL. Increasing the foreign restriction will help open up more spaces in the franchise for more foreign playes making IPL truly global.
That being said, IPL still does feature a nice mixture of foreign players from all over the globe, including Aus, SA, WI, NZ and even from Holland !! and not to mention the super cocktail of coaces from all over the world. All these players playing with each other and interacting with these coaches will only help, not just Indian players but all foreigners. In the absence of players from Pak and Eng and now SL, IPL still needs a few steps to be a truly global event.
IPL needs to be looked at positively and the money it generates, especially form countries where cricket is not exactly lucrative, like say someone like Corey Anderson of NZ, is great. IPL has placed cricket, or eventually will place cricket among the super money sports of the world. Yuvraj Singh with his IPL package will see him earn more than some of the super rich Footballers like Eden Hazard, John Terry, etc. Yuvraj Singh will get more than John Terry, Samir Nasri! - The Times of India. While these are not the highest paid footballers, but they are definitely representatives of the super rich higher salary bracket footballers. Google shows Hazard's salary to be 8.84 million GBP, and so if Yuvraj is getting more than him then simple google search shows he is also getting more than some more top footballers like Iniesta 5 million Eur, Fabregas 6 million Eur, Juan Mata, David Silva 6.76 Million GBP to name a few. I mean these are not just any players, these are some of the top paid players at super Oil Rich clubs.
A few years ago who have thought that cricket could ever financially compete with salaries in Football. In terms of NBA salaries simple math calculation will show that of the top 30 paid NBA players HoopsHype - NBA Salaries, will show that #23 highest paid NBA player and all below him earn less than Hazard and thus less than Yuvraj. #23 paid player on the list earns roughly 14.7 USD, which when converted to GBP at the existing rate of 1USD = 0.60 GBP, comes to 8.82 million GBP which is less than 8.84 million GBP salary of Hazard and thus using the article as a base, less than Yuvraj's salary.
So IPL is no doubt taking the money in Cricket to places previously thought impossible, and needs to be encouraged. The more the money the better for the players. Also this is 'clean' money - the salary, no match fixing required. IPL needs to take players of all the countries along in this ride, for the more the nations involved, the more the finances will go up. Someone like Ryan Ten Doeschate from Holland would normally be playing for peanuts, but thanks to the IPL lands a 150000 USD per year contract. Where on earth was he going to get this kind money playing cricket, that too in Holland. This is more than 3.5 times the per capita income of England !! Who would have thought a cricket player from Holland would ever this kind of money. Ryan Ten Doeschate is some one from Holland, just picture what a player from one of the bigger cricket nations stands to make.
IPL is the way to take cricket to the Super rich Sugar daddy leagues of world sport, and all nations need to support the IPL especially England, which has so far not exactly shown a keenness to have its players play in the IPL, and the IPL cannot keep ignoring players from countries like Pakistan and now SL. IPL needs to be given space the Cricket boards and IPL needs to find ways to accomodate players from all across the world.
Last edited:
