The Mercenarization of Cricket

        “My heart and soul is with KKR, I am not a Delhi boy anymore.", declared Gautam Gambhir right after he led KKR to a 17 run victory over Delhi Daredevils at the Kotla. 2.4 Million USD was all that was required to affect this change of heart and soul. The Delhi boy was not the only one to experience this sudden change. Rohit Sharma and Andrew Symonds combined to bury Hyderabadi hopes at the very same ground they had called ‘home’ for the last three seasons. Yuvraj Singh led the charge as his Warriors routed his erstwhile Kings. And who can forget Chris Gayle’s mauling of the Knight Riders (on a side note I have never understood how someone can ride a knight), breaking the very same Bengali hearts which had been used to cheering each of his massive slogs.

        It all began during that glittering auction in January when cricketers were ‘bought’ and ‘sold’ to the highest bidder, with Team ‘Owners’ and their coterie deciding which players to retain and which ones to let go. The last time humans were traded in such a manner, they were called slaves. While fans were still busy figuring out whether to mourn the ouster of their stars or welcome the new ones, the players were too busy raking in the moolah to complain about the utter disregard shown for their opinion, and therein lies the failure of the IPL. While it would be preposterous to compare the handsomely paid players to slaves, the readiness with which they have switched teams is strikingly reminiscent of Medieval Mercenaries who bore allegiance to none other than currency.

        The vision behind the IPL was to create a League akin to the English Premier League which is the pinnacle of English Football. The naming of the tournament itself is farcical. While the EPL itself sits on top of a robust hierarchy of lower division leagues, hence earning the moniker of the ‘Premier League’ of the country, the IPL is a one league system making it the ‘Premier’ as well as the lowest T20 league in the country. The EPL, as well as other Leagues all across Europe, indulge in player transfers with each club being required to enter into separate negotiations with the player after agreeing a transfer fee with the parent club. The system ensures that no club can keep or sell a player against his own will as seen by numerous club-player confrontations over the years. Even the fans can play an influential role in persuading a player to stay as witnessed during the Rooney transfer saga. So while there will always be players lured by money and silverware, the crux of every team is retained across seasons allowing the fans to develop a special bond with the players and creating legends in the process.

        Teams evolve their own styles of play based on their pool of players and playing surfaces at home. Constant chopping and changing in the name of auction, makes for a wonderful televised event, but the framework of the team is altered beyond recognition. It is hard enough for fans to root for unknown local players, but it’s even more difficult to do the same for a new set of players every couple of years. If the IPL is to replicate the success of the EPL, the powers that be have to realize the importance of team stability. After all, it’s the fans and the players that make a club, not the owners.