5 Things to Know About Lalit Modi…

1. Lalit Kumar Modi is the Chairman and Commissioner of the Indian Premier League.
2. He is Sports Illustrated India’s 2^nd most influential person in Indian sport.
3. 16th in Time Magazine’s ‘Best Sports Executives in the World 2008′.
4. The man behind “the World’s Hottest Sports League” according to Forbes magazine.
5. He is also an avid Twitter user.

But do not confuse his ‘tweets’ with the other celebrity’s mundane mumblings – @LalitKModi is another of Modi’s tricks to generate hype around the revolutionary league!

During last year’s Champions League, the broadcaster ESPN Star commissioned a poll during a game asking, “Is Lalit Modi the saviour of Indian cricket?” A resounding 82% of the public participants voted ‘yes’ in agreement.  Modi is viewed as a hard-nosed and ruthless businessman, the ebulient face of the IPL and the pioneer of franchise cricket in one. And the output of his product, channelled through our television screens is carefully controlled for the most impressive impact, even interactive polls.

Again during the Champions League, Modi found himself quaffing drinks and chatting to dignitaries in the plush surroundings of the hospitality suites overlooking play.  In the midst of the action, darting between businessmen, administrators and politicians he was the man of the moment. And there just happened to be a camera nearby to capture such scenes.

At halftime, Modi strode out on the pitch, the supremo busy in dialogue with a gaggle of followers hot on his heels.  The camera was there again, relaying events.  After cutting a swath 20 or so yards onto the field of play, Modi turned round back into the comfort of the suites, much to the bemusement of the crowd expecting to see the great man do a lap of honour and greet the crowd.  Modi had little intention of inspecting the wicket, of touring the ground or waving to the masses.  He had got his shot for the TV audience.

This is the Lalit Modi who is trailed by a live camera to capture the moments of his existence-the businessman, always in action, always busy, always the man in demand.  Viewers of the IPL will be familiar with shots showing Modi tapping away at his laptop, speaking into a phone and simultaneously enjoying the spectacle, observing the odd delivery.  Finishing on one phone, an assistant would hand over yet another handset.  The producer would then cut to another camera just as Modi is handed his Blackberry, perhaps to update his Twitter.

‘Tweeting’ has been accepted as the de-facto method of communication between celebrities and their adoring fans. Lalit Modi uses his @LalitKModi account for exactly that, and more still.  No doubt with the help of an assistant, he replies to questions, messages of support plus abuse through Twitter, but he also uses the micro-blogging site as a means to announce, to make statements and express his own qualms with the world. By means of Twitter he can post what he wants, reply to whom he wants and portray himself and his ideas in the fashion he sees fit.  There are no awkward questions to dodge; they can simply be deleted in a click. It is Modi’s virtual press conference with a huge willing audience, literally at his fingertips.

Modi has already boycotted the Taj chain of hotels, mocked Ricky Ponting’s apprehension over security and blacklisted Chris Cairn’s involvement in the competition, all by Twitter.  By far the most controversial ‘Tweet’ was Modi’s declaration of 2010’s Champions League fixture dates, coinciding with the English season.  ‘Whats the IPL got to do with UK county championship?’ Modi nonchalantly replied when accused of disrespecting county cricket fans. He has not so much shown ‘disrespect’ for the counties, he just views them as a nonentity.  English cricket is barely an obstacle for Modi’s ambitions in new markets and reaching places cricket has never gained a foothold before. But do not be fooled that a love of the game is his motivation.  It is his capitalist spirit.

Modi recently said, with regards to new franchises in the IPL, in the pages The Times newspaper in the UK,  “There is a football club, a very famous football club in the UK, very interested in bidding. Probably one of the most famous football clubs-that is all I can say. Probably top three.  They are interested in taking a stake.” Immediately the speculation began, could it be Chelsea, Arsenal or Manchester United?  Using his digital soapbox Modi Twittered, ruling out Chelsea, whilst Manchester United denied any involvement.  Assumptions were made about Manchester City, considering their owner’s Middle-east base and considerable wealth.  Modi knew it would cause a stir, it would guarantee more coverage, and generate debate among the football press and the coveted football market.

