🕊 Silver Linings
IPL teams going global, who benefits from the Asiad being postponed & Avinash Sable's breaking records.
The Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the First War of Indian Independence, began on this day in 1857. On the same day 105 years later, Marvel released its first issue of The Incredible Hulk comic. Continuing with the superhero theme, on this same day in 1994 Nelson Mandela was sworn in as South Africa’s first black President.
With that dash of history, let’s dive right into this week’s collection of stories. Pip pip.
The IPL’s growing global footprint
Last month, Cricket South Africa announced that it will be launching its own T20 franchise league with the inaugural season slated for next January. That in itself isn’t surprising given the rate at which franchise leagues are popping up across the world. But, what’s interesting is that in a document shared at the CSA Member Council, the board outlined its aim to create “the second best T20 league in the world”. Any guesses for which one is the best?
While the CSA acknowledges its league can’t catch up with the IPL, it’s aiming to take a leaf or two out of its book. To that effect, they’ve roped in former IPL COO Sundar Raman as a minority shareholder in the league. Raman, who owns a 12.5% stake in the un-named league, has a clear prerogative - make the league profitable.
So far, CSK, MI, RR and DC have expressed interest in buying a franchise in this six-team tournament. This fits the trend that’s been seen in the last couple of years of IPL franchises expanding their global outreach.
Punjab Kings bought Caribbean Premier League side St. Lucia Zouks (now St. Lucia Kings) in Feb 2020 while Rajasthan Royals purchased a majority stake in CPL side, Barbados Titans (now Barbados Royals) in July last year. IPL traces can be found all over the UAE T20 League that’s to be launched next year - MI owner Mukesh Ambani has purchased a team as does Delhi Capitals co-owner Kiran Kumar Grandhi has a team. An announcement of the participation of Shah Rukh Khan’s Knight Riders Group in the league is imminent.
KKR have been trailblazers in growing a global cricket franchise. Their purchase of the Trinidad & Tobago franchise in 2014 was the first foray into international leagues made by an IPL franchise. Since then, the team has won 3 CPL titles. The Knight Riders Group had a franchise in South Africa’s T20 Global League that was to be launched in 2017 but was eventually disbanded.
The group have also bought a franchise in the upcoming USA’s Major League Cricket and will also be working as ‘consultant’ to American Cricket Enterprise (ACE), USA Cricket’s partner in running the league. Last month, the group announced plans to build a cricket stadium in LA with support from MLC.
KKR MD Venky Mysore has spoken of how building franchises in different hemispheres helps expand the fan base and increase the valuation of the brand. With franchises moving towards building revenue streams outside of the two months of the IPL, we could see more IPL teams acquiring franchises in foreign leagues.
Will Indian players be allowed to represent these teams in foreign leagues?
Who benefits from the Asian Games Postponement
The Asian Games, which were slated to begin in Hangzhou, in the 2nd week of September, have been postponed indefinitely due to rising COVID cases in China. While the postponement has torn up carefully laid plans, it has been a blessing in disguise for many.
Long distance runners - The short gap between the Asiad and the Commonwealth Games ( Jul 28 – Aug 8) would have made it difficult for them to recover and peak in time for the Asian Games.
Elite Track & Field athletes - It’s cleared up what would have otherwise been a packed three month period with the World Championships, CWG and Asiad all taking place one after another.
“I had three events to compete in earlier which meant I had to peak thrice in the season. But now with Asian Games shifted to 2023, we will have stronger preparation for Olympics in 2024 as there is another World Championships next year. So I would say the postponement helps.”
- Long jump national record holder M Sreeshankar to FirstPost
Wrestling - The Wrestling Federation of India’s plan had been to send its top wrestlers to the CWG and Asiad, and the second-best ones to the World Championships (which take place 10 days after the Asiad). But now, the WFI will be putting its best foot forward in all competitions and conducting fresh trials for the Asiad.
Hockey - The Hockey Federation too planned to send a weakened team to the CWG as Olympic qualification was up for grabs at the Asiad. But the postponement now allows for the youthful Birmingham bound team to be interspersed with experience.
Tennis - The postponement will allow the association to field its best players for its Davis Cup second leg against Norway ( September 16-17 or 17-18)
Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das, Jyothi Surekha - The postponement is a silver lining for these ace shooters who missed out on qualification for this year’s Asiad. The archery association has all but confirmed that fresh trials will be held for the competition next year.
Saina Nehwal - The postponement has been a major blow to athletes like Sania Mirza and archer Tarundeep Rai who were to retire at the end of the year. But for Nehwal, it could be an opportunity to bow out on a high. The star shuttler had skipped the selection trials for the CWG and Asiad due to scheduling conflicts and workload management. The badminton association secretary has spoken of finding a window to re-conduct trials closer to the Asian Games. For Saina, there’s hope.
Person of Interest
A little more than a month ago, we wrote about Avinash Sable breaking the 3000m national record for steeplechase a record 7th time. The first of these seven came in 2018, when he broke a record that had stood for 24 years.
Last Friday, he went one better and broke a national record that had stood for 30 years. At the Sound Running Track Meet in California, Sable posted a timing of 13.25.65 in the men’s 5000m event.
Sable is a national record obsessive. Aside from steeplechasing and the 5000m, Sable also holds the half-marathon national record. More than his timings, it’s the time he took to break these records that’s impressive.
The meet in California on Friday was only the second time he’s run the 5000m. He broke the steeplechase record for the first time just three years after taking up athletics professionally. The half-marathon record he broke in 2020 came in his third ever half marathon and on the back of a month’s preparation.
Sable hasn’t lost a race in India in the past three years and is literally miles ahead of his compatriots. But, Sable knows he still has some way to go in the international circuit.
“Normally before every race in India, I have an idea how I’m going to do because I know my level and that of the rest of the athletes. But in the USA it’s different. There are so many high level athletes here,” he said.
You only need to look at the California meet to see the level he’s competing at; he may have broken the NR but he only came in 12th in the race.
Direct Hits
Stat stans, number nerds, data devotees of the world unite!
Jarrod Kimber goes beyond ‘the man, the myth, the legend’ trope used to explain MSD’s chasing prowess and digs into what makes him such an elite chaser.
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In last week’s edition:
A new low for Indian Football and the AIFF
The overwhelming IPL calendar
PV Sindhu’s irk at “unfair” officials
Read it here!
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