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Who says that the BCCI runs world cricket? The BCCI may own the richest “property” (yes, fellow Roarers, this is what cricket is called in the IPL), but the real power lies elsewhere. Not with the broadcasters or the indulgent tycoons with money to burn, but with the players and coaches from Australia, South Africa and England.
Yesterday Geoff Marsh was appointed coach of the new Pune franchise. His two sons Mitchell and Shaun already play in the IPL.
Geoff’s assistant will be Dermot Reeve, the former England player.
The Kochi franchise is yet to appoint a coach and it would not surprise to see an Aussie or a Saffa.
Last years’ champions, Chennai, had Mathew Hayden, Bollinger, Bailey and Mr. Cricket on their roster, along with Kemp, Ntini and Morkel. Murali was their spinner and the team was coached by Wessels, who had the distinction of representing both Australia and South Africa.
Stephen Fleming was somewhere in the mix.
Kolkata is coached by Aussie Dav Whatmore and includes Brad Hodge and David Hussey. Ricky Ponting withdrew two years ago.
Buchanan has been coach and they will be in the market for the likes of Hastings and Pattison. They have McCullum, Bond, Gayle, Shah and M&M (Mathews and Mendis).
Big, lumbering Langeveldt keeps the batsmen in check.
Look around all the franchises and you see Greg Shipperd coaching Delhi; Lehman coaching Deccan; and Gilchrist captaining.
Bad boy Symonds is a major drawcard.
Tom Moody is in charge at Punjab and has Hopes, Lee and Shaun Marsh to keep him company.
His captain is Sangakkara, and Jayawardene is in the mix also.
Shane Warne is playing Peter Pan at Rajasthan, and Shaun Tait, Finch, Voges make up the support cast. Damien Martyn has gone back to pasture.
Graeme Smith and Warne are now the best of buddies. Amazing what a cool half million can do for strained relations.
Warner, Henriques, Steven Smith, Hodge, Ryan Harris, Cameron White all have lucrative contracts. Mathew Mott is assisting Whatmore and all the good physios are busy strapping the prized imports.
So it is the players that make the IPL and this is to be applauded.
Putting aside the traditionalists ‘refrain’, the IPL is embraced by the players and the public.
I can understand Holding being disdainful but the reality is that it is popular. I agree with Holding that the Twenty20 is “junk food” but we both may be romantics.
With 10 teams next year, and a player pool approaching 200, at least 80 will be from Australia, South Africa, England and Sri Lanka. It may be more.
Half the coaches are Australian and the support staff of medicos is mostly from overseas. The IPL would fold if it were not for the overseas players.
No one wants it to fold: not the player, nor the fans in India.
Certainly the various Boards are supportive and willingly make their players available. If they did not then players like Gayle and Nannes would go anyway.
This is the next big debate waiting to happen in cricket. It is no different to the country versus club that has been going on for decades in the various football leagues around the world.
This then begs the question: is the ICC relevant? The corporatization of cricket via the IPL may be the business model that cuts across the political humbug that so blights the game.
Perhaps in the end, market forces will cleanse cricket like the ICC cannot.
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