Discover 5 reasons why IPL is not good for Indian cricket, focusing on its impact on players, priorities, and long-term development. There’s no doubt that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is an important part of Indian cricket. Every season, IPL is an exciting tournament, not just in India but around the world. Players and teams that perform well in the league are praised by cricket fans everywhere.
But like anything, the IPL has its good and bad sides. Some of the problems it brings are serious and may be doing more harm than good to Indian cricket. Here, we look at 5 reasons why IPL has caused more harm than help over the years.
5. Shifts Focus From International Games
One major harm that IPL has caused to Indian cricket is that it takes attention away from international matches. During the tournament, players focus mainly on performing well in the IPL, rather than on their national team duties.
As a result, they sometimes prioritize the high-paying IPL over playing for India. Even fans often care more about the IPL than India’s performance in international games during the tournament. Players are also willing to take on more matches to help their IPL teams succeed.
4. Rise in Players’ Fatigue
Another problem with the Indian Premier League is that it makes players tired. After working hard for almost two months during the IPL, players often feel exhausted and struggle to perform in the next series.
For example, when India had a disappointing first-round exit in the 2021 T20 World Cup, IPL was blamed for causing player fatigue. The second part of the 2021 season happened just before the World Cup.
3. Injury Concerns
The IPL also causes injury concerns for players. There have been many cases where playing in back-to-back games led to injuries. For example, last season, Suryakumar Yadav had to leave the league early due to an injury. In IPL 2023, Deepak Chahar got injured after a few games and returned later.
Because of this, the BCCI told franchise owners to manage the workload of key players in the 2023 season. Over the last 16 seasons, the IPL has caused injuries to many Indian players, making them unavailable for important international tournaments later.
Also Read: The 10 Best Football Tournaments of All Time
2. Develops Money-Minded Attitude
The IPL is a very wealthy tournament and the richest T20 league in the world, offering large payments to players. However, this affects how both players and fans view the league. Players who get big contracts are expected to perform well. If they don’t, they are blamed for wasting the franchise’s money.
Many players even skip national duties to play in the IPL, hoping for a big deal. Fans sometimes judge players based on how much money they earn in the IPL instead of their actual performance. This has led to a focus on money over performance in the league.
1. Misjudged Scouting From IPL
The IPL is a T20 tournament played in various stadiums across India. Some stadiums, like Wankhede and Narendra Modi, have high scores, while others, like Chidambaram and Ekana, have low scores. This makes scouting players from the IPL risky for Indian cricket.
While there have been successful scouts like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin, there are also many wrong picks.
For example, spinners like Varun Chakravarthy, Rahul Chahar, and opener Ishan Kishan were selected for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 based on their IPL performances. However, all three struggled during the tournament. Venkatesh Iyer and Deepak Hooda got international debuts thanks to IPL, but their careers stalled after a few games due to inconsistency.
Sometimes, selectors also pick top IPL performers for ODIs and Tests, but this strategy has mostly failed because of the format differences. As a result, IPL scouting often leads to mistakes, which harms Indian cricket.
Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah vs Shaheen Afridi: Who’s the Best ODI Bowler?