As I watched the build-up shows on RevSportz from outside the Mullanpur Stadium over the last two days, one thing was apparent. The fans were there in numbers and soaking in every bit of it. The heat wasn’t a hindrance, and brand IPL trumped everything. As Gargi Raut made her way through the masses of fans who had all reached hours before the games started, it was evident that India’s only global sports brand was alive and kicking.
The crowds are in fact a telling comment on the tournament’s popularity. Needless to say, a packed 100,000 are expected in Ahmedabad for the final, and it will be the perfect climax of sorts for what has been a rather long tournament. Halfway into the IPL, the interest levels had dipped somewhat and Eden Gardens, for example, wasn’t full. Going forward, this is something the BCCI has to keep in mind if it has to have a tournament of sustained interest.
From an Indian cricket standpoint, there are three major takeaways from the tournament. The first has to be the comeback of Jasprit Bumrah. Ahead of the big England series, India needed their best back on the park and steaming in. In Mullanpur, Bumrah bowled for close to 40 minutes in practice, braving the 40 degrees Celsius heat, a clear sign that his body is holding up nicely for the time being.
Second is the form of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Yashasvi Jaiswal. While white-ball cricket isn’t an index, runs and time spent out in the middle is always of value. India’s batting has to stand up if things are to happen in England, and three of the top four coming to these shores with confidence is a welcome sign.
For More Sports Related News: Follow RevSportz
Finally, it is the resurgence of Kuldeep Yadav that gives me a lot of hope. For Kuldeep, the last few years have been tough. Benched on occasions, he had also lost his spot in the Indian team. Playing for KKR for a period in the IPL, the wickets at the Eden Gardens did not suit him and, all of a sudden, India’s most promising spinner seemed to have lost his sting. He was released ahead of the auctions in 2022 and was no longer a star draw. Add the surgery, which kept him out of cricket for six months, and it was evident Kuldeep was going through the lowest phase of his career.
But that’s the beauty of sport. It allows you to win and fail, both in public. Kuldeep had failed his fans and had suffered in the process. The injuries did not help either. He was being tested in every sense. And that’s when he had to dig deep. Stay resilient. Put in the hard yards. Train in silence and get battle ready. He did.
As Tim Wigmore, author of Test Cricket, said, “England has hardly faced quality left-arm wrist-spin. Take James Smith, for example. Don’t think he has ever played someone like Kuldeep. India must find a way to get him into the first eleven.”
In all, the IPL has done enough to stay resilient as a brand and also help Indian cricket. The stage is now set for the final two games, which will consolidate the tournament’s position as global cricket’s leading brand.