"IPL has been a revelation in terms of finances, fitness, and the invention of strokeplay"- Clive Lloyd

West Indies great Clive Lloyd believes the IPL has been a 'revelation' and pointed out how it has influenced finances, fitness and the invention of strokeplay. The two-time World Cup winner also talked about the impact of the cash-rich T20 tournament on young players, who get to rub shoulders with some of the greats of the game.

The IPL, which will soon see its 14th season get underway, has gone from strength to strength over the years. Speaking at the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture in Kolkata, Clive Lloyd hailed the impact of the IPL on various aspects of the game.

"I do not think anyone who is familiar with the game of cricket would deny that the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a revelation in terms of finances, fitness, and the invention of strokeplay. The IPL played an integral part in fine-tuning the young Indian players into maturity as they are experiencing some excellent cricketing knowledge by rubbing shoulders with some icons of the game," Lloyd said.

#VIVOIPL is back in India 🇮🇳 🙌Time to circle your favorite matches on the calendar 🗓️Which clashes are you looking forward to the most? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/kp0uG0r9qz

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 7, 2021

The new season of the IPL is scheduled to start from 9th April, with the defending champions Mumbai Indians coming up against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the opening encounter. With MI retaining the core of their team, they are seen as the favorites to win the title for the third straight year.

"IPL has given cricketers a very good standard of living" - Clive Lloyd

Clive Lloyd led West Indies to two World Cup titles in 1975 & 1979.

Clive Lloyd was also delighted with the way the IPL has improved the standard of living of cricketers. The former West Indies skipper said in this regard:

"It’s a fantastic opportunity for them (young cricketers), and they are also being handsomely remunerated for their services. The IPL has been a success and has given cricketers a very good standard of living, and as a retired cricketer, it is wonderful to behold."

In a massive blow to last season's finalists Delhi Capitals, Shreyas Iyer could miss the entire IPL after suffering a shoulder injury in the first ODI against England.

UPDATE ON SHREYAS: Shreyas Iyer has suffered a labrum tear on his left shoulder and will undergo an operation in a day or two, which could see him miss the entire IPL and sideline him for 3-4 months.

— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) March 24, 2021