Modi’s hints, speculation and stirring gained further press, debate and coverage of the upcoming IPL3, as did the security situation and the failure to secure any Pakistani players, a constant flow of intrigue, debate, controversy and publicity. A ‘last minute’ deal with ITV to screen matches live in the UK depicts Modi as a hero for the UK’s cricket fans, and his confirmation of players arriving in India reassure his followers that they will indeed see their stars in India, with Modi the personal guarantor. And into the final week before the tournament, the emphasis is on building up the expectation of the spectacle.  Deepika Padukone, UB40, Lionel Richie and an ‘ABBA Revival’ are ‘tweeted’ as opening ceremony guests.

Modi did not save Indian cricket. Indian cricket did not need a saviour to rescue it from a time of non-existent peril.  Yet on the back of the 2007 T20 World Cup success Modi had the vision and foresight to synergise cricket, film, business and modern marketing to form India’s most comprehensive entertainment to date.  In doing so, creating the perfect mix for India’s consumer market, and the advertisers who target the burgeoning middle class. In mixing sport along with the ethos of global capitalism urging growth, expansion and diversification, Modi will surely take T20 cricket to the new followers, to the United States and beyond.

With Lalit Kumar Modi, the networker, ruthless businessman, the jolly face of the IPL, the promise maker and deliverer at the helm, there is only one way to keep informed. On his terms, @LalitKModi.

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In Australia the game of cricket (the national game) has been thrown into a period of turbulence that precious few seem to know how to emerge from – most conspicuously, the game’s administrators. Much debate about the future of the game, if not the overwhelming majority, centres on the apparent demise of the 50-over game and the rise of T20, however amongst all this there is one factor that receives comparatively little attention. Here’s a clue – the same side always wins.

In the past many would’ve said that Australians are too one-eyed to grow tired of a winning team it, but not anymore. It simply can’t be ignored that a drop in interest towards cricket shown by the Australian public over the recent international summer was in inverse proportion to the performance of the Australian cricket team. At least when they’re playing on Australian shores, the more easily they win, the less we care. Quite simply, the game in this country has become a victim of the national teams’ success.

For Australian cricket fans, it seems you need to follow the team abroad if you want to get the blood pumping. And I must add here, thank you Scott Styris. Thank you for swatting Mitchell Johnson over the fence and then telling him that while his looks could easily place him on the set of Home and Away, so too could his one-dimensional character. After this summer’s results against the West Indies and Pakistan were as a predictable as a master chef contestant serving up steak and mash with a red wine jus, Styris’ show of defiance was just what Australian cricket fans needed.

But back to the drop off in interest in cricket played in Australia. It is my opinion that the decline in interest, both in terms of crowds at the gate and TV sets tuned in, is not something new but when viewed in a wider context, little more than an inevitability.

Looking at test cricket played in this country between 1993/94 and 2009/10, it doesn’t get much more one-sided. While South Africa won a three test series 2-1 in Australia in 2008/09, Australia had been nothing short of dominant for the fifteen years previous to this going back to 1993/94. In this time they didn’t lose a single series and only lost a total of ten tests out of 87 played. What’s more, there were 14 series in this period that were white-washes. Undoubtedly, no matter how good opposition individual performances were at times, such dominance becomes at best tiring and at worst downright nauseating.

Of course one-day cricket hasn’t been as one-sided, and while the game has clearly weathered badly from over exposure, nothing has over-cooked this goose more than the lack of competiveness of so many ‘contests’ (Australia’s recent one-day games against Pakistan and West Indies anyone?).

Stemming from this is not right to assume that it is not the form of the game that matters but the competitiveness of it? Play 15, 20, 30 or 50 overs, it doesn’t matter, as long as there are two teams on the field who are able to take it up to one another. In Australia, for too long teams have toured and been too ready to chuck in the towel comfortable in the knowledge that they’ll appease their fans and selectors when they return home to win a three test series against Sri Lanka. Woopie.

