The IPL is over, and India’s prime-time routine will change from tonight. For two months, it was all about the IPL. Like it or not, you had to follow the competition. While viewership has shifted more towards digital platforms than television, the fact that there is overwhelming consumption is undeniable.
Personally, I’d like the IPL to be more conscious of the bowlers. Preparing pitches that offer a proper contest between bat and ball would make the tournament more attractive and interesting. But these are nuances. I have to say I did not like the celebratory posts from many about the fall in numbers. Why should there be celebration? The IPL is India’s only global sports brand, and its success is critical for the BCCI and for the larger India story.
These are extremely difficult times for the world. Economic hardship is an everyday reality. You see companies laying off people every second week. Things do not seem likely to get back on track anytime soon either, with the Iran war dragging on and no immediate resolution in sight. In such a situation, the IPL becomes even more important.
It is not just about the players. Rather, they are only one part of the story. It is also about the broadcaster, the support staff, the digital media teams, logistics, travel, hospitality and much more. The IPL is an industry in its own right, and it employs thousands of people throughout the year. India cannot afford for the IPL to fail, and that is the bottom line.
It is this India story that concerns me most. Frankly, who wins does not really matter to me, for India wins every night during the IPL. And that is what explains its broader appeal. You have a 15-year-old youngster capturing the national imagination and getting people back in front of television sets. He is appointment viewing, and he represents the new India story. You also have a 44-year-old who has yet to say whether he will make one final appearance at Chepauk next year. He can still fill stadiums, and the fan passion remains intense.
From Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to MS Dhoni, they are all part of the IPL and contribute to its dominance of the Indian sports market.
Will the IPL expand its footprint further and grow to 94 matches? Will the BCCI secure an even larger window from the ICC in the years to come? Will it eat into bilateral cricket, as Uday Shankar has alluded to? Will fans and broadcasters influence its future, as Arun Dhumal told RevSportz?
There are no definitive answers to any of these questions. What we do know, however, is that it will return once again next March, and it will be the 20th edition of India’s biggest and most successful start-up. It is a story that has transformed Indian cricket and the Indian sports market.
That is what deserves to be celebrated at the end of yet another successful season.
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