IPL 4.0

With all the trappings of a good entertainer show, the fourth version of IPL has rolled to a halt. Right from the moment ‘the father of IPL’ was shown the door until when Dhoni lifted the cup we had great fun. I would refrain from using ‘total fun’ as many a times it meandered to boredom. The empty stands would bear a witness to this statement.

BCCI did a great job in getting rid of the master of extravaganza, Mr. Modi, and doing a good job by themselves. There would have been a few pessimists for sure. But something they would have forgotten is in a country where there are almost a billion people willing to spend their money and time on cricket, BCCI had to do nothing extra. They simply had to announce the date and venue and wait for the media to do the rest.

As expected the event received much more publicity when India won the world champion title. How unimaginable it would have been if India didn’t. No wild guesses on a foul play please! Indeed Modi would be sulking to see IPL4 doing better. He has lost the last chance for redemption.

The season hit a new range of controversy when the players did an extra bit for the game,. Many international stars ignored their injury and carried on playing, forgetting their patriotic commitments. A few went a step ahead by announcing the international retirement. The pseudo patriots made the situation even more ridiculous by calling for the blood. Although this issue has been a bit late to catch up in cricket, it has been a matter of discussion for sometime in football. I find it funny to read the international journalists defining patriotism. A sportsman lasts barely for a decade or a little more than it. He will have to spend rest of his life grappling with the injuries of his heroic days while we watch it comfortable in our sofa. So it’s same as enjoying a gladiator’s show in ancient Roman theatres when we ask for more ‘national’ commitment.

For the first time my place came into the map of IPL. Thanks to a lot of controversies and Mallu’s typical pessimism and envy, the game didn’t catch on throughout the state. I moved to Kochi mid-season. I stay very near the stadium. I was waiting for raucous street celebration and traffic blocks only to see a load of kids hurrying off to catch the bus after the match. The city itself didn’t witness a total celebration. We have got to thank the organizers who came up with a second string team for the matter. Only guy who was enthused was one Mr.Tharoor who tweeted on the great excitement to sit next to Shahrukh. His other tweets are on how the left government prevents him from doing anything. So a congress government at the state has robbed off half his potential tweets