Richards, Kapil, Imran: the golden-era superstars IPL franchises would have broken the bank for Premium

The evolution of the IPL from its inception to present, with a touch of nostalgia and hypothetical scenarios.

In its 18th summer, the Indian Premier League is just tiding past adolescent churn. Its roots are deep, the accrued commercial heft is at an all-time high, and its monetary numbers find space in business dailies. And just like mangoes, the IPL is inextricably linked to Indian summers.

Yet, that opening fixture, pitting host Royal Challengers Bangalore against Kolkata Knight Riders on an April night at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2008, still remains fresh and also serves as an eternal template. This was Brendon McCullum doing Bazball even before the term was invented.

His 73-ball 158 not out was the adrenaline shot that a league in its infancy needed. Thanks to him, KKR pocketed that night and mortified Bangaloreans spilled a cold frothy liquid into tall glasses. A few old timers recalled the Kerry Packer days in Australia and how those World Series games eventually changed the face of cricket.

The IPL was seen as the latest cricketing product that could take the game towards a commercial space that was never ever imagined. The money on offer was of a kind that popped eyeballs. A dazed Adam Gilchrist said: “There was a little element of feeling like a cow. But it is interesting and unique.” It was his reaction at the time to the IPL player auction, which has now become an annual fixture.

If McCullum and the rest pointed out a frenetic path, there were also many who wistfully remembered stars of the past. Buccaneering men who could seemingly part the seas, laugh at the impossible, wink at danger, hammer sixes, knock out stumps and pluck staggering catches.

This was nostalgia, its searing footnotes keeping the heart racing. For the cricket-tragic, there was always this lingering thought: what if Viv Richards had played the IPL? Retrospective history with a twist, in a good way, offers hope and initiates a wistful sigh.

But what is life without a midsummer night’s dream? And if in some way, we could look into a crystal ball and gaze backwards instead of figuring out what lies ahead, well the IPL’s monetary mathematics could well do multiple somersaults.