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IPL and the burnout syndrome
Among the many ponderables that the IPL has thrown up, the one that strikes me the most is the blurring of national identity linked to sports, especially when mega bucks are at stake, writes Pradeep Magazine.
Among the many ponderables that the IPL has thrown up, the one that strikes me the most is the blurring of national identity linked to sports, especially when mega bucks are at stake.
Watching players of different countries playing with and against each other without the fear of their loyalty to the flag being questioned is something that should be welcomed. But I am not sure whether money replacing the flag as a symbol of loyalty is as welcome as many believe.
Like last year, questions are again being raised about players putting their loyalty to the IPL ahead of their country because the event leaves them jaded or injury prone once they return to play for their national teams. There is no window available for the IPL and the international cricket calendar is so crammed that players hardly get any rest to fine-tune their tired bodies and jaded minds.
The Australians shunned this year's IPL because they felt that their performance suffered due to burnouts and distractions while playing in the tournament last year. They, at least for the time being, have not been tempted by millions and want Australia to do well.
England captain Andrew Strauss blamed the IPL for Andrew Flintoff's injury but also admitted that when so much money is on offer, it is difficult to not get tempted. England now are going to play the West Indies without Flintoff and are hoping that he gets fit in time for the T20 World Cup.
But India do not seem too bothered that their own players have been on the road for months now and will be heading for England almost immediately after South Africa for the World Cup. No one is asking whether the players, who after their return from New Zealand had to immediately rush to South Africa, will be in a fit condition to make a serious bid for retaining the title.
The “nation” did get a little perturbed when MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh skipped the Padma awards, and the excuse given was that they had no time to spend with their families before embarking on the IPL journey. That they chose to be present in the IPL carnival even if it meant snubbing the Indian President did not raise as much storm as one would expect in a county with a morbid obsession with national pride.
This could well be a reflection of a nation -- not too enthused with the politicised Padma awards -- which looks at the IPL as a new, young, vibrant brand that India is forging in the international arena.
So far, no one is seriously linking the failure in the IPL of the Indian stars, who have been part of both the T20 and the Test squads, with mental and physical jadedness. But would the reaction be the same if they fail in the T20 World Cup?
Who will we blame then?
After having latched on to the IPL like a child to a candy, we surely can't be so hypocritical as to lay the blame on IPL and its lure of lucre.
