Southern Spice

The TNPL Not Only Took T20 Cricket Into the Hinterland of Rural Tamil Nadu, It Also Marked the Re-emergence of Former Bcci President Srinivasan as a Man Who Still Wields Influence in Cricketing Matters.

- Suhail Chandhok

“T20? Why not ten-ten or five-five or one-one? India will never play T20.” Strong words famously uttered at an ICC board meeting by Niranjan Shah, the then BCCI honorary secretary, when the possibility of a first World T20 competition was discussed. T20 cricket was perceived as a way for cash-strapped boards to make some money on the side, but India had no other go than to embrace this “strange” new format in March 2006.

Fast-forward a decade and India now host the world’s most entertaining T20 extravaganza, have hoisted the T20 World Cup and have rebranded the game with modern bells and whistles to cater to millions across the globe. The format may have sent shudders through traditional supporters of the game, but just as India’s obsession with ODI cricket began in 1983, our success in the 2007 T20 World Cup sparked a new future for Indian cricket. Big hits, bright lights and oodles of glamour have made the IPL one of the biggest global sporting phenomena. It has also served as the model for state-based franchise T20 cricket league. The Tamil Nadu Premier League is the third such league to evolve at the state level.

T20’s promise of twice the action in half the time provides instant gratification, in a world where attention spans are dwindling faster than the crowds that were otherwise coming in to watch domestic matches. Cricket in Tamil Nadu, and Madras in particular, has a rich connect with the game, dating back to India’s first-ever Test match win against England in 1952.