The IPL is a spectacle, it would've succeeded anyway but the league has a lot to thank the right-hand batsmen and former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum for setting the scene on fire on the very first day with his sparkling and swashbuckling effort of 158 in no time against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The impact of the innings was big. 

McCullum has played for four franchises since and was picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore this year in the auction. Remembering that day ahead of RCB's first home game against Kings XI Punjab, he talked to reporters about his famous knock. Stating, “It’s hard to imagine it was 11 years ago when we first played that game."

“We were talking about it the other day, It’s gone so fast, it is hard to imagine it was 11 years ago when we first played that game and we didn’t know what was going to happen and how the tournament was going to unfold. It’s getting bigger and bigger. You look at the crowds and you look at the engagement across all the social media platforms and the brands that are each of the franchise as well, it’s significant."

McCullum further added how the IPL is a great league to be a part of for him, “It’s a fantastic tournament to be a part. I came away talking in the dressing room…looking around, there’s a South African over here, there’s a Kiwi over here, you’ve got Indian boys there and we’re all pulling together for one common cause and I think that’s the thing about the IPL. Franchises are actually long-term sustainable franchises, which have got a lot of passion, a lot of support. And I feel very lucky as a player to be part of that."

McCullum also talked about how that innings added pressure on him with the exceeding expectations. “I think that 158, it is not normal to do that kind of thing. The first few years it took me a while to deal with that expectations. Not just from other people, but myself as well. Once you realise it is one of those days which does not come around very often, you bank the experience and the good feeling from it. You can’t hold yourself to expect that you are going to do it each time you go out there.”