IPL Auction 2022: Has IPL and its money changed the way cricket is looked at as a career?

Indian Premier League (IPL) was only into its third edition when former England captain Nasser Hussain made that statement in 2010. In the form of the shareholding pattern of the erstwhile Kochi franchise, the league had its share of the first of many controversies that followed. But the magnitude of money involved in the league, which kept getting bigger with every year, became the wind beneath IPL's wings.

And it eventually mastered the physics of sailing. But is that a good thing, or not so much? For a definitive answer to that one needs to touch on a lot of aspects. There is no doubt that the league and its money have created multiple opportunities and offer a career path for cricketers, besides laying out a new road to donning the national colours.

The money coming in strengthens the Indian board (BCCI) further and helps channel more funds to improve Indian cricket at various levels. On the other hand, it can't be overlooked that the IPL fame and money can sometimes threaten to take precedence over playing for the country. This is, perhaps, particularly true for the foreign cricketers, many of whom would want to come and play in the cash-rich league, where they command the big bucks.

For most youngsters, India or foreign, the biggest challenge comes after they have secured a big contract. For a 19- or 20-year-old to bag a life-changing contract worth crores is something that is not always easy to deal with. Staying grounded, with the help of family and other support structures, becomes vital.

Some manage to do it, others don't. That threat turns real when aspiring and upcoming cricketers start looking at T20 leagues around the world either as a shortcut or an alternate cricketing career. But is that worth it, or are