The glaring under performance of teams visiting Australian shores is one of the major issues in the game today and if let to continue the popularity of cricket in this country will continue to decrease, if not plummet.

While the shortened length of T20 evens out contests to some extent as flaws exposed in longer versions of the game remain hidden, surely what is needed is a wider blue-print for avoiding series white-washes like the two that just occurred in Australia. As the numbers tell you, people can’t and won’t keep expending the money or the the emotional energy every year hoping that David will knock-over Goliath.  A critical mass will be reached at some point.

We know that we can’t go on as is, however we hear precious little from Cricket Australia and the ICC and as such we sit and wait, all the while crying out desperately for regular competitive international cricket in Australia. And not just once every decade, but year-in year-out. But what is being done?

While the cricket world as a hole waits to see how the game will emerge from this period of turbulence  ― where suddenly all news is of global T20 franchises and the death of the one-day game ― the greater question of how to make international cricket competitive, at all levels, seems to have slipped from view.

For too long cricket administrators have done too little to redress this gross imbalance in the game. Sitting unseen in their ivory tower, eyes shut, it appears all they want is for the problems of the game to simply go away. If they continue in this vain the game will fade away ― in Australia it has already showed signs of doing so.

While T20 certainly is right in the middle of this, I believe that the seeds that caused this upheaval were not sown with the introduction on T20 cricket but long ago, when all seemed to be sailing along smoothly.

How Might We Change the Future of Cricket?

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New Zealand vs Australia 3rd ODI Highlights

New Zealand vs Australia 2nd ODI Highlights

New Zealand vs Australia 1st ODI Highlights

Bangladesh vs England 3rd ODI Highlights

Bangladesh vs England 2nd ODI Highlights

Bangladesh vs England 1st ODI Highlights

The Reverse Sweep is an irreverent round-up of the week that was in cricket. For further insight into this wonderful game of ours please visit my blog also entitled The Reverse Sweep, or follow me on Twitter @TheReverseSweep.

Have England developed a lucky streak?

Since Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss took the helm, most observers would agree that England have become a more resilient side as evidenced by the nine wickets down draws at Cardiff, Centurion and Cape Town. But have they also turned into a lucky side?

They’ve certainly needed some luck to win the first two ODIs with Bangladesh. In the first game none of the other Bangladesh batsmen had the nous to hang around whilst Tamim Iqbal was blasting away at the other end. And in the second game it took a wonderful hundred from Eoin Morgan and a poor decision by Shakib to bowl a seamer in the 49^th over.

Let’s be honest, England were also extremely fortunate to emerge with a draw in the test series with South Africa where they could have easily lost 3-1. Two washouts in the ODI series that preceded the tests also helped England win that series 2-1. And then of course there was the Ashes last summer. As Strauss put it himself “When we were bad, we were very bad. When we were good we were just good enough.” Strauss’ habit of winning important tosses (Lord’s, The Oval…) also helped as did England getting the better of the umpiring decisions.

So, it seems that England have developed resilience and luck in equal measure. All good sides need both, but can it continue all the way to the end of the Ashes return in Australia next winter?

Hooray for the Black Caps as finally someone gives the Aussies a run for their money?

Last week we prayed that New Zealand would finally give Australia some sort of a contest this winter after the pitiful attempts of Pakistan and the West Indies. Well we certainly got our wish in spades as the Black Caps won the second T20I and then followed that up by winning the first of five ODIs.

Brendon McCullum played one of his all too infrequent brilliant innings to register the second T20I century as New Zealand set the Aussies 215 for victory. Of course, the Australians refused to lie down and actually managed to equal the Kiwis total with Michael Clarke scoring uncharacteristically quickly and Cameron White going bananas. But in cricket’s equivalent of the penalty shootout it was Australia that emulated the England footballers by first scoring only six runs of their over and then Shaun Tait bowled two wides when it was the Black Caps turn to bat.

