Sachin Tendulkar was the icon player and captain of Mumbai Indians in IPL from 2008-2013.
Batting great Sachin Tendulkar credited the Indian Premier League (IPL) for starting a new phase in Indian cricket, saying that the cash-rich league was the biggest change that happened.
The Indian Premier League has been one of the world’s most lucrative T20 leagues across the globe since its introduction in 2008. Not only in cricket, but the brand value of IPL has also put it on the same list as other sporting leagues such as NBA, NFL, and NHL.
Big names across the globe have joined over the years and have made a big impact. However, apart from the well-known players, there have been many unknown faces who left a mark.
The marquee tournament over the years has opened doors for many young Indian players to prove and show their mettle to the world. IPL is also credited for giving Indian team players that are battle-ready and have no nerves of playing in front of huge crowds in international cricket.
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The likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Mohammed Siraj, and many more are all products of IPL. The marquee tournament has helped Indian bowlers to gain huge experience and thanks to it, the national bowling unit has become one of the most dominating ones in recent years.
Sachin Tendulkar feels that change in Indian cricket has not happened accidentally as it’s a consistent effort to make sure that the right structure is in place.
He pointed out the biggest change that happened in Indian cricket was from IPL onwards as players got time to share a dressing room with international world-class cricketers.
“It’s not happened accidentally. It’s a consistent effort in making sure that you have the right structure in place. I felt the biggest change that happened in Indian cricket was from IPL onwards. Players, especially domestic cricketers, got a lot of time to spend with international world-class cricketers,” Sachin Tendulkar told Hindustan Times.
Tendulkar remarked that the methods of training have changed as players think differently and if they have to rub shoulders with top players in the game they have to be at the top of their game.
He pointed out that young Indian players spending time with international stars in the IPL has made a huge impact on how they think and make themselves better.
“The methods of training have changed. They think differently now which is so critical because if you are going to rub shoulders with top international stars, it make a big difference. Suddenly a player starts thinking differently. You spend couple of months with them, you practise with them and it makes a huge impact,” he said.
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Sachin Tendulkar remarked that IPL started a new phase in Indian cricket as the seeds were sown then and the players who are part of Team India today would’ve been inspired back then.
“That is what I have seen happening from the start of IPL. That started a new phase in Indian cricket, the seeds were sown then. We talk only about the recent past but I would say the process started way back from that period. All these guys who are representing India now have, as kids, been watching all those guys and that inspired them," he said.
(Hindustan Times inputs)