Continuing IPL is the Right Thing to do!

Once again security issues are overshadowing what has been a fantastic IPL tournament. This time it is due to two small bombs exploding on Saturday outside Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is also set to host World Cup cricket matches early next year.

The blasts happened just before the match between Bangalore and Mumbai and saw 14 people injured and fans panicking and running for their lives.

Luckily none of the international sports bodies have altered their plans of touring India and the current IPL tournament is also still continuing. This in my opinion is the right thing to do, as the IPL and the world of cricket have to stand up to terrorism and show the terrorists that they cannot win. On the other hand, it is also a message to Modi and the rest of the IPL administrators, that security should always be kept at the forefront of their minds when organising or running such a high-profile tournament such as this.

Little Man with Big Point to Prove

There are still a handful of matches to go in this years IPL but Mumbai Indians are already scenting victory in the race for the title, mostly down to the heroics of one man.

Mumbai have opened up a four point lead in the title race thanks a great deal to the batting masterclass of ‘The Little Master”. Tendulkar has scored a mere 512 runs in just 11 games. Only Jacques Kallis has scored more, and only by  a whisker. Whats more, Tendulkar has played one game less than his South African rival.

Tendulkar has a point to prove. Over recent years many have started to doubt his ability. Many say his hunger for the game, his hunger for runs which has for so long burned so brightly, has started to fade. On this season’s evidence, how wrong can they be. The Indian International has cut, pulled, stroked, smashed and blazed his way to 512 runs against some fierce opposition and quality bowlers to once more grace both the headlines and the hearts of the Indian public. Tendulkars fine 89 against Rajasthan was not only breathtaking but it was a lesson in compatriotism, in that fans from both franchises were cheering him on, proving that he is still the pride of India.

Of course the likes of Harbhajan, Malinga and Khan have bowled effortlessly but it is the bat of Tendulkar which strikes the most fear into the opposition. Mumbai are well on their way……

Modi Warns Players

So Lalit Modi has cracked the whip of power and warned IPL players that their future in the tournament is at stake if they sit out this years event over security fears. Something which many players have raised concerns about over recent weeks.

This is Modi’s way of practically guaranteeing the tournament goes ahead, something which he will do everything in his power to ensure, considering the amount of money which is at stake. Having last years event in South Africa meant that attendances were lower and the cost of running the tournament was also greatly increased. This is obviously what Modi is trying to avoid this time around.

As the world prepares for an even bigger and arguably better third IPL season Modi has tried to quash any talk of the tournament being moved abroad or having its stars sitting out. Modi’s new ruling will virtually guarantee that most if not all registered IPL players will turn up to the event. However, if security is breached at the event, although I pray it isn’t, then Modi will have a lot to answer for. A risk he is obviously willing to take.

Do you think players should be allowed to sit out the tournament?

Auction Springs Few Suprises

This years IPL auction threw up few suprises as only 11 players out of a possible 70 were sold.

West Indian Kieron Pollard and New Zealand star Shane Bond were the big buys as both were sold for a whopping $750,000. Pollard, who impressed in this years Champions League, went to Mumbai after the first ever IPL silent tie-breaker, whilst Bond, who has recently quit Test cricket, went to Kolkata.

Other signings included the likes of West Indian Kemar Roach ($720,000 to Deccan), Englishman Eoin Morgan who went to Royals for $220,000 and Indian Mohammad Kaif who was sold to Punjab for $250,000.

However, it was the amount of players who went unsold which hit the headlines. Not one of the ten Pakistan players were sold. A shock considering the national side won the recent T20 World Cup and included the likes of Shahid Afridi and Rana Naved.

DO YOU THINK THESE PLAYERS DESERVED A PLACE? Your comments are most welcome.

Here is the auction result:

Kieron Pollard [West Indies] – Mumbai Indians (£458,000 tie-break)
Shane Bond [New Zealand] – Kolkata Knight Riders (£458,000 tie-break)
Kemar Roach [West Indies] – Deccan Chargers (£439,000)
Wayne Parnell [South Africa] – Delhi Daredevils (£372,000)
Mohammad Kaif [India] – Kings XI Punjab (£153,000)
Eoin Morgan [England] – Royal Challengers Bangalore (£134,000)
Damien Martyn [Australia] – Rajasthan Royals (£61,000)
Justin Kemp [South Africa] – Chennai Super Kings (£61,000)
Adam Voges [Australia] – Rajasthan Royals (£30,000)
Thissara Perera [Sri Lanka] – Chennai Super Kings (£30,000)
Yusuf Abdulla [South Africa] – Kings XI Punjab (£30,000)

Club Versus Country

Back in July Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar joined the long-standing debate over players choosing the IPL over representing their country. 

Gavaskar, a member of the IPL’s governing council, said while delivering the Dilip Sardesai Memorial Lecture in Mumbai. “The IPL could not be the ultimate goal for players and pointed out the worrying trend among young cricketers to pull out of domestic matches in order to be injury-free ahead of the tournament. “That is what we have to be very careful about, the IPL being seen as the be all and end all, not the India cap,” he said.

 With Andrew Flintoff recently turning down an England contract to become the worlds first freelance cricketer, how many more players will be following in his footsteps and choosing to play twenty20 cricket all over the world, instead of fulfilling an international career with their birth or adopted nation. Flintoff quit Test cricket to concentrate on playing in domestic twenty20 leagues to earn vast sums of money. It is as simple as that. The question is, do you think it was right or wrong?

On the other side of the coin, look at it from Flintoff’s point of view. Having played in only one IPL tournament he has yet to really enjoy the vast sums of money available to him and with his fitness a constant concern and a jeopardy to his future earning potential, who could blame Freddie for believing that it is time to earn himself a healthy retirement fund knowing that in a few years time his body might not be in the right state to allow him to play cricket at all. So answer the question again. Was Flintoff right to choose club over country in this situation?