Is Franchise Cricket Killing International Cricket?

image-lfjakxutDelhi Capitals (Source: BCCI/WPL)

Do you remember the way you felt when Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement? Or do you remember the feeling you had when Dhoni was run out during the India vs New Zealand World Cup match in 2019? Something about those moments was disappointing and disheartening, and that is exactly how I feel about dealing with cricket games in monetary terms that have never been seen in the past. 

Cricket has always been a sport which has brought people together; it has forced them to keep aside their differences and bond together on a mutual feeling. 

However, with the introduction of franchise cricket it means that private ownership has taken over the game. It has undeniably transformed cricket with positives and negatives. While, franchise cricket has helped the cricket board financially but cost it in terms of player and game ownership.

Ever since T20 Cricket began in 2000's, the sporting world has seen a myriad of changes with respect to international cricket. 

Several T20 cricket leagues, like, the Indian Premier League (IPL), Sri Lanka Premier League(SPL), and Pakistan Super League(PSL), have started all over the world and committed to generating large sums of revenue. There are now 14 leagues, we even have the T10, the hundred and the sixty. 

The IPL format is equivalent to T20 cricket but with double the money and fame. Even Bangladesh, which was earlier considered zilch in international crickets, now has its own cricket league that has rapidly gained popularity. 

For years, money has ruled the game, but the rise of franchise cricket puts a lot of pressure on any other form of cricket, especially ODI’s. A slew of international players have chosen franchise cricket over international cricket.

Last year, England all-rounder, Ben Stokes, had announced his retirement from the ODI. He said that too much cricket is taking a toll on his body, and he is not coping with it and hence is taking retirement from One-day International cricket. However, he will continue to play tests and his other franchise teams. Many considered his exit from the ODI format at the age of 31 to be premature.

However, since its inception IPL has seen numerous players opt to play in the league from all over the world. Australia's Aaron Finch has represented as much as over 8 teams ever since his IPL debut in 2010 . Dinesh Karthik has been a part of 6 IPL teams and is all set to represent Royal Challengers Bangalore this season as well. 

Even, former New Zealand captain, Brendon McCullum known for his sensational century in the first-ever IPL match between KKR and RCB ended his career with over 2800 runs across 5 teams. NZ's Trent Boult and Martin Guptill opted to play for franchise cricket, even though, the-Kiwis are inherently known to be all about team spirit and morale.

While there are innumerable players wanting to play for such leagues...players like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc have chosen board contracts over IPL. 

It is imperative to understand that the introduction of T20 cricket is an economic reality and a dream come true for the owners. Choosing the club over country has become a clear priority for players as the Board offers very little security and owners, on the other hand, offer financial security and a certain life span depending on the players' performance.

While there are a number of questions on the privatisation of cricket and its taking over international cricket, it would be unfair not to recognise how to franchise cricket has travelled all parts of the world in such a limited time. It has opened doors for multiple new players and created a significant increase in the number of job and business opportunities for Franchise Leagues. 

Cricket is making more money than it ever has previously at a rapid rate. While we cannot eradicate franchise cricket due to a variety of reasons, the ICC should creatively work towards implementing a resembling model for the ODI cricket format, which is a perfect blend of T20 and Test Cricket.