IPL’s Captain

Kudos to Chennai Super King for wrapping a great year with IPL and CLT trophy in its bag. They have
proved consistently that they are head and shoulders above rest of the pack in the game of T20.
With Championship in his the bag Mr. Srinivan will now be aiming for the next prized trophy – the
president ship of BCCI. BCCI top job is coveted one. With IPL as its prized baby, the man in charge
has all the cricketing powers one could wish for. Whether he realizes his dream or not it is in realm
of future, we can only wish him luck.

On completion of these election over next in line will be selection of IPL commissioner. Point to
debate is the type of leadership desired at IPL, at this stage. Is another flamboyant one or a
functional leader? With present interim IPL chairman Chirayu Amin designated as stop gap head,
selection of right leadership will be critical to IPL survivability.

IPL with its tremendous success has scorched up enviable path for other leagues of the world follow
.Within three years of its launch it has become 4 th biggest sports league of the world with brand
valuation of $4.13 bn. No other league in the world has achieved so much in so little a time.
However with can of worms opening up in 3 rd season its image, valuation and popularity has taken
a downturn. How much is the question which will only be answered down the road in the 4 th
season? May be with quorum getting bigger with 2 new teams and no of matches going up, the
valuations will continue to rise? Hence with all this happening and IPL itself turning a new chapter
with new auction of players, it finds that it is at the crossroads.

No phenomenon can be on ascendency forever .With good growth for first three years IPL was
looking forward to its year in sunshine. However what started as verbal spat between minister and
Commissioner, IPL has nearly brought down all what was built all this time. With all the corruption,
mismanagement, non compliance to rules of the land and infighting at this hour it should only be
looking to get its ship on even keel rather than taking itself to next level. With BCCI elections slated
on 29th Sep it is all the more important BCCI takes a mature decision to put a manager with
balanced head on one’s shoulder in the hot seat. Putting head down, getting the house in order,
process rather than personality driven are some of the qualities which should be in great demand.
With IPL touching millions in the country and reaching to many more internationally, it needs to
mend bridges with Indian government and the cricket boards around the world as we live in
connected world. Cricket belongs to one and all and IPL’s olive branch will only allow cricket to
grow further and wider.

IPL can’t afford to let this opportunity slip by, otherwise it will have only itself to blame for allowing
IPL to be a short duration fad rather than a phenomenon as its promises to be.