In the ODI, Scott Styris was the hero in another photo finish as the Black Caps chased down 276. So maybe Australia aren’t as good as I feared and not such a dead-cert for the World T20 in the Caribbean? I certainly hope so.

Was this the worst game ever of international cricket?

I had the misfortune of tuning in to the West Indies-Zimbabwe T20I last weekend. It has to be the worst game of cricket I’ve ever seen. For those that don’t know, Zimbabwe was all out for 105 after recovering from 0/3 after 16 balls. The West Indies then made 79/7 in reply with Dinesh Ramdin playing one of the strangest T20 innings you could ever expect to see (23 not out off 36 balls). If Pakistan had performed like the West Indies, their politicians would have been clamouring to announce the latest match-fixing allegation.

The only highlight of the game was the returning Sulieman Benn taking 4/6 from his four overs. Other than that the only point of note was that it was a good cure for insomniacs. I can hardly wait for the ODI series, which begins today.

John Howard – El Presidente

I don’t know quite what to make of the news that former Australian Prime Minister John Howard will be the next President of the ICC. It does seem a peculiar appointment as other than being a self-confessed cricket tragic, he has no actual experience within the sport. Sri Lankans particularly will be aghast following Howard’s previous accusations of Murali as a chucker. Afghanistan too will be concerned that Howard will block any attempts for their future entry to test cricket on security grounds.

Apparently Howard has been preparing hard for his new role, which is likely to involve some tough negotiations with the likes of Lalit Modi. Though by the looks of this his flipper needs a bit more work.

A big thank you to Eoin Morgan

Speaking to the esteemed Laurence Booth in the Daily Mail after his matchwinning century against Bangladesh, Eoin Morgan spoke of his love for The Reverse Sweep.

Now we’ve been banging the drum for a while now that the Irishman’s special talent merits an opportunity in the test side, so it is great to hear that the admiration is reciprocated. I can assure everyone that this mutual respect has not been consummated in the biblical sense and obviously is just a case of a good cricket writer (he says with a straight face) recognising the burgeoning talent of a player and vice versa.

Keep up the good work, Eoin and thank you for the shout. Rest assured that we will continue to keep the bandwagon rolling for your elevation to the test side. I bet fans of the Bangalore Royal Challengers are salivating at the prospect of Morgan playing in the IPL.

This week’s IPL update…

We’re only a week or so away from the start of IPL3 and the hype has been building as the big kick off nears. Security concerns are still at the fore, although it would seem that most of the Australians, South Africans and English players due to play are either there or on their way. Elsewhere, Lalit Modi has announced on Twitter that “we have signed IPL to be shown on ITV the biggest and best TV platform in the UK”, although I’m not sure that applies to ITV4.

Modi has also been pontificating on test cricket arguing for day-night tests because people no longer have the time to watch five day matches. He has a point, particularly when we look at India. Floodlit tests may not be required in England or Australia where crowds are good, but it warrants serious consideration on the sub-continent and even South Africa, where tests are frequently played out in eerie silence.

The Reverse Sweep list – A list of my cricketing heroes

As some of you will know, the brain behind Cricket With Balls has recently embarked on Cricket Sadist, which is described as “the cricket magazine for sadists and masochists, not tragics”.

Anyway, the first issue is due out on 1 April and I contributed a piece on Douglas Jardine, my all-time cricketing hero. So in order to promote the magazine and subsequently therefore ensure that my Jardine piece makes the cut, here is a list of my all-time cricketing heroes.

Douglas Jardine – You’ll have to read Cricket Sadist to find out why Jardine is at number one, if my article makes the cut that is….

Hedley Verity – England’s greatest ever spinner who tragically died prematurely as a hero in World War II. He took 7 wickets for 9 runs in what proved to be his last match for Yorkshire.

Donald Bradman – He may have been the scourge of England, but 99.94 mean no other words are necessary.

David Gower – My favourite player as a schoolboy. I even tried but failed to change my natural right handed style to be a left hander like him. And like me, also a David G.

Keith Miller – Not only a brilliant cricketer, but also a raconteur and notorious cad. What’s not to like?

