IPL,we always knew,was not just cricket. In the third edition of the hugely popular Indian Premier League,it is as much about action off-field,post-match. In the form of IPL nights,where cricket,glamour and money come together post-midnight in parties lasting longer than the number of hours the players may have spent on the field. So far,few have complained certainly not the organisers selling Rs 50,000 tickets to willing public,nor fans who get to rub shoulders with not just cricket stars but celebrities of all kinds. However,with the tough 60 games in 45 days schedule requiring players to be constantly on the move,the extracurricular activities are now starting to take their toll on the cricketers. Regardless of the result of the game,every night of the IPL,a party awaits the players at the team hotel where the presence of at least the top stars is mandatory. Officially,the parties are a hushed affair but when cricket stars,Page 3 regulars,cheerleaders,non-celebrity PYTs and fans get together to drink and party,topped by a 10-minute fashion show,word does get around. A top player speaks about the effect on their body clock. We return to the hotel from the match around midnight and get ready for the party. Most of these parties go on till the wee hours. When the players get up around afternoon,its time to catch a flight to the next destination, he says. There are days when the game is over in three hours while the party goes on for six hours. Off-the-field fatigue is more than the tiredness on field. Regulars speak of exhausted players dozing off on couches a Chennai Super Kings young spinner being the most recent example. Others of inebriated cricketers being helped to their rooms at dawn. Delhi Daredevils coach Greg Shipperd is among the few to express his reservations openly. At times it is hard on players. It is up to the individuals and team management to ensure that they strike the right balance, he says. While IPL organisers refuse to comment on the issue,the official line of the franchise is that it is not mandatory for players to attend. Delhi Daredevils Chief Operating Officer Amit Mathur says the players arent forced to come for parties. Anyways the parties are usually held at team hotels. Since most of the time,the day after the game we travel,the practice sessions are optional, he says. However,there hasnt been a single party where players havent showed up. The unwritten rule is that top stars need to make an appearance. There have been cases when players have expressed wish to spend time in their rooms but have been prevailed upon by owners to drop in for a while. With sponsors of teams also among the invitees,a no-show by the stars is not appreciated. As Karbonn Mobiles have the title sponsorship of the parties and MTV the rights to telecast them,a no-show would also be highly unprofitable. Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal,whose production banner Chasing Ganesha bagged the contract for organising the IPL parties,makes no bones about whos the star attraction. Guests with special tickets bring in their family and friends to be with their favourite cricketers. It is the only occasion when they can mingle informally with the stars, he says. Adds Rampals wife and former model Mehr Jessia: We wanted to merge glamour and sports this time since the IPL has returned to India. To be fair,not all players are reluctant party-goers. Ironically,its for a reason as far removed from the world of IPL nights as it can get. A Kolkata Knight Riders fringe player says hes happy because the food is free,and so are the drinks. Why waste money? I have been having my dinner at parties these days, he says. A low-profile domestic player speaks for others like him when he says the parties are for them a rare and fleeting blush with glamour. After 45 days,all this will be over and we wouldnt be invited to such events, says the Rajasthan Royals team member. with inputs from Devendra Pandey in Mumbai and Shalini Gupta in Chandigarh
