It was the finals of sixth Indian Premier League (IPL).
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had yet again reached
the finals. CSK has been one of the most successful teams of IPL. They have
reached the finals 5 times out of 6 and won twice. CSK played well in 2013 IPL,
but lost in the finals. Has CSK just lost the finals of IPL or has it lost a permanent
place to play in the IPLs that are to be conducted in the forthcoming years?
IPL is the most
recent treasured jewel in the cricketing world. With both Indian and International
cricket players from all over the world benefiting from the madness of cricket
that engulfs and holds the whole nation, it has ensured its success. As Board
of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is the richest cricketing board in the
world and also administer of IPL, not much could be spoken against it. Until
IPL, cricket was usually played by teams from different countries. The full
member cricketing teams are South Africa, England, Australia, Pakistan, India,
Srilanka, West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe. For the past
several decades, every time a match was played one would devoutly support their
own country. All this changed with IPL. The teams of IPL have regional affiliations.
They belong to cities including Chennai, Delhi, Punjab, Kolkata, Mumbai,
Rajasthan, Bangalore, Pune, Kochi, and Hyderabad. Also, the names of the team
featured the cities they were from (example; Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan
Royals, Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warrior India and so on). Each of these teams
bought both Indian and International cricket players through auctions. People
of India, immediately embraced the teams from their own regions or regions
closest to their place of origin. The fact that Indian players from these teams
had different regional affiliations never mattered (for example, the Chennai
Super Kings team captain MS Dohni was from Punjab). What mattered most was the
name of the team. The obsession for what
I would call as the fans’ ‘home team’ has ensured its success. This obsession
for fans ‘home team’ interestingly extends outside India. I had gone to watch
the finals of IPL (CSK Vs. Mumbai Indians) in an Irish Pub run by an Indian in
Zurich. There were few others present there to watch the finals. Among them was
a South African. Like India, South Africans take cricket seriously. This South
African was ardently supporting Mumbai Indians because he loved Mumbai and had
been there six times. He did not support them because he liked certain players
in that team. In fact, to make it more interesting, there were two South
African players in CSK and none in MI. And precisely it is these fans’ madness
that stretches across the cricketing world and the obsession for IPL that will
take it to its doom. Such a huge popular venture has its own share of
controversies of which CSK was very much a part of it.
IPL 2013 saw
three players from Rajasthan Royals going behind bars along with several
bookies having underworld connections. It is also said that there is
international interests in the money laundering that is taking place in IPL. There
were charges of money laundering and spot fixing on Meiyappan, controversially
the team principal of CSK. Over the years, it has been continuously denied that
Meiyappan held stakes in CSK, while reality suggested something else. Among the
other things that suggested his involvement, he bought players on auction and spoke
on behalf of the team. With the arrest of Meiyappan, CSK has totally isolated
him from the team and we are led to believe that he is nothing but a common
cricket enthusiast. Until the day before
finals, it was unsure if the finals would take place. Of course, there is so
much money involved, why would ethics count? Or were the charges mere
allegations?
With such
controversies going on, rules have become stricter. Players are not allowed to
carry their cell-phones into the dressing room. Each team has been assigned a
person who would monitor their activities. With such strict rules and
controversies, the future of IPL is uncertain. Even if IPL sustains itself, the
future of CSK is at stake. On the other side, the blind madness of the masses
that consist of a billion people and the political and wealthy power centers that
has the capacity to tweak through the system will ensure its continuity.