He‘s not just the face of the IPL, he’s both its creator and executor. If it succeeds, he takes the credit; if it fails, he has to face the brickbats. Lalit Modi spoke to Nihal Koshie on the upcoming T20 extravaganza that promises a cricket revolution. Excerpts...
 
A mind-numbing amount of money was spent last week...

A: All the bids were interesting, it was thrilling to see bids placed on players keeping in mind their ability to deliver results in future. The past and present performances were only used as a base to move forward, the valuation of some of the younger players proved to be the same. I am happy to see franchisees have valued the sport and the sportsman in the right spirit.

Thirty Indians got over a crore, India’s T20 generation was in great demand...

A: There has definitely been a surge in interest after India won the T20 World Cup. Each player has performed well in their respective domestic and international appearances, resulting in the excellent valuation. I hope to see the T20 format being included in the FTP (Future Tours Programme) very soon. All formats of the game can then cater to a distinct audience with varied appeals.

Manoj Tiwari, still wet behind the ear, got over six times his reserve price?

A: Manoj Tiwari symbolises Bengal’s new brand of cricket. In the last domestic season he had three 150-plus scores, and averaged 99.50. At 21, he has already led Bengal to a Cooch Behar Trophy triumph, and was also asked to captain the state in the Twenty20 championships. I believe the team owners saw the potential of this explosive player and have rightly valued his abilities.

Will market forces influence the dollar value of players and their on-field performance?

A: Market dynamics and free market forces have helped most cricketers discover their true net worth. It is a similar system that prevails in professional sports globally. This system will help usher in an era of professionals in sports - people who can earn a living off the game. But performance shall always be the benchmark for each player.

Isn’t it surprising that Ishant Sharma was valued at close to a million dollars?

A: Among the current lot, Ishant is perhaps the most promising. He’s the next best thing in Indian cricket. It’s good to see our young players being valued so high. This will help make cricket a career option.

Andrew Symonds went for $1.35m, despite not being very popular in India?

A: I am not surprised, but pleased with the valuation of Andrew Symonds. This shows how the game is evolving and becoming professional in its approach, people want to leave behind petty issues and concentrate on a player’s qualities. He is one of the finest all-rounders in the world and would definitely be an asset to the Hyderabad team.

Do you see the possibility of cricketers retiring early or focusing more on the IPL, at the cost of national interest?

A: No. As far as the DLF IPL is concerned, the value of a player to us is only if he is playing for his national side. We have put enough safeguards into the system to ensure that. Also, in April and May not many countries play international cricket.

Could you throw some light on when the IPL idea came to you, what inspired it and how close is it to your heart?

A: It all started in 1994, when I partnered with ESPN to launch their channel in India. The main challenge was, how to make it a business model. I dreamt about it. Let’s put it this way, this was a dream that goes back 13 years. But actually seeing it unfold before your own eyes was something beyond my wildest dreams.

Did you believe in the concept from day one? Didn’t you face any trouble convincing people about the idea?

A: Yes I did. We had been working at this for a long time, so the members were already fine-tuned to that. They thought this was the order of the day. The members felt this was the only way to go forward if we were to revitalize domestic cricket and go to the grassroot level. It was an innovative product that everybody liked and understood.

Will the city-based concept, wherein some players are from rival cities (like Robin Uthappa for Mumbai), help strike an emotional chord with the spectators?

A: Why not? The DLF IPL is an attempt to further propagate the game and increase the fan base. Furthermore, Indian cricket needed this boost at the domestic level. You will notice the improvement in the quality of cricket being played due to the nurturing of talent by the IPL. ‘My team, my city’ is our final objective. If we are able to build on that over the next few years we will have something that will revolutionise cricket - the way it’s played, watched and followed.

How big a role will the T20 game play in making cricketers global superstars?

A: This is only the beginning, it’s too early to say how will it shape up. DLF IPL is a platform which will bring about a change in the players’ superstar status, it will most definitely lead the way to make global cricketing stars. However, it’s individual performance that can create players like say a David Beckham or Wayne Rooney.

Source : DNA