 The morning after is not anyone’s favourite word, yet, the morning after IPL3 saw its winners and losers.
With a high for Chennai Superkings and a low for the man who started it all, the irrepressible and now Commissioner-in-Suspension, Lalit Kumar Modi , the morning after IPL3 saw an euphoric Chennai, a morose Mumbai, a determined BCCI, a beleaguered Modi, a new IPL chief, a vigilant Income Tax Department and an IPL sub-committee of sorts with three wise cricketing heads.
Mumbai city woke up to a grumpy Monday morning after Chennai’s triumph took the shine off the city’s planned celebrations, with the Mumbai Indians, after their domination of the tournament, all geared up to lift the trophy in front of a pulsating home crowd. It was just not to be. The difference in the end could well have been the captaincy, with some inexplicable decisions in Mumbai’s batting order, though the dropped catches certainly did not help their cause, leaving them, in this case, a poor second. Clearly, Sachin Tendulkar’s brave decision to play inspite of his injury and his strong batting performance through the pain, showed the determination and skill of the master, but one was left with the feeling that Mumbai put too much pressure on themselves to win, and hence, did not.
Lalit Modi presents the IPL trophy to Chennai Super Kings Captain MS Dhoni |
The morning after was certainly not a great one for Lalit Modi, as a suspension from all IPL and BCCI activities, five primary charges and fifteen days to answer them, was what greeted him. The charges, number 1, initial bids of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, number 2, the MSM-WSG broadcast deal, number 3, bid rigging for the two new franchises, number 4, internet rights given to Modi’s family and number 5, the behavioural pattern of Modi, were accompanied by allegations of missing contract papers, putting Modi right in the dock. Predictably, Lalit Modi was spotted in Delhi soon after conferring with top lawyers and known BCCI baiters chalking out his strategies. At this moment, it does seem, however, that the might of a leading legal team or the best thought out strategies may not have as much impact as perhaps a clear conscience. Only the truth can save, if that truth is clean.
Lalit Modi, having been born into a business family, has had a colourful past, from his troubles with the law in the US as a student to his marriage to his mother’s friend from UK, 10 years his senior to his tenure as the President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association. He remains one of the three heirs to a business close to a billion dollars, now headed by his erstwhile father K.K. Modi, and started by his grandfather, with varied interests in agro to chemicals, entertainment, consumer goods, education and travel, the most high profile being Godfrey Philips India in partnership with Philip Morris, the cigarette company. Lalit Modi is currently also the Executive Director of Godfrey Philips India, and has found a voice of support over his IPL activities from his father, who has publicly encouraged him to fight and assured him of his family’s support. Gaurav Burman, from the Dabur family, is married to his step-daughter Karima, while his son is a student of American School of Bombay and his daughter studies in Switzerland.
The morning after was an auspicious one for Chirayu Amin, a name the cricketing world or even India has not heard much of earlier. Chirayu Amin is the man now appointed as the interim chief of IPL, and has been a member of the IPL governing council as also the Vice President of BCCI. He is also the President of the Baroda Cricket Association and the owner of Alembic, a successful pharmaceutical company and Yera glassware. He has also been the President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). He is in complete contrast to Modi, preferring a low profile, an aversion to controversies and enjoys a high degree of credibility, which is exactly what the IPL needs right now. He has been quoted as saying that he prefers a system-oriented management approach to IPL, making it clear that IPL is now set to move beyond the flamboyance and fancies of individuals to greater transparency and a higher standard of governance.
The morning after was certainly a tiring one for the IPL players representing their countries for the cricketing fiesta in the West Indies, who had to make plans to join their respective teams in pursuit of another conquest, a bigger one this time, the T20 World Cup. This included Lasith Malinga, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muthiah Muralidharan.
The morning after was also a feeling of void for the avid cricketing fans, whose evenings for the last six weeks were consumed by the IPL matches, and the days, talking about it.
While the morning after IPL 3 has set in motion a string of events that no doubt will change the way IPL has functioned thus far, there is hope and belief that this will only enable IPL to reach greater heights in the future, with more focus on what does eventually matter – some good, hard-fought and genuine cricket action. |
E-mail
