Indian Premier League - Stop this crazy money train!

While the Caribbean are being thrashed by Pakistan on their own home soil, we could discover the major West Indian stars – Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo more busy in playing the cash rich Indian Premier League (IPL). Not only that; both of them were found enjoying the after-match parties and were not at all bothered by their team’s dismal performances at home.

I have been a West Indies cricket follower since the days of Malcolm Marshall and Viv Richards. Their dismal displays hurt me a lot and whenever they play, I always pray from the bottom of my heart that the Caribbean emerge from this downward spiral. But no matter how much I pray, they always deny emerging from this downward spiral as because the modern West Indian players have no passion for playing for their own country but they are more interested in swelling up their bank accounts.  

Money is bigger than the country? Playing in the cash rich Leagues is more important than playing for the country? No

Critics and fans have questioned Gautum Gambhir’s commitment towards India. It is dubbed that Gambhir played the IPL eliminator match against Mumbai India by hiding his injury which later aggravated a lot. Gambhir who was expected to lead the Indian team in West Indies next month will be absent now and Gambhir’s opening partner Virender Sehwag will also be absent in West Indies.

Famous cricket columnist, Sharda Urga, wrote in her column regarding the Gambhir saga, “The injury report of Andrew Leipus, Kolkata Knight Riders' physiotherapist, states that Gambhir had taken cortisone injections in his shoulder for the past few years, so it's not as if the shoulder tore itself during the World Cup final. Was no one paying attention? Had the IPL distracted them all?”

Her last question, “Had the IPL distracted them all?” Perhaps yes.

The Indian premier League aka IPL is the flavour of modern day cricket. It offers fast and furious cricket and above all it offers both cash and glamour. For the present international cricketers IPL has become an obsession. At any cost they wish to participate in the IPL and earn as much as they can.  In such process, cash has made the modern day cricketers blind. Look at the West Indian cricketers. They simply feel no shame in ditching their own country for the sake of cash.

Everyone has right to earn money but it should be earned with dignity. How much dignity is maintained by shunning the duties towards country and run for cash? Isn’t IPL acting like an evil here?

What is IPL teaching the modern day cricketers? Hug cash and not country? As far as I am concerned, humungous amount of cash always let an evil to emerge inside your mind. Isn’t the IPL acting as a catalyst in nurturing evil minds among the modern day cricketers?

Modern day cricketers lack integrity. They lack the true spirit of the game. They lack the passion for playing for their own country and they are disinterested in maintaining the rich tradition of this game. They only care for cash.    

Day by day, IPL is developing into a demon which will devour this cricketing world. I fear of more evil deeds to happen in near future. Cricketers have become slaves of this IPL. They all wish to ride on the crazy money train of IPL.

This crazy money train must be stopped for the wellbeing of world cricket.

We don’t want cricket to get destroyed for IPL.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar