September Summer! The annual ritual of cricket!

Does the headline sound bizarre? But aren’t we all at this point of time dwelling in a world that itself is outlandish? As I put pen to paper, I can view from my desk that it’s raining cats and dogs outside… it has been an extended season of monsoon, then why ‘September Summer’?

Well, I am talking about the annual summer ritual that we Indians had got used to for more than a decade. Yes, I am talking about the world’s biggest cricket carnival – The IPL (Indian Premier League) which used to be held between March to May year on year. This year, it was the virus which started its march in March and the mayhem continued beyond May, June and doesn’t seem to end so soon!

As we all attempt ambling back to normalcy, here comes the most awaited league that’s going to bring in a lot more apart from just competitive club cricket… it’s going to ring in celebration and cheer helping us break the cynical mood and claustrophobic ambiance set in by COVID 19.

One constant complaint on Twitter/ Social media platforms was that most of the movies and web-series launched all through the lockdown period weren’t worthy and safe enough to be viewed either with parents or kids. The Dream11 IPL is going to eliminate this paucity of content and get the family back together in front of the TV sets. The oxymoron and proverbial ‘divided by teams and united by cricket’ spirit will invade the living rooms. The wait has been long enough for a cricket crazy nation that has been even deprived of a regular dose of international cricket featuring their favourite Indian cricketers for an abysmally long spell. Moreover, there has been hardly any live match feed on any sports channel. The viewers have had enough of re-runs of ‘Saas-Bahu’ sagas on GECs, enough of news anchors turning sleuths, enough of the spats between politicians and celebrities amongst themselves and against each other. The Dream11 IPL will prove to be the fresh breath of air and air-time. That’s what makes me believe that Star Sports and Disney+Hotstar are going to garner the maximum viewership and TRPs as yet this very season. The viewers will enjoy the immersive content, cliffhangers that this format of cricket provides. IPL has most of the matches going to the wire and a four-hour match is invariably decided in the last four balls or a last ball wicket or boundary. The high octane on-field action and nail-biting finishes will not only keep everyone on the edge of the seat but also rub-off positivity and impetus on the viewers.

The way IPL walks away with the biggest brands and media spends each year will put even the Pied Piper to shame. The case has been the same this year. As always, these brands will host a series of innovative contests and offer lucrative prizes that’s going to keep the young and old engaged.  Be prepared for a showdown with your best friend who in all probabilities will be in the opposite camp, be set for a verbal duel with your cousin who will be supporting a different franchise. Be ready for exciting screen time and deafening scream time.

It has been more than a year that India registered its biggest loss (in terms of the game and the gamechanger), so all eyes will be on MS Dhoni this evening as he walks out with his characteristic swag for the toss. So, get ready folks, here comes the ultimate form of slog-smash-brash and at times even rash cricket! Here comes the Indian Summer once again, this time in September!!

  • Sumeet Das is a MARCOM specialist with over two decades of experience in media, movies and grassroots sports. He is the Founder-Director at Exemplar Media Pvt. Ltd. and was the designated Media Head at the last season of India’s flagship sports program- Khelo India 2020.

He can be contacted at [email protected]; Twitter: Das D Way 2B; Insta: dasdway2b

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