In a move effectively challenging the Indian cricket board’s national tournaments, Zee Group announced the launch of an ambitious Indian Cricket League (ICL) with a corpus fund of Rs 1 billion ($232.26 million) and a promise to field many international players.Stung by the announcement and in order to stop speculation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) quickly issued a statement that its president Sharad Pawar has received a letter, but said no more. The announcement came as a surprise also because Zee owns the BCCI rights for overseas international cricket. Zee won the five-year rights for $219.15 million.
The announcement of a parallel cricket structure, though not a real surprise given the stakes involved, is shrewd in its timing and plentiful in potential. This was a googly that the BCCI didn’t read and, with its mind already occupied by the civil war erupting in its backyard, it must play the ball with a lot of thought and with both eyes on the future. There is opportunity in this for Subhash Chandra, whose idea it is, but also for the BCCI if it plays its cards right. It may even be for the good of Indian cricket if only by giving the system a shake-up.
This is considered one of the most ambitious projects in the history of Indian Cricket. Do you think this will change the face of the Indian Cricket which is dusted with BCCI politics and incapable players? We hope this initiative will create a good talent pool for future Indian Cricket. Feel free to pass on the comments !!!
Source: Kalingatimes, CricInfo
This will kick BCCI’s ass. This should happen in India. Otherwise BCCI will kill the whole cricket talent in India with their politics. I think this will give many good players to show their talent.
This is really a strategic move from ZEE.
I believe its good for Indian Cricket. It will surely minimize the politics in the cricket and gives priority to the Game and talent.
I was really looking forward for this. BCCI is one of the richest sport clubs in the world and has done nothing to improve the talent in India. I really hope Indian cricket gets something good out of this.
if we go like this we can create 100,000 teams in India.
Now indian cricket will have a crutial turning point only the talented will come out,and all the recamondations and bribes will be kicked off, this is really good thing happening, i wish it must be happen to kick on ass of bcci and tell them that sports is not politics.
Seriously guys this will be the most ambitious project ever. There is a lot of talent out there which is going in vain because of the shitty politics of BCCI. I hope this will give the youngsters a good chance to prove nationally. Lets see how far this will go. Cheers for posting this. You guys rock !!!
it will good but indian cricket and will help in nurturing
young talent but i think it will good if it handled by good professional to make a success like the NFL in america. what ever the final out come may be hope it will help in finding some new talent as the indian team need it now…………..
This move will surely hold BCCI by its BALLS!!!!
given the circumsatnces any change would be good.
guyz I dont think these kind of domestic structure is going to help the indian cricket team any way. Because, even England has county cricket, is it making any kind of difference on the england cricket team? We have had a very good team as it is. Just think about players like–> sachin, ganguly, dravid, dhoni, yuvraj, sehwag and uthappa. Well for the past 3 world cups we had the best batting line ups in the entire world not just on paper, they undoubtedly are exceptionally talented cricketers than any one in the world. Unfortunately every time they are unable to perform in the critical times. I think leadership is the key factor which is not performing there. They suddenly loose aggression these players. Not just this world cup, in the last one and previous 2 versions its the same case. I thought Dravid should have shown some aggression there. People might say its a collective failure, but I did not see any kind of confidence in dravids face through out. Even when we were defending 192 against bangladesh. Not that its an undefendable total. We did defend that against srilanka twice the same total and why not a mere bangladesh.
Dravid really shown some sort of fear in his face through out the tournament and I believe that is where we lost half of it. Well I never seen such fear on the face of ganguly. He rather shown some aggression through out his tenure whether he performed or not and that really helped players themselves bring out some aggression in themselves.
No doubt dravid is a hard working player; however leadership is not all about hard working with in himself but its about leading 11 member team on the field. He did not even make proper bowling changes in the bangladesh game. I dont know how many concur with me. But I am completely convinced onthe fact that its a failure mainly on the captains part which ultimately showed up on team and hence on the whole nation. Its not right to sack dravid though. But choosing the best captain is much more important. I think now instead of giving captaincy directly in to the hands of yuvraj, I think its sensible to go back to ganguly.
As I already told you captaincy is not all about performing with the bat, its about leading the team of 11 aggressive people. thats where tendulkar failed when he captained the team and now dravid. Back home dravid has some kind of confidence which proved him successful, but never in his life time that he proved as confident on the away soils.
i dont think subhash has lot concern about indian cricket, he tries to make money [or make busy is sports channel] out of indian team flop show in WC. THAT’S ALL.
it is resembling like harry-packer series.
these two[subhash chandra & h.packer] are against to the cricket boards just b’coz they did not get the telecasting rights.
that series was utter fLop IN AUSTRALIA.
now we need good & genuine coach to team india, not like chappel who has bad intentions. eg;under arm bowling by his brother,when he was captain.so on…..
wow!
This is a fantastic idea of Zee TV. This is nothing but a challenge to Indian cricket board and selection committee as well. I am sure this affords will bring the good talented guys in future cricket.sellection committee has been influenced by board with their politics. In world cup 2007 the performance of the Indian cricket team (except dravid and veeru) is truly evidence of the poor selection by the cricket board. Why they want to keep for tendulakar in the Indian team. What is his performance for past 5 years? Why they want keep him still. I am agreed with others that is having tons of runs in this history of cricket. But where is team spriet? His runs never help indent team to win a single match. All runs are his personal records only.
Hope in future we will have good talented players in our Indian cricket team with help of ZEE TV League.
goodluck to indian cricket.
I don’t think ZEE TV would help anything for Indian Cricket. If ZEE TV is really keen in helping sports in India why did it pick up Cricket. India is doing good in other sports too but only problem is less funding for players for their life support. Sports persons get paid only when they win or else no money and no life, so how do any talented sport persons risk to be a sports person, unless they are economically sound.
But I totally agree with some of you that BCCI is too much into politics, only reason is Indian team is like an elephant its worth a fortune both when it’s alive or dead. BCCI gets is share from Commercials no matter Indian team wins or loses.
Gp
This the best way to encourage the new talent cricket heros, hope this wil change the fase of drity politics at present in cricket,heartly thanx to ZEE TV,,come on INDIA, and i requst the ZEE ,please get the best players for cricket world.once again thank you n all the best ,hope this will be the big turning point for indian cricket,,,,jai hind
This might be a real and prove a very good challenge to BCCI’s structure and method of operation with cricketing system.
Thanks.