Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday described the maiden edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) as better than the second in terms of public enthusiasm and said given a choice he would always want the event to be staged in India.
"The first year of the IPL was definitely better. I felt when you play in India it's a different ballgame. Each time the reception you get is terrific," Tendulkar told reporters in Kolkata on Tuesday.
The master blaster, however, gave due credit to the organisers of the recently concluded second edition in South Africa.
"South Africa was also very good. I don't want to take any credit out of them. They got only three and a half weeks to put things together."
"But If you give me a choice it has to be India," he added.
The BCCI-run IPL was shifted to South Africa this year after the central and state governments asked the board to consider changing the dates as they clashed with the April-May general elections.