New Delhi. The Indian Premier League is not just a cricket tournament but has become a mirror of the thinking, ambition and passion of today's India. While the players give their all on the field, the emotions, faith and restlessness of the team owners off the field make this league even more special. This is the same platform where even big businessmen are seen praying like a common fan and this is the real strength of IPL.
Since the beginning of IPL, many team owners and industry leaders get a chance to understand and after taking a closer look, one can understand what this league means to them. This is the biggest proof of the success of IPL. When these people running the country appear restless and emotional for their team, it presents a different picture.
Everyone wants the taste of victory
Everyone wants a share in this “pie” of IPL and everyone wants to win it. This is the reason why IPL has achieved a position which no other cricket tournament has achieved before. For example, the entire senior management of a team used to leave the hotel at 2 pm on the match day and go together to worship. His punctuality and devotion to this tradition were worth seeing, although the team's results were not always in his favor.
In God's Shelter Franchise
Team owners who run big companies are often not as stressed in their business meetings as they are seen during IPL matches. One owner used to hold the old photograph of his favorite deity during the entire match and pay obeisance to him at every wicket or boundary. The IPL Owner Box perfectly reflects the complexity of modern India. Branded clothes, expensive watches, luxury cars and high-tech mobile phones are common here but as soon as the match starts, these same people become faith-filled, God-fearing Indians, who do everything possible for their team's victory.
Whether they have ever played cricket themselves or not, many people believe that their prayers can change the outcome of a match. Before the match, offerings are made to the players, all kinds of tricks are adopted, even the name of the team and the color of the jersey is changed according to astrology. This unique fandom makes IPL different from international cricket.
Team interests are paramount for the owner
However, team owners are very strict in terms of performance. Here, victory matters more than name or reputation. “Winner Takes All” The biggest example of this is Kolkata Knight Riders. When Shahrukh Khan's team decided to part ways with Sourav Ganguly in 2011, there was a huge protest in Kolkata. Many people said that KKR would lose its fan following and empty stands would be seen at Eden Gardens and it was also believed that Gautam Gambhir would not be able to succeed as captain in place of Ganguly.
Initially, the number of spectators in some matches was less, but as soon as the team started performing well, the fans returned to the stadium again and when the team won the title in 2012 and 2014 under Gambhir's captaincy, all the old resentment almost vanished. This is the true identity of IPL, a platform that is completely commercial, extremely competitive and full of passionate fans. Its popularity is expected to increase even more rapidly in the coming decade.
