“The BCCI hopes that the cricketers participating in the IPL hold the highest regard for the spirit of cricket and code of conduct for players and match officials,” it said at the height of the Australia cheating storm. Warner – charged with masterminding the Cape Town ball-tampering plot – has also been dropped from his IPL team, the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
‘Gentleman’s game’: Rising Indian stars have been made well aware of the need to redeem cricket’s image in its stronghold country. “There is always a lot to learn from everything, but I always believe that cricket is a gentleman’s game,” Delhi Daredevils wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant said this week when asked about the Australia scandal. “The sport should be played in the same spirit.” Despite the troubles, the IPL’s appeal is on the rise. Rupert Murdoch’s Star India signed a five-year $2.55 billion broadcast deal for IPL rights last year that gave a new boost to the coffers of the world’s wealthiest cricket board. And the pyrotechnics, cheerleaders and huge pay cheques have still attracted top foreign stars to play in India’s sweltering heat. “The IPL towers over everything in cricket, and among cricketers, although that is not all that matters,” noted Australian writer Gideon Haigh. “India also has a sharp appetite for national success and prestige, which IPL also gratifies, but on its own cannot meet. “This will continue to underpin support for and engagement with Virat Kohli’s team,” he said.
‘One man’s loss’: The player auction held ahead of the new season was another show of India’s riches. England all-rounder Ben Stokes will again be the player to watch after being bought by the Royals for $1.96 million in the January sale. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson will be in the spotlight after being appointed Hyderabad’s captain. Warner led the side to the IPL title in 2016. Williamson is now the only foreign captain in the eight-team league once dominated by imports.
Test player-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra believes the tournament will not lose its sheen despite losing two top performers. He insists that new stars will rise. “The IPL is a fantastic tournament, everybody forgets. You only focus on who is there. The charm will remain. Life goes on, cricket carries on. One man’s loss is another man’s opportunity,” said Chopra. The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Super Kings will open the tournament, with its $8 million in prize money, against holders the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday night. The eight team tournament runs through to May 27 when the battle for the four million dollar first prize will be held in Mumbai.
Published in Daily Times, April 6th 2018.
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