Harold Larwood – Jardine’s main weapon in Australia in 1932/33 refused to apologise for Bodyline and never played for England again. I like people with strong principles.

Ian Botham – Great cricketer, crap commentator. But always a hero of mine simply because of 1981 when as a wide eyed nine year old I watched his historic feats at Headingley, Edgbaston and Old Trafford…

Viv Richards – The coolest cricketer ever? He even makes Chris Gayle look positively uncool.

W.G.Grace – Of all the many reasons to like Grace this is my favourite. When he was bowled once, first ball, he promptly picked up the bails and replaced them, repositioning himself to take the next ball. The umpire, not unnaturally, objected. “Don’t be silly,” said WG, and pointed to the crowd. “They’ve come to see me bat, not you umpire.” Magical.

Paul Collingwood – I know. But here I’ve picked the cricketer that reminds me most of my own batting ‘style’. Well the Brigadier Block version anyway.

That’s all for this week folks.

Read previous editions of The Reverse Sweep:

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 11

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 10

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 9

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 8

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 7

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 6

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 5

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 4

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 3

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 2

The Reverse Sweep – Issue 1

That’s what I tweeted yesterday when Luke Wright idiotically played across the line to a straight one from Shakib Al Hasan and was bowled in England’s nail-biting run chase against Bangladesh. Was I being fair? Well, with Eoin Morgan going great guns at the other end all Wright had to do was stay in and farm the strike and England would have won reasonably comfortably.

The similarity between the two is not just because they share a passing resemblance and dreadful hair. Like Watson before 2009, Wright has been given a lot of latitude by his country’s selectors with his actual performances not justifying his continued inclusion in the England T20 and ODI sides. His stats suggest that he is neither good enough with bat or ball to warrant what seems to have become an automatic place.

Let’s look at those stats. In ODIs he averages 21.75 with the bat and 46.36 with the ball. Whilst in T20I, it is 14.87 and 42.80 respectively. Given that he has played 30 ODIs and 18 T20Is, most people would argue that he has had enough opportunities. These stats are similar to his domestic limited overs averages, so should hardly cause a massive surprise. As such I was dumbfounded when he was elevated to the test squad for the South African tour and bemused when Flower and Strauss started talking up his chances of making the test XI, which fortunately he didn’t on that occasion.

Watson of course (much to the chagrin of this writer, who has taken an unfathomable dislike to the Aussie all-rounder), has lately repaid the faith shown in him by the Australian selectors (who now look like wise sages) and has shone in all forms of the game as a hardhitting opener. This seems to have given him the confidence with the ball where he has gone from gun-barrel straight to developing an ability to swing it both conventionally and reverse. His renaissance was confirmed with the recent award of the Allan Border medal as Australia’s outstanding performer of 2009.

To be fair to Watson his level of performance has increased in line with his fitness. Prior to the Edgbaston test last year, Watson’s injury record was so bad it made Andrew Flintoff’s look minor in comparison – one would have thought he was actually made of glass. Wright does not have that excuse as he has remained pretty much injury free, so I feel I am justified in labelling him the shit Shane Watson.

Can Wright emulate Watson, and go from an underperforming wastrel into an international class all-rounder in tests, ODIs and T20? Only time will tell, but this writer will join Shahid Afridi for a sumptuous feast of cricket balls if he does.

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• Pick Eoin Morgan!
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Ten days or so ago, I wrote a post asking whether Eoin Morgan should be in the England test side.

After his wonderful century yesterday, he is almost banging the door to Chief Selector Geoff Miller’s hotel room in. Without him England would have faced the supposed ignominy of losing to Bangladesh for the first time, although clearly Shakib Al Hasan’s side are getting better with every game.

Yet Morgan is still not in the test squad despite a number of quite brilliant innings for England in T20I and ODIs in recent months. He has clearly demonstrated quality, composure, adaptability and timing , and like KP showed in the ODI series in South Africa in 2005, Morgan has shown that he has a special talent. Even if his first class record is not exactly spectacular, like Trescothick, Vaughan and Collingwood before him, he clearly has the shots, temperament and confidence to play international cricket across all formats.

