What has IPL (or 20-20 cricket) done to us ?

I have been wondering over the past one year what the Indian Premier League (IPL) has done to all of us. It has changed our understanding (or the lack of) of the game of cricket, it created a sense of attachment to more than one team (Our favorites are now distributed all over the place!). Most of all it has mesmerized us. We are struck in awe at the pace of the game; the pace at which runs are scored, or the pace at which a team crumbles. Both of which were a rarity in the One Day Internationals (then termed as Limited Over Internationals (LOI), I wonder how limited does 20 over cricket get), while almost non-existant when speaking of Test match cricket. Common man gets home tired from (or of) his job to relax a few hours before he gets to sleep. He deserves the rest as he needs to rebuild his body for his daily battles of tomorrow.
Regardless of profession, however, everybody seems to be involved in Cricket and more importantly in IPL. I have seen those who never played or even saw cricket watch this newer format of 20-20. But what are the implications of IPL (or 20-20 cricket in general) ?

In this post I try to describe a few, very few implications. Others views could be seen in comments.
Firstly, as we go into making this more serious form of cricket, players are shortening their career because of the un-conventional styles they need to adapt to suit 20-20 cricket. The original idea of having the correct technique is based on simple principles of perfect balance, economy of movement and precision in stroke making. Today however, we see wild bat swings just to showcase that they can score at will. Little do these kids know that they are changing the natural body movement to accomodate more runs or quicker deliveries.
In this sense, I like Akash Chopra, he doesn't change one bit playing a Test Match, ODI or even a 20-20 International. He just sucks equally bad at all of these.

And coming back to the viewers point of view, we have stopped watching cricket. I mean the game of cricket. We just want our teams to win. It doesn't matter if they play good cricket or not. Fielding turns aggressive and for the good. But many still don't buy my argument because I would be pleased only on the day when a fielder who can bat well would be considered an all-rounder. In not doing so, we are almost wantedly keeping away crickets most important people from getting to limelight. Well if a new 20-20 bat can be used then why not recognize fielders having their specific purpose. Southafrica had a great all-rounder in Jhonty rhodes in the good old days. Now they have another all-rounder in AB De Villiers. India, doesn't have. No argument here.


Viewers, instead of taking much needed rest to their minds and souls are watching this game showing their fanatism (and sometimes fantasy-ism as explained later) are getting further tired. Further they don't sleep well as some wake up in the middle of the night when they realize they haven't made substitution or selected their trump player. Lets end it here saying, 20-20 format is doing good to some young cricketers in the world but not to cricket or viewers, in the long term.


Back to viewers again, I have seen a lot of people (myself included) who want their respective bunch of 11 to play well. No team to support ? No, they have their fantasy teams to support. They don't care if Delhi Daredevils win or so do Deccan Chargers, all they want is the following players to perform well: Pradeep Sangwan, Ashish Nehra, RP Singh, AB De Villiers, Adam Gilchrist and Rohit sharma. Why ? Which team do they support ? No fanatism here, only fantasy!

What does a purist like me do in a fast changing world where the change isn't so good. Move on.


PS: I still like gilly smacking the ball around tearing the bowling apart. I thoroughly enjoyed his 85 out of 35 balls against Delhi Daredevils. Remember, barring one or two shots in those 35 balls everything else was conventional stroke-play.
PS2: It is not that I don't like big scores or good run-rate or the adrenaline rush it generates. I just don't like not-so-conventional ways to get to them all.
PS 3: Welcome back, World T20 is already here!