Is the IPL ripping the heart out of international cricket?

01.16.2009 | 11:24 pm | News

The last few weeks has seen substantial speculation regarding the Indian Premier League cricket setup which has managed to capture a significant number of the world’s leading cricket stars. As the England team received the green light to further their own ambitions in the IPL there are serious concerns that the future of international and domestic cricket is at risk. The amount of money available to players “auctioned” to IPL teams is enormous with some players going for in excess of $1 million as more and more teams seem willing to take ever larger gambles.

There has been a major change in the domestic and international cricketing scene over the last 20 years with a serious commercialisation of the sport under way. The old days of a gentleman’s game now seems to be something of the past as we move into a new era of new technology, new training methods and the potential for players to earn millions of dollars in a very short period of time. While it is difficult to blame the likes of the England cricket team for looking to secure their family’s future by playing in the IPL there are concerns that international and domestic cricket could be severely hampered.

Indeed, we have already seen a decline in performances from the England cricket team over the last few months and a number of internal disputes have exploded into the public arena. While none of these are directly associated with the IPL, or the lucrative sponsorship and contract deals on offer for players, there is certainly a sea change affecting the sport. This once quiet, dignified sport is now open to substantial influence from wealthy backers and marketing people looking to make the most of the biggest stars in the sport.

One of the main concerns seems to be the lack of money being ploughed back into the sport at grassroots levels, with the suggestion that this could impact upon the long-term conveyor belt of new and exciting talent in the cricket world.