IPL Has Done An Amazing Job In Changing Perception About India: Ricky Ponting
Sep 17, 2020 at 2:02 PM
Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting, who is currently the head coach of Delhi Capitals, believes that the Indian Premier League (IPL) has played a big part in changing the perception about India. He also said that IPL was still the best domestic professional T20 tournament.
While speaking to The Indian Express, Ricky Ponting was inquired when did Australian cricketers’ perception about India start to change. To which, he replied that when the two teams started touring each other country i.e, in the late 1990s or early 2000s.
“Not (it happened during/after) one particular series. But I think, as India emerged as a global powerhouse in the game, Australia, any association (cricket board), wanted to be a part of that journey, I guess.
“I think, since maybe the late 1990s or early 2000s, Australia has made a tour to India, a Test tour or a one-day tour, pretty much every year. There has been an Australian tour to India or an Indian tour to Australia,” Ricky Ponting said.
IPL helps to understand Indian culture better: Ricky Ponting
But Ricky Ponting believes that the major shift about India’s perception started to change when the Indian Premier League (IPL) was inaugurated. The T20 league brings the superstar international cricketer at one platform.
They play together with Indian players during a three-month-long tournament which gives opportunities to foreign players to get more acquainted with Indian culture, as per Ponting.
He added that India’s contribution to the economic growth of cricket is significant.
“I think the IPL has done an amazing job to be able to bring players from Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka. They bring over these players in one place for a couple of months a year and get those cultures, (the opportunity) to understand each other.
“India has had so much to do with the economic growth of cricket all over the world. The IPL, I think, is still the best domestic tournament that we play,” Ricky Ponting said.
Meanwhile, IPL 2020 is scheduled to begin from 19th September with the match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings at Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.