With Andrew Strauss resting, Morgan could easily be added to the test squad with either Trott or Bell promoted to open with Captain Cook. That may be harsh on Michael Carberry but Morgan is simply demanding to be selected.

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• IPL Preview: The Lalit Modi Publicity Machine
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• New Zealand vs Australia ODI Highlights
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• Pick Eoin Morgan!
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Howard’s ascendency to this position is particularly strange. He has no background in playing cricket, except of course for this legendary moment, and he has no background in cricket administration. However, he does have a great love for the game, which according to the ACB and Howard himself seems more than enough. Now, there is no doubt that Howard has skills in diplomacy, management, and of course international relations, but are these skills enough? Surely at such a momentous point in history for the game, someone with his or her finger on the pulse would be more suitable. The ICC needs leaderships that can harness the ever-changing landscape, and that can find a way for the three formats to live long and prosper, and I can’t believe that an elderly, former Prime Minister with no cricketing background can really provide this.

The other interesting element of this is the precarious nature of the game in relation to international politics and terrorism. Never before has cricket been so heavily influenced by such forces. From the situation in Zimbabwe, to the inability to play in Pakistan and terrorist threats in India, the game is certainly under threat. So, there is no doubt that, no matter your political allegiance, someone with Howard’s past experience may well be useful in some kind of advisory role. I’m thinking that he could perhaps go along with Shane Warne and Brett Lee as they try to smooth out Australia’s relations with India?? But as the President of the ICC…he’s just going to be out of his depth. With the power base that Lalit Modi has built through the IPL in India, and with the afore mentioned struggle to keep cricket alive and relevant, Howard’s lack of expertise will surely result in a significantly weaker ICC.

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We can certainly consider it…

“Better than Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting, the other two great players of my era. Better than Sir Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. And I would even say better than Sir Don Bradman himself.”

Last summer, like many other cricket lovers before me, I wrote an article naming who in my opinion were the top 20 batsman of all time (see greatest batsman of all time positions 11-20 and the greatest batsmen of all time positions 10-1 here). As an amateur historian, I combined the knowledge gained from 30 years as a cricket follower, plus research encompassing both primary and secondary sources before arriving at my choice. I added several caveats explaining that it is extremely difficult to compare batsmen from different eras and that the game had changed and evolved throughout its wonderful history. I also based my choices primarily on test cricket given that the first ODI was in 1971 and that tests always have been the best barometer of a batsman’s true quality.

Bradman came top of my list with Tendulkar 11th, which naturally provoked a lot of criticism and ire from those that read it both in and outside India; especially as I had ranked both Ponting and Lara higher than the Little Master. Whilst I believe I was right in most of the choices within my top 20, I believe I may have erred somewhat in placing Tendulkar outside the top 10. Let me explain…

However, this post is not about revising my previous choice, but a contrary one that suggests that comparing the two is perhaps unnecessary. Is it not better to merely argue that as Bradman was the greatest in his era, Sachin is the greatest in his? 93 international centuries spread over a 20 year career suggests he is and I belatedly concur that he shades Ponting and Lara for this accolade.

Comparisons with Bradman are difficult. Bradman played on sticky dogs but had more latitude with the LBW laws prior to 1934 and only faced one other team (England, against whom The Don still averaged 89.78) that was really competitive against Australia. But at the same time, Bradman played at the same time as a number of other all-time batting greats like Hobbs, Hammond, Sutcliffe, Headley, Ponsford and McCabe and averaged at least 40 runs more than any of them. Like Sachin, every time he went to the crease he had the additional pressure of a nation’s expectations sitting on his shoulder, albeit far less than the billion souls perched along Tendulkar’s collarbone.

Maybe it is simply better to celebrate the many similarities between the two. Both have faced down and bettered the best bowlers of their time, whether it be pace (Ambrose, Wasim and McGrath versus Larwood and Bedser) or spin (Warne and Murali against Verity). Furthermore, both have achieved milestones in the game that will never be equalled. No other batsman will ever get close to Bradman’s immortal 99.94, but at the same time no other batsman is likely to score 100 international hundreds, which the Indian Master will probably achieve in the next 18 months; maybe fittingly in the 2011 World Cup Final?

