What is THE IPL ??.. To me :P

When you fail, you come to know the importance of the success and then you try harder to get it !!

This may be one of the reasons I still feel that MI (Mumbai Indians) will come strongly in IPL-4.

On the eve of 25th April, MI when were asked to Bowl, they were under pressure.

Even they bowled good till 13-14th Over, they paid for their fielding mistakes which has cost them high.

Then the very first maiden over from Ashwin, made a impact. Then few quick wickets and late arrival of Pollard on the pitch made it worse.

The only man, at whom the whole nation looks at was kind of nervous and that made me think over the importance of IPL.

Is this THE tournament for which the players are showing the extreme commitment and passion?.

I am not saying they should take this league lightly or casually, but how often you have seen the players putting their 120% on the field when they play from India ?.

YES.. You can take your time here... I also have taken mine before writing this.

The main problem is this IPL was formed in the Rivalry of ICL.

ICL also was a good tournament but BCCI was against them. I suspect the main reason was "Kapil Dev".

Yes.. To me it seemed like that only.

How many times you have seen this LEGEND present recently at BCCI functions?..

How many times you have even seen/heard him recently in any media?.

Why the GREAT player like him has been neglected?.. Ignored ?..

Just have a look at below Head lines which might reflect what made me think this ?

Aug 20, 2007: Kapil Dev addresses the media at the launch of the ICL in Mumbai.

Aug 21, 2007: The Indian board has sacked Kapil Dev as chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) with immediate effect.

Sep 7, 2007: The battle of verbals between Kapil Dev and the Indian board officials has intensified further with Kapil hitting out against IS Bindra the president of the Punjab Cricket Association.

Sep 13, 2007: Kapil said the ICL was not trying to fight the BCCI and its aim was simply to improve the standard of cricket in the country

Nov 13, 2007: The ICL has been facing a slew of problems since its launch, from the active opposition of the Indian board to the massive wage bill incurred by promising dozens of players' hefty packages that start at Rs30 lakhs (US$ 80,000 approx)

Feb 13, 2008: Kapil Dev leveled the charge that the board had "deliberately amended the rules" following his move to the ICL by altering the word 'pension' with 'Benevolent Fund'.

May 20, 2008: The 25th anniversary celebrations of India's 1983 World Cup-winning campaign will not involve the Board of Control for Cricket in India in any capacity.

Jun 3, 2008: Kapil Dev and three other team members of the 1983 World Cup team were present at a function in Bangalore to kick start the silver jubilee celebrations of the triumph

Jun 18, 2008: Kapil Dev has written to the Punjab Cricket Association requesting them to return his 'gifts and memorabilia'

Jun 27, 2008: The controversy over the removal of Kapil Dev's poster from the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium (PCA) has ended with the PCA restoring the poster

Dec 13, 2008: Kapil Dev has appeared in the Delhi high court and urged that the BCCI be directed to release pensions to former Indian players now associated with the ICL

Feb 24, 2009: Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie, who plays for the Ahmedadbad Rockets, felt it is only a "matter of time" before a resolution is reached between the ICL and the BCCI

Mar 9, 2010: The former India captain played 131 Tests and 225 ODIs across a 16-year career, and is best remembered for leading India to victory in the 1983 World Cup.

And What since March ?.. Where is he ?...

So to me, not Mr.Lalit Modi,but Kapil Dev has contributed more to the birth of IPL.

If anything is started on the bad note, it will have some BAD patches in it for sure.

I guess this has happened in recent days in IPL.

To us, it has portrayed as IPL is child of Mr.Lalit Modi,who has dreamed about this long time ago.

Truth is, BCCI needed plan B to overcome ICL, which might have got the popularity and fame, which some BCCI officials didn't wanted at that stage.

So, huge packages and huge publicity was made and this was potreyed as the DREAM that Indian Cricket always wanted.

I am not against 20-20,but I see the things differently for the things that IPL has given to Indian Cricket.

Like a disappointment to Yuvraj Singh this year, Injury to Sehwag and Sachin,Criticism to Saurav Ganguly even after exit from

Active cricket and many more.

But it also has produced some good stars over the years.

I am not against the IPL either, but I just wanted to watch fair cricket where a dedication and commitment to sports and country can be seen.

If Mumbai have won yesterday, I may have written the blog with praises for the little master and the unit.

But, still I would have this thing on mind... So thanks MI for loosing as this made this post possible.

I believe MI will come back strongly in next season.

And just in case if they didn't I might cheer for Pune Warriors too :) :P

See.. Everything do not happen as you wish, but you can certainly you can analyze the causes and you can always learn from it.

So .. Look forward to IPL-4 !!.. Till then, watch the World Cup 20-20 :P