I wish I were 20 years younger at this very moment! The relocation of the IPL 2009 to South Africa might not have met with unanimous approval from all, but from purely a cricketing perspective, I think, the move will open up a whole new vista.
For young cricketers in particular, it is a huge platform to play in alien conditions and on foreign soil, rubbing shoulders with some of the best players in the world today. I would give anything to shed my age and play in the IPL today!
I think, the BCCI has shown excellent adaptability in shifting the venue after it became an imperative action.
The second year of the IPL is indeed very crucial from the standpoint of sustaining the huge amount of interest that the inaugural season in 2008 generated. Never mind the circumstances that led to the shift, but I firmly believe that this season provides a bigger platform for young cricketers to showcase their talent and potential.
I think, the IPL has given birth to a whole new generation of cricketers who though might not identify themselves with the hoary past of this great game, will definitely enjoy the benefits of performing in an international environment.
If cricket were to evolve into a global sport, then it is imperative that we get new faces coming up through the ranks and when viewed from this perspective, IPL and T20 format is the way forward.
Yes, I do concede the point that T20 is no shortcut to the top, but it provides a sampling of what you can do when playing alongside and against the best players.
As for Chennai Super Kings, we have two South African players – Albie Morkel and Makhaya Ntini – in our ranks besides a few other foreign signings like Mike Hussey, Matthew Hayden and Andrew Flintoff who have a lot of experience playing in South Africa.
To top it, our captain, Dhoni has happy memories of South Africa where he skippered the Indian team to memorable victory in the inaugural T20 World Cup two seasons ago.
By way of preparations, we are still in the process of finalizing our itinerary, but we plan to arrive in South Africa a week in advance to acclimatize and also perhaps play a few practice games.
As for the tournament prospects, I would say that all the eight teams would be starting out from scratch in view of the neutral venues. I am sure it will boil down to the team that adapts better and quickly would be the winner.
I am looking forward to an exciting five weeks in a country that is also famous for its safaris, flora and fauna, and I am hoping that we get to see a new star emerging from the competition as in the end, cricket will be the biggest gainer.
