Over to the next innings

Another IPL season has drawn to a close and a cricket-crazy nation has already started its countdown to the next year where the sporting extravaganza will be back in a new avatar. The tournament mostly passed off with any major glitches and while organisers and police officials are heaving a sigh of relief, fans and sports enthusiasts in the city have already started drawing up wishlists for the next year.

“I would really like it to be a 10-team affair next season,” says Avinash Nidsale, a professional and avid cricket fan. “Pune and Gujarat have performed well this season and people really don’t want them to be disbanded. It would be great if Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals came back along with all the present teams since more teams will mean more matches and more fights to make it to the last four.”

For Amazon professional Shamanth Krishnappa, a better performance by the home team is what he looks forward to the most. “This season was somewhat of a disappointment for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and their fans and everyone will be hoping for a comeback next year,” he says.

Agreeing to the fact that she would love to see a resurgent RCB, Preethi Sharma, an MNC professional, adds, “But I guess everyone is very excited that CSK is coming back. It was a legendary team and I hope at least some of the former CSK players come back to the team. It was a brilliant bunch of players.”

Retention of players is another topic that Avinash stresses on. “Teams should be allowed to retain some players. Fan bases for teams depend on special cricketers. Entirely new teams will take time to build up that kind of loyalty again.”

Adding a personal touch to his wishlist, Shamanth says, “Last year, I was able to shake hands and take pictures with Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen this time. So next year again, I want to see some of my favourite players up close and click some pictures with them.”

Every IPL match is a logistical nightmare and despite best efforts of the authorities, inconvenience to the public cannot be avoided. Which is why better traffic management and parking facilities feature on the desires of stadium goers in Bengaluru. “Getting home after a match is nothing short of a nightmare,” says Preethi. “It is very difficult to get a cab at that time and those that do agree to come, charge a bomb.
Metro connectivity should be improved and more public transport options should be provided.”

“Even if one decides to come on their own to avoid these problems, parking is another major hassle,” agrees Avinash. “And sometimes the policemen on duty are very rude to people. I understand they have to handle a lot of people but sometimes their behaviour gets on your nerves. This should be rectified and if need be, policemen can be given shorter shifts on a rotational basis.”

The exorbitant ticket prices are another dampener and Avinash stresses on the need to keep the base price affordable for the common man so that everyone can have the stadium experience while maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene figure on Shamanth’s index of desires.

It is said that cricket is the fastest growing religion in India. So here’s to the wait for the next IPL and a time we see our entire universe of Gods in action.