I’ve come to the conclusion that debates as to who is the greater between Bradman and Tendulkar are irrelevant and basically a waste of time. It is time for cricket followers to just celebrate that two such legends have played this wonderful game of ours. A place on the Mount Olympus cricket field is there for both of them. Bradman believed that Tendulkar reminded him of himself and that is maybe a good place to leave this particular argument.

Evolving Eras of Cricket

Cricket can arguably be split into eras of historical or social importance that have defined the playing, administrating and commercialisation of our celebrated and loved sport.  There was a period in cricket’s history as a sinful and riotous game, the sport was rebranded by the Victorians to become a gentleman’ s game and later, an era of professionals and amateurs. Packer commercialisation, West Indian domination. Australian ruthlessness on the pitch, Indian hegemony off it. We must ask what era we are currently in; perhaps we are entering an age of freelancing cricketers, T20, franchises, celebrity, an era of Lalit Modi?

We must remind ourselves of a time when cricket found itself in the centre of a crisis in the 90s, as the influence of bookmakers and match fixers became heartbreakingly evident.  Heroes, legends and icons, those worshipped by cricket fans were exposed, cricketers wasting their talent by lining their pockets at the cost of what was seen as an honest sport.  Despite this problematic period, when the game was threatened to a critical existence, cricket has flourished since. But cricket is now at risk by issues similarly divisive and worrying, in the name of terrorism and security. Where match fixing was in many ways an internal predicament, the current era of security is not a cricket specific problem.  It is a problem for contemporary society on the whole.

Contemporary Society’s Constant State of Terror

Associations between terror and airports are commonplace, so to bombs and backpacks, but the skill, entertainment and accomplishment of our favourite players to be associated with terrorism less so.  Sport has always been a target for those with a political or religious point to prove.  Sport promises news, and a constant flow of coverage with often global reach and so too an opportunity to hijack and ruin.  Think of the Olympics; 1972 as Israeli athletes were held hostage, the 1992 Atlanta bombing, even horse-racing’s Grand National in 1997, the 2008 Dakar Rally.  And cricket is not a new target for terrorist activity. The 1996 World Cup was struck by bombings in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. England’s cricketers were threatened by the ‘Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe’ ahead of the 2003 World Cup, preventing their participation in Harare. Not to mention the numerous pitch invasions and crowd riots throughout cricket’s recent history.

Yet a number of events have shaken the world.  New York’s 9/11, London’s 7/7 and Mumbai’s 26/11 completely altered the global security climate.  Such events made security a problem for everybody, threatening privacy, freedom and lives.  Such events with a global resonance, contributed to a shroud of anxiety across those who are peaceful and completely innocent.  Within the cricketing community, this anxiety was exacerbated by the ambush of the Sri Lankan team as they came under fire in Lahore a year ago.

And so security blights the sub continental region as news of roadside devices and suicide bombs are reported with regular occurrence in Pakistan and Afghanistan, tainting the reputation of the area. Sensationalist coverage does not help, as the security and general safety of those in the area is questioned. Indeed, whilst meeting with a number of academics at a university in London only last week, and discussing the abundant sporting schedule in India over the coming months and years, the issue of ‘instability in the region’ was cited as a problematic and a barrier to sport in India ‘becoming big’.  Yet while the Mumbai terror attacks raised a question mark over India’s viability as host, the IPL can set a precedent for an Indian representation of insubordination to terrorist threats.

Situating the IPL as a Statement of Indian power, of Influence and of Competency

The IPL finds itself, intentionally or otherwise as a global icon.  In combining arguably India’s strongest current exports, in business, film and cricket, the IPL is a statement of Indian power, of influence and of competency.  At the opening ceremony of the inaugural IPL in 2008, Lalit Modi addressed an eager audience,

“There has never been a more talked about sport or entertainment event in India and the Indian premier league is going to deliver you that. The eyes on the world are upon us today.”

