IPL@18: Growth, thrills and spills define T20 cricket’s robust tournament

An 18^th birthday is to be celebrated, that is, if you are a human being. There are many significances for 18, giving it a legal credibility as someone mature and able to make and take decisions, someone ready to face life on own as an adult.

What does 18 mean for the Indian Premier League?

If you ask cricket fans, there will be different reactions, different takes. This writer very recently met a Mumbai resident who had himself played club cricket, Vizzy Trophy and more many years ago. It was at the same time Mumbai was Bombay and Maidan cricket had great strength. It still does have today, though cricket spreading to mofussil areas and smaller towns has become the norm.

What also was interesting in the chat with Dorai, a Mumbaikar, was how he does not watch the IPL. “I was a bowler, how can I watch this IPL,” he said. Point noted. The next minute was a giveaway, he was going to buy three tickets for the Chennai Super Kings versus Mumbai Indians match for his own family. What jolted me was the price for average tickets, Rs 4,500 per ticket. That means, if even two people are going to gang up and go for an IPL match, it will come to Rs 10k. And the best part was why the daughter wants to go: An ardent MS Dhoni fan.

Sample this, the IPL is as old as Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. These three gents have been in the IPL for ages. And yet, for them to still ply their trade shows how much they have evolved with the IPL. At 43, pushing 44, Dhoni continues to lead Chennai Super Kings. He is past prime, say some critics. But those who worship Dhoni will still pay any price to watch him. And for some, this craze is just for MS Dhoni for a Sunday show at the Wankhede Stadium.

I would be lying if I tell you I was not the biggest fan of the IPL when it began in 2008. The scheduling of matches and late finishes meant, for a journalist, it was a nightmare, putting the newspaper to bed on time. Those days there was no social media like today, so to get news meant only the match report and a few quotes. Yes, Facebook was there but not really great traction for the IPL. Today, X, Insta and YouTube are flooded with IPL trivia.

Just as the new generations have different names like GenZ, Millenials and so on, the IPL stays as IPL. It started as T20 cricket and stays as T20 cricket, with rules being tweaked, an Impact Player now part of it and technology being embraced big time. There are replays, reviews, all watched on giant screens. Spare a though for the umpires in the middle, they are being dissected every day. I am sure, they also have to keep performing or face flak.

As for me, viewing IPL has become a compulsion of sorts. Maybe not ball by ball, but tracking every match and every bit of news. The IPL is now part of board rooms and bed rooms, so to say “I don’t follow IPL” is weird. And, yes, since I write as well on the IPL and get paid, there are a few people who read it.

On the 18^th birthday, there is no denying, as a brand with massive evaluation, the IPL is growing. Global tariff wars are seeing the value of rupee crash against the dollar, the US dollar versus Chinese Yuan is another rage. It has made difference to a lot of people but certainly not the valuation of the IPL. If I am to evaluate the IPL over the years, what stands out is how people watch it, come what may. Even those who say “I switched off from the IPL’ would have caught up on the Super Over tamasha between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals a few days back.

On Good Friday, when the devout remember Jesus Christ for his sacrifices, those devoted to the IPL will tune in today as well. The long Easter weekend is ideal for IPL viewing, as the home run approaches. Results have gone up and down for a few teams but given the IPL’s duration, there is scope for a comeback. For sure, the Mumbai Indians winning sequence being restored is a good sign.

For the IPL teams which have changed names from Deccan Chargers to Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Daredevils to Delhi Capitals, so much has evolved. For the record, Rohit first started with Deccan and then moved to MI. Obviously, barring a few teams, players have been part of various franchises, with the exceptions being MS Dhoni, Virat and Rohit. Someone like Shreyas Iyer has been all over India and is now leading Punjab Kings with relish. And that, after guiding KKR to the title in 2024.

My IPL experience, well, watching the 2024 final was worth it. The Chepauk was a theatre of excitement, even though it was muggy weather. How crowds track each bit of action, click selfies, post on Insta and rake up YouTube stuff, the IPL drives people crazy. You will be part of it some way or the other, whether you are 18 or 80.

Happy birthday, IPL.