The Indian Premier League (IPL) media and broadcasting rights will be up for auction in June and the worth of the property is projected to upsurge particularly. Considering the sensation it has become, across the world, there are more possibilities of IPL, getting a bigger window, in the yearly schedule.
With this datum, the former India coach Ravi Shastri didn’t seem to be bothered at all. He firmly stated that international T20s should only be played at World Cups.
“Yes, absolutely, there’s too much bilateral stuff going on in T20 cricket. I’ve said that [before], even when I was the coach of India, I could see it happening in front of my eyes. It should go the football way, where, in T20 cricket, you just play the World Cup. Bilateral tournaments – no one remembers,” Ravi Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo’s Runorder program.
He added:
“I don’t remember a single game in the last six-seven years as coach of India, barring the World Cup. A team wins the World Cup, they will remember it. Unfortunately, we didn’t, so I don’t remember that either. Where I am coming from is: you play franchise cricket around the globe; each country is allowed to have their franchise cricket, which is their domestic cricket, and then, every two years, you come and play a World Cup,” he added.
Besides, the conversation was on the future of the IPL, given its 2022 edition, which starred 10 teams and 74 matches, throughout 65 days.
“It could be tomorrow – 140 games, split 70-70 into two seasons” – Ravi Shastri
The 1983 World Cup winner further stated that the cash-rich league might break one season into two halves before ruling out any chances of being overboard.
“That’s the future,” agreed Shastri. “It could be tomorrow – 140 games, split 70-70 into two seasons. You never know. That’s the way it’s going to go. That’s the way it’s developed as a beast of property. And you cannot hide away from that.”
“You might think that’s overdose, but nothing is overdose in India. I have been sitting outside the bubble, I have been watching people, how they have seen, how they have reviewed these last few months, especially [after coming] out of Covid. And they are loving every bit of it, and they are almost having withdrawal symptoms.”
Ian Bishop and Daniel Vettori corresponded. Ian Bishop chiefly stated, “It could well happen. You talk about American sport – I know Dan watches his baseball, I watch a lot of NBA basketball, and each team plays 70-odd games a season. There’s the All-Star break in between where they get a week off, but it is really stretched.”
More to the case, speaking on the player availability and support staff’s pockiness, Vettori quoted, “That can easily be sorted with remuneration and another window being carved out, which the BCCI has the power to do.”
Written by Prachi Pisal
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