As England (and Wales) gear up for the fifth domestic Twenty20 competition, the much-hyped IPL comes to a close. At least, it might have done.

For all the coverage it has received in the press and on mainstream television, it might be carrying on for another six months for all the majority of England’s cricket-watching public know. It must be asked, why are the inventors and innovators of Twenty20 cricket so disinterested in the biggest competition this form of the game has ever seen?

Perhaps it is a sign of things to come that the nation which has had Twenty20 the longest is showing little interest whilst the nation that discovered the format most recently is putting on the multi-million dollar circus that is the IPL.

'How long does the IPL have before its viewing figures start sinking faster than Paul Collingwood's Test average?'


Maybe we’re all getting a little bored with Twenty20. After the initial draw-in of fast-paced big hitting, is there any substance to Twenty20’s undeniable style? True, people in England are looking forward to the Twenty20 season hardly on the somewhat overblown scale of the IPL.

Perhaps this sliding scale of interest heralds Twenty20’s descent into the ordinary. Perhaps it is simply a case of always finding someone else’s toys more fun to play with than your own. Whatever the case, the IPL has left me deeply unimpressed. It was watchable, certainly, but any programme that you forget to go back to after making a cup of tea doesn’t win any awards for being attention-grabbing or unmissable.

So with interest in Twenty20 perhaps already waning in England, how long does the IPL have before its viewing figures start sinking faster than Paul Collingwood’s Test average? The amount of money on offer will undoubtedly continue to attract the players, but what would happen if the fans lost interest?

Of course it may not happen - the Indian audiences may continue their love affair with Twenty20 cricket for many years to come.

But with the gulf the IPL opens up between county and international players and the effect on the Test calendar, it may do much more harm than good. Although, with more money and interest in the game, it could also be a very positive thing.

As far as the majority of English cricket viewers feel, the IPL may have glitz and glamour and more money than Durham CCC see in 20 years, but England already has the football Premier League, and that’s enough over hyped, foreigner-packed nonsense full of overpaid prima donnas for anyone.

It’s hardly a surprise that we like a change of pace for our cricket season. Is IPL the future of cricket? Not for me.