IPL and the emergence of the freelance cricketer

In an interview recently, Harsha Bhogle termed Chris Gayle as a test case for the “freelance cricketer”. A lot of criticism has been pelted against Gayle and Lasith Malinga for apparently choosing the IPL over national duties. Whereas Gayle is playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the fourth edition of IPL instead of participating in the series currently being played against Pakistan; 27 year old Lasith Malinga has taken a sudden decision to retire from Test Cricket to prolong his career in both the limited over formats of the game.

Harsha Bhogle first pointed out towards the existence of a freelance cricketer

In the background of this action, the SLC Board called their players to practice for the England Tour by May 5th. This decision could have been propelled by political motives but it was for national duty nonetheless. Top Sri Lankan players like the recently retired Muttiah Muralitharan criticized the board’s hard-lined and insensitive attitude towards the players. However, former captain Kumara Sangakkara vouched complete obedience to the Board’s decision on accounts of choosing national duties over any other.

These activities have clouded this edition of the IPL as views have poured in from all corners ranging from Jacques Kallis to David Hussey to Akash Chopra. Hussey and Kallis have asserted the supremacy of national duties over a commercial tournament like the IPL. Whereas Akash Chopra made the players his locus and on how the SL Board is pushing players like Malinga into making unnecessary hard decisions.

There are many binaries involved in this seeming one single debate that have not been properly highlighted as yet on a common single platform.

National Duty vs “the moolah”

This was an issue that was expected to come years some years down the lane as League Cricket (even though Indian Premier League, is not a league by virtue of its temporal format; more so a long tournament) starts to flourish. We are in the fourth edition of the IPL now and a certain importance and seriousness is duly being given to it by players. This credibility has gradually come out of the successful sustainance of the tournament among other things.

The stability of this tournament and the fact that even domestic players – who have not had the chance to perform at the international level yet – benefit a regular income from it on contractual basis has created loyalties. In these circumstances, I believe that even though playing for the nation is the highest honour a player can get – it is not a sin to give IPL its due share when you are professionally engaged. In that case, opting for IPL over country is like sexuality – more of a taboo that is condemned by society but is privately enjoyed by everybody.

Chris Gayle: Shifting Loyalties? Gayle scored a whirwind century against the KKR (his former team in the IPL) while at the same time he missed the series against Pakistan over the IPL

Chris Gayle’s decision to play for his franchisee over WI has its fair share of context. WICB has never been able to generate the economic stability for the players that is required, how often have we seen, poor pay and players going on strikes. Yet this is not my fundamental argument. It is that in a time of dissolving boundaries and globallisation, we need to look at the player as an individual and as a professional who should have the freedom of his choices.

There have been players like Kevin Pieterson, Dirk Nannes, Eoin Morgan and Ten Doeschate who have “ployed their trade” as per their requirements and compulsions and in many case even played for other nations – so why not IPL over national cricket if it suits the individual, the professional?

T-20 vs Test Cricket

It is universally acknowledged that Test Cricket is the ultimate test of character and ability. But it is also universally agreed that it has lost its viewership in most countries by a great degree. T-20 has been a rage in terms of spreading cricket to other countries and the ICC seems to be inclined towards that object more than any other.

The IPL amidst this playing a role by exhausting players by its hectic scheduling. The tournament involves excessive travelling and playing matches continuously within a gap of few days. Lasith Malinga is a perfect case study in this case.

Being a fast bowler, that too with an unusual injury prone action, he has to take excessive care of himself to prolong his career at all times. In this context, his decision to choose for T20 over Tests is not surprising. The question to be asked is whether it would have been the same without the existence of the IPL? T-20 is played at the international level too but no player would quit Tests to prolong their career in that version. Indirectly, Lasith Malinga is prolonging his IPL career as well thus showing an inclination toward notjust T-20 but IPL over national cricket. Which to me is perfectly fine.

IPL vs Domestic Cricket

In India itself, and to a certain extent for overseas players as well – IPL has reduced the importance of domestic cricket tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy. IPL has been a platform for youngsters to make a mark instantly and get into the national sides inspite of sometimes no proper domestic background.

Players like Manoj Tiwary, Cheteshwar Pujara, S.Badrinath, Mithun Manhas and Shikhar Dhawan have piled runs in the Ranji Trophy like noone else. But at the IPL they have been average or below average. Whereas Paul Valthaty and Mansih PAndey were instant successes with little domestic background or performance to boast of.

Paul Valthaty has been a rage in this IPl overshadowing domestic talents such as Cheteshwar Pujara

This trend is ambiguous and has pros and cons. Whereas it is providing talents like Amit Mishra who are successful domestic campaigners too with a chance to stake a claim in the national side. It is also diminishing and almost negating the performances of made at the domestic level.

The West Indian Pollard was discovered via the Champions League where his massive performance earned him a place in the national team as well as eventually in the Mumbai Indians franchisee. Shane Watson too rejuvenated his international career at the inagural IPL. Thus, IPL in this case is a double edged sword for sure.