How IPL has changed cricket forever

Of course, there has been criticism in certain quarters that expensive player auctions and billion-dollar media rights did not guarantee the IPL would be a hit. The main charge is that the IPL has taken the event through the roof by overpricing virtually everything. The Times of India in a scathing comment said: `teams have been bought for millions of dollars and television rights for a billion too. But it is impossible to predict if it will all be worth it. When Mohali`s Brett Lee bowls to Bangalore`s Rahul Dravid, will it be the same as Australia`s Lee bowling to India`s Dravid? The matches will be played every evening for 44 days. Can a tournament of this nature keep the excitement alive for so long?`

Despite such strident criticism the organisers are so confident of its success that even before the start of the inaugural edition they have announced that the second edition of the IPL has been tentatively scheduled between April 10 and May 29 next year. But given the build-up, the line-up of the teams and the unparalleled interest, the prediction can safely be made that the IPL will be a success. ``It will be a super hit,’’ says Sachin Tendulkar.

It’s difficult to disagree with this view.

In pic: Sachin Tendulkar (centre), Virender Sehwag (right) and Munaf Patel celebrate victory after the Commonwealth Bank Series between Australia and India. Getty image