At silly point

There is immense pressure on the government to clean up the muck that has engulfed the Indian Premier League. And that’s a good thing,because there is little doubt that Indian cricket,at the business end of things,desperately needs a clean-up job. But it is important to maintain perspective on the job at hand. What we do not need is what assorted politicians of diverse ideological streams are clamouring for — a ban on the IPL. The IPL cannot be dubbed a dubious product because of its big market and huge potential for profit. Consider the interests of stakeholders other than the bosses of IPL. Consumers in India,and indeed abroad,are enjoying the cricket and the larger entertainment package being offered. Advertisers seem to find it worthwhile to pump in money where there is such a large audience. Broadcasters and franchise owners,and leave aside the murk for just a moment,must also see plenty of potential for profit to have invested so much money in the IPL. And the cricketers involved in actually dishing out the action are all better off (at least financially) from their participation in the league. Purists may worry about the fate of the game as they once knew it,but that is another debate.

Those responsible for the clean-up would be wise to keep in mind the “Satyam principle” as they tackle the IPL mess. Satyam was a good company,with strong human resources,an impressive client list and a powerful brand; but it had fraudulent top management. So,the government’s decision to save the brand and its other stakeholders while picking out and punishing the fraudsters was an eminently sensible one. In the case of the IPL too,it’s well worth saving the product while cleaning up the mess that the financial dealings have proven to be. Actually it’s about more than the league alone. An economically healthy cricket set-up could,in fact,be a role model for other sports in India,all of which need to attract more money and interest,not less. The successful staging of the hockey world cup in Delhi recently was a reminder of the untapped potential of that sport.

The current investigations into the flawed and opaque business dealings of the IPL are therefore an opportunity to establish best practices for private participation in sport in this country — and to bring transparency in the administration of sport.