And these very eyes on the IPL make the tournament a perfect platform for India to showcase its ability as a host of global sporting events and as a nation of capability.  The IPL presents an ideal opportunity to build trust in India and the region.  There is no doubt that the IPL is marvelously organised, despite the detractors of the event complaining about timing and scheduling. In spite of quarrelling over the possible bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, disagreements having already affected the Telugu film industry and business in the area, the ‘back in India’ IPL 3 must go on.  Deccan Charger’s home games have been moved from Hyderabad.  Due to Telegana issues in 2009, an ODI was relocated within a matter of days for Sri Lanka’s visit. IPL2 was famously moved to South Africa in a matter of weeks.  Indian cricket’s administrators and organisers have adapted and rescheduled, bringing games to the ultra modern stadiums in Navi Mumbai and Nagpur, both truly world class venues for a world-class tournament in modern India.  This is testament to the very organisation of the IPL and a statement that India can host world-class events.

However, the “eyes of the world” make the tournament an equally ideal platfrom for those with political or quasi-religious beliefs, keen on making a statement.  A threat had emerged from a group named the ‘313 Brigade’.  With suspected links to various terrorist outfits, and an ‘operational arm’ of Al Qaeda, the organisation warned the international community of ‘consequences’, urging them not to send their athletes to the Hockey World Cup, the IPL or the Commonwealth Games.  This ‘warning’ surely cannot prevent IPL3 taking place, not from a dubious organisation and sent by email.

Bal Thackeray, head of far right political party Shiv Sena warned that his party would not allow Australian cricketers to play in India prompting much coverage. In a spectacular U-turn withdrew his ‘ban’, presumably to prolong his spell in the limelight.  Thackeray even ‘banned’ ShahRukh Khan’s latest film, ‘My Name Is Khan’ in light of the actor’s support of Pakistani cricketers in the IPL.  When the Kolkata Knightriders owner remarked that Mumbai ‘is for all Indians’ Thackeray promised “dire consequences”.  The film, featuring an autistic Muslim man finding love in post-9/11 USA has since been a widespread success internationally. To repeat their 1999 and 2006 vandalism of cricket pitches could possibly make a statement, but more likely provoke enormous unpopularity.

It will soon become the norm, if it has not already, for every sporting event to be subject to such threats from terrorist outfits, regardless of their religious, political, regional or national cause. The issue is how credible each threat is, and the precautions taken in maximising safety of those involved.  A blanket guarantee of safety is impossible.

Issues over security and the dark cloud terrorism are a feature of contemporary life.  It is the very era that we live in, charachterised by a question mark over our safety. In the UK, the threat of terroism is currently, according to the Home Office, ‘severe’, warning that a terror attack is ‘highly likely’. The British (despite not wholeheartedly in agreement) have become familiar to being watched on CCTV, phone calls and internet use monitored. Yet there are no police on every street corner, armed forces patrolling, metal detectors and masses of private security. This does not however suggest that the area is any safer.

It is evidently an issue of perception.  Is India perceived to be anymore dangerous and susceptible to terror attacks than a Western nation? Is there a perception Indian events are not as well organised? How well can Indians manage a world-renowned sporting event?

To borrow Lalit Modi’s words from his passionate opening ceremony speech back in 2008, “Cricket as we all know, is India’s passion, and I firmly believe the people of India deserve to have the world’s best cricket league based here for everyone’s enjoyment, in our own stadiums and on our TV sets. I have no doubt that the people of India will love the IPL. I also want this league to be the stage to show to the world what an exciting and colourful, dynamic place the modern India is”.

Those who view India as unstable and unsafe must be proved wrong and convinced.  To host IPL3 in India is to display the determined spirit that has characterised the acquisition of hegemony within the cricketing world. The IPL can show the world how capable India is and how defiant the nation has become, even beyond sport. All in spite of the perceived terrorist threat, unfortunately an intrinsic element of life in this era.

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