Lalit Modi, IPL, Security and the Media

In 2008, a new product was born in India. It was aptly called the Indian Premier League or the IPL as we popularly know today. It created history, it achieved something anything else failed to do. It achieved to get the best of the best from the current cricketing world together to come play together with their opponents and against their own – to come play 20/20 – a format that some said would “kill” the game of cricket and some said would help it “grow”. No one knew if it would be a success or failure. Some didn’t even know what 20/20 was all about. And they definitely didn’t know a man called Mr Lalit Modi. Though after the first IPL everyone knew everything – the IPL was going no where and Lalit Modi a shrewd but clever business man had just found the treasure in the sinking ship.

IPL teams

Come 2009, because of security reasons surrounding the elections in India, (which by the way is a big deal – politics, bollywood and cricket are three things that have a high influence in India and over Indians across the world) the IPL had to be shifted to South Africa. No one knew what would happen this time, would the tournament be received in the same way it had been in India the year before. Would people show up? Or would television make up for the most of it? Same story again, people did show up South Africans and Indian-Africans, and TV rating did soar.

Which gets me to 2010 – since the beginning security became the up-most concern of the tournament and the government. Why? It wasn’t just the IPL but the Hockey World Cup and the Common Wealth games are being hosted in India too this year. Security has been the biggest concern of the government and they have made sure precautions are being taken and tight security is available everywhere. We as Indians have got used to security threats in the country – it’s no big deal to us anymore – we have seen it all – yes security has been an issue in the past and will / might remain in the future – but at some point we need to also start trusting the government bodies and people responsible. We just can’t hide in our little shell and believe everything around us is falling apart and we can’t do anything about it. Doing nothing means we have failed as a country.

Now the reason I mentioned security above brings me to the main reason why I am writing this article. For some reason since the past few weeks security surrounding the IPL has been made the biggest issue by the media – India and abroad – as if they are bent upon saying that no matter what happens the IPL is not safe – hence hampering its success (that it has had till now). As if no matter what we need to make sure the IPL fails. What I find more concerning is that these news stories started popping up at the same time that IPL/Set Max vs the Media (News channels etc) fight started. There were even speculations players won’t arrive and the tournament should/would be moved outside India again. At which point even I thought why not, if security is of concern lets move IPL outside India and lets keep the ball rolling.

It’s also at the same point I saw few interviews (on BBC) and tweets from Mr Lalit K Modi. This guy was bent upon not moving the IPL outside India, which made me think why, why would you risk a game that is dependent upon foreign players also, just because you are arrogant that your security is good – just make them happy and let the tournament go on – it was a success last year in South Africa, why do you think it won’t be this time – if it’s in England or Australia or somewhere. But what Mr Lalit Modi kept on insisting was how the IPL is a product of India.

Now I know this won’t mean a lot to a lot of people, but the fact that IPL is the product of India makes it special for India. We haven’t realised this, but globally we are now standing at a different level and seen with a different set of eyes because of the IPL. We are no longer the people who just sit in the call centre and ask you to buy things, we are no longer people who take small jobs because we are desperate to, we are just not any other cricket fan – We can now create a product that everyone – no matter from where can get glued on to – we can put ourselves out in the market globally and internationally and have international participants wanting to join us, we breathe cricket and we can continue to do so for years to come. IPL has become US. IPL is the “INDIAN” premier league because it about India as much as its about cricket.

As for the media, even if the IPL was moved outside India they would find something else to complain and be grumpy about. And as for the security, no matter where you are no one can really guarantee your security, and really in India if there is a security issue during the match – the players will be out and about safely – it will be the crowd which will feel it first – a risk they are ready to take and probably used to. Because as Indians we have and need to realise the IPL is ours and the only people who dictates it is “us”.

I thought I would also share the below youtube video you guys – because “Saare Jahan Se Achaa Hindustan (IPL) Hamara” ;)