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Cricket is no longer all about enjoying or participating in a sport. Over the years, it has turned into a money spinner. This is why, despite the threat of Covid-19, Indian Premier League (IPL) has commenced after a delay of nearly six months just to protect the financial interests of the stakeholders. Starting from BCCI, the parent body of Indian cricket to players of various countries, the broadcasters, advertisers were all eager to see the ball rolling. To serve the interests of all concerned, the tournament has been shifted from India to UAE. To ensure that everything goes well even in such a tough time, a bio-bubble zone has been created so that nobody gets infected by corona. It is also being said that to find a slot from within the busy schedule of International cricket, T-20 Cricket World Cup has been postponed. All these developments show that cricket has come a long way from the days of being known as the game of royals and it is now impossible to ignore its business value.
The joy would have been doubled if the same thing could have been said about the efforts of improving the standard of cricket in India. Clearly, BCCI which has shown the world ways to earn from cricket has miserably failed on this count. The most glaring example of this failure is its apathy towards domestic cricket. It is simply unimaginable that the regulating body of Indian cricket which took IPL outside the country to fill its coffer, is now on the verge of declaring 2020-21 domestic cricket season abandoned. Officially the board is claiming that due to Covid-19 situation, cricket in this country will be stopped for a year. But what about the future of thousands of cricketers, who play cricket in this country? Throughout the year, these cricketers wait for the cricket season to exhibit their talents. They know that one good season may bring good fortune for them. It is not only about getting approximately Rs. 15 lakh which the cricketers get for representing the state for a season, there is something more to it. A good show at the domestic level may provide an opportunity to represent the country at the international level. International players have various avenues to earn even after giving up the cricketing career. There is also an added motivation to keep the Indian flag flying high in the international sporting arena.
Further, consider the states which have recently been granted permission to participate in various domestic cricket tournaments. For example, the Northeastern states which are participating in domestic tournaments for a year or two, will be the worst impacted if domestic cricketing is cancelled. The budding cricketers who have just started to learn the nuances of the game, will be deprived from improving their skills. The board has always maintained that the money earned from IPL, used to improve cricketing standards and facilities in the country. So, demand should be raised from all quarters to compel BCCI to drop the idea of abandoning the forthcoming cricket season and holding the domestic tournaments as scheduled.