Monday 19 May 2008

Welcome to Cricket Inc, and that’s the way out gentlemen


# Australian players yet to see the money they were promised
# Kolkata Knight Riders shows the door to five players
# Royal Challengers Bangalore jettisons Charu Sharma
# Team Mohali asks fringe players to shift to less-opulent hotels

Well, I don’t expect foreign imports to be jolted out of their illusion of a dollar deluge yet. But by now, some of them must have regained enough sense to realize that the Indian Premier League is not exactly the El Dorado.

But to be honest, they are not the only ones who felt the moneybag franchise owners have ankle-deep pockets. So did we. And some of the players clearly saw only the chequebook on one hand of their owner, completely overlooking the whip on the other. Suddenly, quite a handful of them have been driven out of their comfort zone.

Welcome to Cricket Inc. Perform of perish.

Behind her bubbly eyes, Preity Zinta is as much an entrepreneur as her thoroughbred fiancé; beneath the veneer of his charm, Shah Rukh Khan is a fierce salesman who has succeeded in monetizing a dimpled smile; and for the Ambanis and Mallyas – they have been schooled to believe that loss is essentially a four-letter word, which also happens to be the eighth deadly sin.

With IPL reaching its business end, and this is the apt phrase, now it’s clearly showing who’s the boss. With Charu Sharma went out a clear message for Dravid, Kallis, Ponting, Laxman as well as Cheteshwar Pujara and Ranadeb Bose. It’s out and out a cut-throat business proposition. No wonder, Shah Rukh is dealing in flying kisses these days, and Preity in hugs. Mallya apparently doesn’t care a hoot for niceties and Ambani does not think it worth making an appearance in the venues. Wife Nita, no wonder she handles charitable arm of Reliance industries, is representing the family these days.

Well guys, welcome to Cricket Inc. and that is the way out. Thank you very much.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Som,

You will know better than I about how lax the BCCI has been with disbursing funds to players and coaches.

And there are umpteen stories of domestic players being left in the lurch because of petty minded officials.

In Cricket Inc atleast these things get their due publicity. And a response from the stake holders.

There are actual legal documents binding the players and the franchises..

So I say, Welcome Cricket Inc and may you flourish!

Cheers

Som said...

Homer, no doubt about that. I'm in my senses not to compare IPL with BCCI as far as fund disbursement is concerned. IPL has been a blessing for all cricketers, stars or unheralded. And I'm sure they would disburse the money as well. It's only that I'm little apprehensive how this corporate face of cricket would have a bearing on the players and the game itself.

Anonymous said...

My only worry is getting the fringe players in smaller hotels... how in the world will that benefit them... after all it is mostly after a match usually in a bar or while dining they can catch up with them on some expertise help. SAD!

On the payments front Som... it basically works exactly like that even in international cricket.

Som said...

Scorpicity, sending them to another hotel is a rude way to tell them that look, you are second class citizen here. actually we don't need you but has to bear with it...
I just pray the youngsters only gritted their teeth and picked up tricks of the trade in net sessions, when they got to bowl to a star bat or batted against star bowlers.

Q said...

This was bound to happen. These guys getting into unknown territory, blindly spendin all the money, not getting the returns immediately, they had to cut costs somewhere.

straight point said...

right now whats happening is knee jrk reaction coz they dont know how to react to a problem...with time they will be better prepared...

one thing will lead to other...they cant rely on star power itself as they will need to find domestic players with less money but are actually performers...in long run...

coz ultimately there they are going to get actual profits...the real bargain...

picture abhi baki hai dost!

Gaurav Sethi said...

put them all in cheap highway motels. and in home games let them go home or stay at the franchise's company guest house. pity they can't take trains, never would make it for the back 2 back games. take a leaf outta icl and host the games in 2-3 venues. fixed menu too.

Homer said...

Som,

Given that this is the first season and there is a lot of prestige involved ( winning the inaugural Trophy and the bragging rights that follow), this is along expected lines..

Also, it is a new experience for all concerned.

I expect owners and team players to settle down and get comfortable in their respective roles in the next couple of seasons..

And you will have a couple of over bearing owners - happens in every sport but for the most part things should be better starting next year..

Cheers

Som said...

q, once a businessman, always a businessman. And we have not seen the last of the cost-cutting measures, of course!

Som said...

NC that's an exciting idea, even though it won't excite the players itself. But we have to admit that ICL was better thought-out and executed.

Som said...

SP, exactly. Star power alone won't guarantee you box office hits. Else, Bangalore Royal Challengers have been in the semis. Staying with stars, I think Shane Warne has done something akin to what Aamir Khan did in Lagaan, leading a pack of little known actors to success. Just wondering who was the Gracey Singh for Warne?

Som said...

Homer, may your words come true. Let's live in that hope.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Homer,also cost cutting is not a sin, the money saved in a business can be reallocated to a more productive use, inefficiencies should be removed.

But I don't agree with Mallya's approach of taking the matters in Public it does no good to an organization.

None of these franchises is going to make any money in the first few years,they can only cut down their losses by cutting the costs, just to stay a float and not to run in financial problems.

Anonymous said...

Wasim I have no problem with cost-cutting measures. But the way Knight Riders simply got rid of 5 players, or Kings XI PUnjab arranged separate hotel for fringe players, that is simply not done. My only request to SRKs and Zintas are, please make it a little graceful.