As the sixth edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) gets into its momentum, the tournament has already generated a great excitement, enthusiasm and expectation among cricket fans across the Indian Subcontinent.
For old cricket lovers, the game has certainly come a long way from five-day Test matches to the present IPL series, which is on Twenty20 format, with each match finishing in a few hours. The tremendous change in dress color of players as well as of umpires is too conspicuous to be missed. Players dressed in only full-sleeve white shirts, pants with white caps and shoes have become a thing of the past. Earlier, the color visible on the ground was either that of the tiny ball or the grass on the field. Those watching the game from the stadium could have this little color-treat. Besides, otherwise for viewers watching the game on their small television screens, everything was either black or white.
What a colorful contrast is displayed today, with around half a dozen shades and colors visible on each player’s dress. The dress styles too, particularly the design of collars and varying length of sleeves, leave much to deliberate upon. Of course, there is nothing “un-gentlemanly” about players’ colorful attire. They don’t have any option. Cricket is no longer just a game, it has now become a commercial activity. It has a lot at stake. It promotes brand name of business houses sponsoring the matches. Just white wouldn’t serve this purpose.
Billions are involved in this game now. IPL is known as the richest cricket tournament in the world. Not surprisingly, even American companies have pitched in to rake in part of the huge money the game offers. Cricket is not as popular in the US as it is in Britain, Australia and the entire Indian Sub-continent. In fact, only when cricket became a big commercial activity the US learned about it as a game. Earlier, during my visit to the US, I was amazed to find out that the Americans weren’t aware of this as bat ‘n’ ball game. The word “cricket” brought to their mind images of chirping insects, similar to grasshoppers. Talking about bat ‘n’ ball took them to a four-cornered baseball field and not a cricket pitch. It was impossible for them to visualize two batsmen hitting out, running to and fro and being confronted by 11 fielders from the rival team.
The scenario has changed today. Even though cricket (the game) may not be as popular in United States as it is in the Indian Subcontinent, the American touch is now visible in the ongoing IPL series. From this year, the American food and beverage company PepsiCo. has taken over the sponsorship in a five-year deal, valued at around $ 76 million. The company has entered into deals with IPL teams to be their exclusive beverage supplier during the current 2013 season. Earlier, India’s real estate company DLF Group held the sponsorship of the tournament for five years from 2008 to 2012, valued at around $ 50 million.
If the people in India and several countries were not known for being cricket-crazy, the game would not have carried this commercial appeal. A close look at players dress displays several advertisements, at least three on their caps alone. Business is business, whether it involves cricket in India or any other game. Interestingly, several Indian film personalities have also stepped into this commercial domain. These include actors, Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Juhi Chawla and Shilpa Shetty.
The recent intrusion of another American trend into the game is also interesting. Yes, this refers to groups of cheer girls seen in the stadium and even the studio. Cheer girls have been a part of sporting events in the US for a long time, primarily during basketball matches, they were never seen on or off the cricket field.
Entry of cheer girls symbolizes another dash of American touch, some more color and a little more entertainment to cricket. Seriously speaking, however, with or without cheer girls, the game would retain its craze among cricket-loving crowd and commercial appeal for those with business stakes in it. The nine teams participating in the tournament have players from around the world. This tournament, with the first played in 2008, has contributed immensely to enhancing its diplomatic importance. For instance, during the first tournament Pakistani players were included. Strain in Indo-Pak ties, however, led to their exclusion in subsequent games. Demand for their inclusion in Twenty20 has picked up pace, on the ground that cricket should not be mixed up with politics or diplomacy. For the average Indian, cricket remains incomplete without participation of Pakistani players. Their stand is, if former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram can serve as an IPL team’s bowling coach, why should Pakistani players be prevented from participating?
Once a game played by British aristocrats, the present-day cricket frenzy is no more confined to just the select elite. Rather, its reach has the potential to break diplomatic barriers by including players from across the world. Despite more ladies being visible where cricket’s commercial appeal and its entertainment value is concerned, the new diplomatic importance assumed by the game signals the fact that it is now truly a gentlemen’s game!
