Foreign captains of nine of the 12 teams assembled at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and the entire Cape Cobras squad, were greeted with loud boos by the packed house as Indian fans did what they do best — shout their partisan support from the stadium-tops. The chants echoing from the packed stadium — even if they were catcalls — must have caused the Champions League organisers to heave a big sigh of relief .

But the big question is if the same crowd will turn up for a match such as Eagles vs New South Wales, to be held in Delhi on Friday, or to watch distant Somerset take on an even less familiar Trinidad & Tobago? “That’s the one thing I’m also thinking about,” said Lalit Modi, the Chairman of Champions League T20’s governing council, in a rare uncertain moment.

Doubts persist at the beginning of this maiden edition of the inter-club tournament. What happens, for example, if all Indian sides make early exits? Modi said that the advantage of the Champions League was that many players appearing for foreign clubs had already been known to fans through the IPL and international cricket. “At the end of the day we have to make a start, and yes, it will take a few years for the concept to take root. But I’m sure this is going to have a massive impact on club cricket and domestic cricket all around the world,” he said.

But when asked if fans would warm up to the new concept with nine of the 12 teams coming from outside India, Modi was non-committal. “I really can’t answer that question,” he said. “At the end of the day, the decision is with the fans based on what we deliver to them — the cricketing experience, the entertainment experience and the tournament as whole. Building a fan base is always a tough issue. Same was the case with the IPL and we were pleasantly surprised when the Indian fans embraced the concept and the teams.”

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