Is big money good for young players?

It is as easy for someone like a promising Yousuf Pathan to get swayed by the money and neglect his strong points as it might be for him to raise the bar and prove himself as a better player. The elder Pathan is no doubt a tremendous prospect, but all he has done in international cricket so far is bowl one over and bat just about that much, in the T20 final in Johannesburg last year. He benefited in excess of a crore after that triumph and has been bid for close to double that amount for the IPL. The system that has ensured him a good lifestyle now also needs to ensure that he is not lost to them any time soon.

The IPL might change cricket forever, but is not necessarily forward looking as it comprises big names rather than promising performers. Players like Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, who are not deemed fit to play even one-day cricket for their country, are laughing all the way to the bank because they were announced as ‘icon’ players for their respective cities.

On a day when conversations the world over revolved around the money on offer in the IPL and found no place for a high-scoring tied one-day match between England and New Zealand, only one player came out in good light in this part of the world. VVS Laxman, by agreeing not to be the icon player for Hyderabad, lost about five crore rupees in a bid to help build a good team. His gesture allowed team franchise Deccan Chronicle more latitude in player selection. Laxman showed the kind of class that is associated with his batting. He was sublime.