IPL is here and along with it comes 60+ days of nonstop cricket madness. Your worst nightmare if you aren’t a cricket fan. March, April and May are all about IPL: Which team is likely to win, the cricketers involved, how and where to watch the match and so on. Every year, I can’t wait for the whole thing to be over! The scorching summer heat is one thing to deal with but adding IPL mania to the mix – NOPE. I’m sure I am not the only one who feels that way.
Beware! The IPL Hype Engine has been released…. It will hit you really soon!
Here are 20 things you can relate to if you hate IPL!
1. The Hype
IPL is the most-talked-about event and not to forget the biggest one too. That’s all people talk about all throughout April and May- Which team are you supporting? Which teams are playing today? Who do you think will win the match? Who will get to the top 4? Who will win the finals? Just NOPE!
Can’t we talk about something else for a change?
2. The Overdose
For these two months, everything, literally everything is about IPL. Ads, discussions, purchases; even box office sales go down during the season. Forget other areas, even other sports don’t get to be in the limelight. How many of you had to give the last FIFA World Cup a miss because of IPL?
In a household where cricket is a religion and IPL is a festival, it is considered a sin if someone wants to change the channel to something else, say, news.
3. The Ads
The IPL season creates a platform for brands to encash upon that opportunity to come up with IPL related ads. And these ads are everywhere. No matter what the brand is about, there will be an IPL related ad about it. Didn’t you get tired of those Dream11 ads when it was a sponsor in 2020?
4. The Crowd Behavior
Whether it’s about the Mumbai crowd booing at Virat Kohli or a shoe being hurled at Jadeja, the crowd behavior- both excitement and rage- know no bounds. It’s just sad. People literally go crazy over a simple game of cricket. One of many reasons to hate IPL. What is civilized behavior? What is this alien term you speak of?
5. The State Thing
There’s too much of the ‘I am from Mumbai, so I’ll follow Mumbai Indians only’ drama. Why reduce the players and the game for which state’s team they are playing for instead of following them for how well they play? Doesn’t make sense.
There was a time when no matter where you were from, you’d all sit in front of a TV, cheering on the Indian cricket team. Now, the same cricketers who are cheered when they play for India are jeered at when they play for their respective IPL teams. And don’t even get me started on how people within families argue over their favourite IPL teams.
6. The Politics
Do you remember the times when Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan played in IPL? They don’t play anymore. Why? Politics, my friend. It’s all about politics. And not just any politics, but dirty, corrupt politics. For that aspect, I absolutely hate IPL.
7. The Bollywood Angle
The involvement of Bollywood celebrities in IPL. I grew up believing Bollywood and Cricket are two different worlds. IPL has changed that perception with a lot of Bollywood involvement. Why should the camera focus on Shahrukh Khan all the time when his team is playing on the ground?
8. The Controversies
hate IPL
Should IPL news be in the sports section or the Page 3? From Harbhajan Singh slapping Sreesanth to spot-fixing scandals, IPL has a lot of controversies. And they make you feel like it’s less of a sporting tournament and more of a juicy reality show like Bigg Boss. Where goes the Spirit of Cricket when these players are playing in the IPL?
9. Too Much Confusion
hate IPL
It’s too confusing to keep a track of all the players of the 8 teams that keep changing every season. Robin Uthappa, Chris Gayle, David Warner all changed teams. To add to that confusion, they keep adding and removing teams now and then. Like where did Delhi Daredevils go?
10. The Commentary
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Have you ever, carefully, listened to the IPL commentary? The jokes that the commentators make and then laugh at it themselves. What’s worse is the commentary in Hindi. Just can’t handle it. This right here is a good reason to hate IPL.
11. The Shows About IPL
The over analyzing of every move made on the ground and some of these points made by people who are nowhere related to this field just makes the whole thing annoying on a whole different level.
12. Commercialization
A lot of people argue that the IPL has commercialized Cricket and I don’t disagree. From sponsors out there trying to get on the jersey to making the event about everything but Cricket. It’s very disrespectful to the game and the players. You’ll realize this when you see their opening and closing ceremonies.
13. Objectification Of Women
And where is the Women’s IPL that you keep promising and never deliver? Our women’s cricketers got to the final of the T20 World Cup and we still don’t feel that they deserve their own league.
14. The Prize Money
Let’s take for instance IPL 9, the prize money was Rs.15 crores. And Yuvraj Singh in IPL 8 was auctioned at Rs.16 crores. Does it even feel like a win at all?
15. Expensive Tickets
A lot of people miss the chance of seeing the match at the stadium owing to expensive tickets. Paying so much for a one-time pass is just not worth it. And a little disappointing.
16. The Merchandise Craze
How many people have you seen sporting their favorite team’s jersey or a cap? Too many I assume. Too much merchandise everywhere.
17. Too Many Sixes
There are way too many sixes in the game. Way too many and I get it, you can’t plan that but what fun is it to see so many sixes? Nothing nail-biting about it? Couldn’t hurt to have a few bowler-dominated, low-scoring games, could it?
18. The Early Retirement
With big money in IPL, a lot of cricketers are taking early retirement and a poll even indicated that a lot of these players wouldn’t think twice before telling goodbye to other forms of Cricket. How many South African players do you know who play in the IPL and not for their own team? If you’re fit enough to play the IPL, you can surely play T20I cricket at the least. Now, I do want to see my favorite cricketer play more and not less.
19. The Bidding And Auctioning
A lot of good players are auctioned for a lot less. And sometimes the bid amount of one player in one season is more than the winning prize amount of the entire team in another season. Case in point, Jaydev Unadkat who Rajasthan Royals kept splurging on and he kept underperforming year-after-year. And don’t even get me started on the ridiculous price they paid for Chris Morris in 2021 (who hardly did much for RCB last year and is a constant injury risk). Cheteshwar Pujara was bought at his base price and it felt less like an investment and more like charity (he probably won’t even get to play a single game). Bottom line is that the bidding and auctioning, is done unfairly at some places. Another reason to hate IPL.
20. The Exhaustion
The IPL begins with a bang, even before the pressure of the World Cup had subsides. And the players’ lives become increasingly occupied as they prepare for T20 matches. They do not get the rest and practice that they require in order to avoid any negative consequences. Do you remember India’s tour of England of 2021?
- Cheer Leaders
Instead of those NFL gals with their pom poms, why can’t they have a couple of Bharatanatyam or Kuchipudi exponents on those stages? Is there anything else I can say? It’s annoying, people.
- It’s NOT Cricket
From tiny boundaries that lead to more fours and sixes to privatizing the entire game, somewhere along the way, the essence of Cricket is lost. Hence, IPL isn’t real Cricket.
I am not trying to offend or getting you to hate IPL. We are known for being Cricket lovers and worshippers and that’s never going to change. But Cricket, of all things, shouldn’t be commercialized is all I am saying. And aren’t there other sports too in India that deserve our attention?
Do you hate IPL? If yes, relatable much?
Let us know if you have any other legit reasons to hate IPL. And kindly refrain from starting a war in the comments, we all love IPL, just not the way it is right now. Till then, peace out! *tries mic drop and fails miserably*
