Sir Viv Richards Hails Impact of Indian Premier League on Cricket

The game of cricket has changed by leaps and bounds in the last one decade or so. While the traditionalists are yet to be fully impressed by the sudden change on the canvas of the game, there is no denying that the game’s fortunes have changed for the better. And it is safe to say that Indian Premier League (IPL) has played an integral role in the popularity of the Twenty20s.

Now, a successful competition which started in 2008 when Lalit Modi have had floated the idea. The burgeoning league is going from strength to strength with each passing year.

The T20 format has acted as a soothing balm for those who were worried by the game’s declining popularity.

The slam-bang form of the game has made the fans rush to the grounds once again. The cricket lovers are absolutely loving the format which is time-saving, result oriented as well as exciting.

And former Windies skipper Sir Viv Richards also holds the same view. The batting legend believes IPL is one of the biggest agents responsible for the evolution of the game.

Richards believes the game has made players adapt to different situations irrespective of their age.

“Cricket is quickly evolving, and the IPL is one of the foremost agents responsible for doing so for the last 10 years. Young cricketers and old alike are innovating and reshaping their game, inventing new shots, and coming up with new mystery deliveries,” wrote Richards for TOI.

He also hailed the impact of IPL on shaping up youngsters’ career.

“The face of the game is beginning to change, and cricketers today are looking to keep adapting to stay with it. It pleases me to see that the overall level of cricket as a game is increasing due to these kinds of tournaments that put the young and old, the amateur and the experienced together. IPL has always put a lot of emphasis on developing youngsters. These fresh faces will gain experience,” he added.

Meanwhile, the eleventh season of the Indian Premier League is currently underway, as it has already sprung a couple of surprises so far.