IPL can be played in Oct-Nov window

A s more and more sports events become victims of the havoc unleashed by Covid-19, a tweet by former England captain Michael Vaughan on Thursday perked up an interesting debate on the possibility of the Indian Premier League (IPL) being played this year.

Remember, the IPL stands suspended till April 15. While the BCCI hasn’t taken a call on the future of the 2020 tournament — the official stand is “let’s wait and see’’ — there is now no doubt that the IPL will not be played in the first half of this year.

Even if the lockdown is entirely lifted, there is simply no time for the BCCI and franchises to assemble their teams, have preparatory camps, start monetisation etc, for even a shortened tournament, which at one time seemed to be the solution.

Moreover, even if the BCCI, team owners and broadcasters are willing to take a small financial hit, it is unlikely that players — overseas and Indian — will be enthused to play unless the threat of infection is completely gone. All things considered, playing the IPL in May or June 2020 is a non-no.

However, what about the second half of the year?

Vaughan, sounded the gong on how the IPL can be salvaged in 2020 by tweeting: “Here’s a thought…The IPL is played for the 5 weeks leading up to the T20 World Cup in Oz...all players use it as the great warm up for the WC .. then the WC happens.…So important for the game that the IPL takes place but also the WC…’’

The underlying thought behind Vaughan’s suggestion, as he mentioned in a later tweet, is that the IPL is extremely important for cricket’s economy, not just in India, but globally. This is something that hardly needs explaining for the IPL is among the top 6 most valued sports properties in the world.

Vaughan’s tweets triggered off a protracted powpow on social media, with both pros and cons being hotly debated. Among the early responders was Aussie cricket scribe Peter Lalor who writes for The Australian. Lalor’s tweet to Vaughan gives the issue an altogether different and intriguing spin: “Here’s a thought. T20 World Cup in Oz abandoned because of obvious difficulties with players flying in. Quarantines etc. BCCI swoops and plays IPL in that October-November window. CA will let players compete knowing it needs India to tour in summer. What do you think?’’

This tweet is important. One, it correctly understands the hardship that the World T20 Championship will face. Though the tournament is more than six months away, getting all the teams in Australia, and quarantined for a fortnight as seems inevitable given the trend of Covid-19 as yet.

If the pandemic is not brought within complete control, the World T20 may still be played, but in without spectators, only for TV audiences. Since this is an ICC tournament, Cricket Australia will get guarantee money, which will considerably reduce its losses. In fact, with the event scaled down, there may be no loss at all.

If the T20 World Cup is abandoned this year, it gives the IPL perhaps a month’s time more to commence. The obvious guarantee Cricket Australia would want from the BCCI is that the Test series subsequently is honoured, as Lalor emphasizes.

But why would Cricket Australia be convinced to not stage the prestigious World T20 this year? A BCCI official I spoke to who wants to remain unnamed, says this is possible if the ICC can be convinced to have another World T20 in 2022 (the 2021 edition will be in India) Cricket Australia might agree if they get to host it.

This will require major rejigging of the international itinerary over the next couple of years, but the official believes this is possible. His optimism is based on the excellent relations the cricket boards of India and Australia (and England) enjoy.

This would mean getting other member countries aligned to the idea, as well as the ICC, perhaps a more onerous task given the strained relations of the BCCI with the parent body. “Not impossible though,’’ says the official, because this would mean everybody’s financial interests could be safeguarded.

Of course, all this is speculative indulgence at this time. How the future unravels, for cricket and all other sports, is how quickly Covid-19 can be tamed. Fingers crossed!