No one dares argue with the money. But will T20 end up changing the game forever, asks Rohit Mahajan in Outlook
If money is the mortal enemy of the soul, as is believed, then cricket could be in danger of losing its soul. On April 18, when the inaugural Indian Premier League Twenty20 begins in Bangalore, cricket, as purists love it— with its bucolic beauty and quaint traditions—will metamorphose into Tamasha Cricket. The mix could be the newest opium for the Indian masses: adrenaline-pumping sport and heart-thumping Bollywood, gyrating dances and lusty sixes, sporting geniuses and dashing superstars. Sport must intermittently reinvent itself—the lure of money is difficult to resist—but soon a day may come to pass when we even fail to recognise cricket as we knew it.
And, elsewhere in the same issue, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the most expensive player in the Indian Premier League speaks to Rohit Mahajan about the unique blend of cricket and entertainment
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian One-day and T20 captain and the most expensive player of the Indian Premier League, is a man who doesn’t mind speaking his mind. He talks with conviction and frankness, dealing with each question with his customary placidity of mind and work. As we wait for the unknown in the IPL to come to light, Dhoni, in an exclusive interview, shares his views on this novel blend of entertainment and cricket. Excerpts:
What kind of changes will come into Tests and One-dayers as an effect of Twenty20 cricket?
It will depend on what form of cricket you are playing. There were Test matches to begin with, then came One-dayers. There are not too many changes in the basic approach, but yes, people started scoring at a much faster rate in Test matches as well. Three runs an over is considered the benchmark these days–if you score at over three an over, you have the upper hand, otherwise you’re slightly on the back foot.
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