Searing heat, Holidays for kids
so keeping them busy with hobbies, camps and books, Mangoes, Vacations, Guests,
Ice cream/beer parties depending upon your age/vices, Swimming, and finally
since 2008 IPL made it into rituals of typical summer landscape of lifestyle.
Every night 8 pm was the time to
switch on, see the best of international cricketers in a mix with the new Indian talent hitting
"Maximums" , Fours, getting wickets, catching and getting
runouts.
Initially when it all began in
2008, there was MonkeyGate looming after landmark Indian tour down under, so
coming at right time IPL diffused tensions and made cricket a gentleman's game
again. But that doesn't mean the aggression has died down on field.
There are many naysayers who feel
IPL is circus, fixed, over rated, overkill of cricket. corrupt. And add to that
wham bam non classical nature of t20 cricket over the longer formats. But for
someone like me who has grown up on watching cricket and being a diehard fan
(self proclaimed), any ball getting a wicket, or any stroke getting run is
cherished. Add to that the drama of asking rates , match situations, brilliant
performances, wrong decisions, and on the field tensions. They may say that
only foolish watch ipl where players, officials, broadcasters, advertisers ,
all those who matter make money while we spend it as well as time and efforts.
But watching IPL has been fun for last 10 years or so. It's more fun than
watching unending serials, talk shows and stereotype movies. Aren't these
cliché as well ?
It's been one experience watching
in comforts of living rooms but also another to watch it in stadium. It's a big
pain , crowd, heat , queues, traffic etc, but still the atmosphere compensates
for all this.
There have been issues ,
controversies, scams, owners problems,
accusations , even murders. But then watching Gayle hitting sixes, AB
playing those incredible shots, Virat's skills, Malinga's yorkers, Dhoni's
finishing, young players showing off their talent, incredible fielding all
makes these issues irrelevant for someone who is focussed on cricket. As far as
T20 format is concerned its only way cricket can be globalised. Cricket is
followed by at least 25% of world population so means something and cannot be
ignored.
Uncertainty of results add the
intrigue. Any bottom finisher team can upset board leaders on any given day.
Staring with Mcullum's innings,
Sachins innings, Gilchrist final innings, Dhoni's sixes in last over, Gayle
double century, Pollards hitting , hattricks, Maxwell miller hitting, KKR's
consistency there are many memories. Add to that personal memories of
get-togethers, parties, public viewing events , those seen at exotic places
while on vacation around important memorable matches. It's been an enjoyable
experience
Mumbai, KKR, CSK won twice,
Hyderabad also did same twice though they had different owners. RR inaugural
run under Warne was intriguing as well as conspiracy theory angle. Let's see
who wins 10th one.
Please note i am not on BCCI
payrolls or of any stakeholder but plain simple cricket fan. But it's been fun
all the while. It's now a part of Indian Summer just like Alphonso Mango:
Delicious.
