Club or India?

By Gulu Ezekiel

When Rajasthan’s Yusuf Pathan said his match-winning batting in the tied match against Kolkata Knight Riders was the “most important innings of my career”, you have to sit up and take notice.
As a reminder, Yusuf slammed 42 from 21 balls and then with the scores tied, went in for the ‘Super Over’ and single-handedly took his team to victory by smashing Ajantha Mendis for 18 runs from four deliveries. KKR had reached 15 in their one extra over.
The significance of Yusuf’s statement is that he has played 22 ODIs and four T-20 Internationals for India. Yet it is his batting in the IPL which he apparently cherishes the most.
It should be recalled that Yusuf, Man of the Match in last year’s IPL final and the standout performer this season so far as well, made his international debut in the final of the T-20 World Cup against Pakistan in 2007, the year before IPL I stormed the world of cricket.
But in less than two full seasons the IPL has changed the attitude of the world’s players. It is apparent by now that many of them are contemplating retirement from international cricket in order to concentrate on the shortest—and most lucrative—form of the game.
It is hard to blame them considering the IPL and the various other 20/20 leagues such as the ICL and the American Premier League (just announced for New York at the end of the year) is really money for jam.
Just imagine being paid 10 times as much for a few weeks of lightweight cricket played in just one country rather than traveling the world the year round with your national squad! It’s really a no-brainer for a professional sportsperson.
So does this mean the impending end of country v. country cricket as it has been played for over a century? It could well be, considering money talks. And nowhere louder than in the IPL.

www.sportshero.com (29/4/09)