Cricket fever never ends in India :)
After World Cup, it's the Indian Premier League that has grabbed everyone's attention.
We ask television stars which teams and players they are rooting for in this popular 20-20 format of the game.
Rashami Desai
Has India’s World Cup defeat dampened your interest in IPL? IPL always has loyal audiences. Cricket is like religion.
Do you think IPL has commercialised cricket? Business aspects are important. After all, management is needed to organise matches on a large scale. Cricket is commercialised (today) but spirit (of the game) is the same.
Favourite team and why: I like Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians.
Tina Datta
Has India’s World Cup defeat dampened your interest in IPL? We need to accept that, in the World Cup, Australia was a better team. Winning and losing is a part of every game.
Do you think IPL has commercialised cricket? Commercial or not, IPL is fun and people enjoy it.
Favourite team and why: I love Kolkata Knight Riders, because it is owned by Shah Rukh Khan.
Childhood memories of playing cricket: I used to play with my neighbours, though I wasn’t that good at the game.
Sachin Parikh
Has India’s World Cup defeat dampened your interest in IPL? Not at all. It’s always thrilling to watch a 20 overs match. We don't have to wait too long for the result.
Do you think IPL has commercialised cricket? Every game needs to be updated. In the past, only Test matches were played. As time passed, ODIs took its place. Now, the IPL is in demand.
Favourite team and why: I am a total Mumbaikar, so my favourite team is Mumbai Indians.
Childhood memories of playing cricket: Half of my childhood was spent playing gully cricket. We used to go to a place called Gholwad near Dahnu to play cricket for two to three days and strengthen our game. We would then return and challenge the best teams in our locality.
Roopal Tyagi
Has India’s World Cup defeat dampened your interest in IPL? I am sad about India losing the World Cup. At the same time, I am excited about the IPL.
Do you think IPL has commercialised cricket? No, I think IPL unites us as a country. I recently met a friend from Mumbai who is supporting Chennai Super Kings because of M S Dhoni. The game makes us rise above regionalism.
Favourite team and why: I support Mumbai Indians, because it is my city’s team.
Childhood memories of playing cricket: I have never played cricket, though my dad was a state-level player. I would go insane cheering every time he hit a six!
Ripu Daman Handa
Has India’s World Cup defeat dampened your interest in IPL? No, the IPL is always exciting. It has the best cricketers playing against each other. India’s World Cup performance has nothing to do with it.
Do you think IPL has commercialised cricket? I don’t think so. On the contrary, it has added some much-needed spark to One Day and Test cricket.
Favourite team and why: I am a fan of Delhi Daredevils for obvious reasons: It is the city of my birth.
Childhood memories of playing cricket: I used to play gully cricket with my brother and friends. Also, our entire family used to watch India-Pakistan matches over pots of tea. Those memories are still fresh in my mind.
Subuhi Joshi
Has India’s World Cup defeat dampened your interest in IPL? Our players tried their best, but it’s okay if they couldn't win. After all, we can't win all the time. We should not forget that Dhoni and his boys had reached the semi-final undefeated. At the same time, I must add that I am not a cricket fan. I may watch the World Cup, but not the IPL.
Do you think IPL has commercialised cricket? Yes, it has ruined true cricket culture. IPL is more about entertainment.
Favourite team and why: I love Delhi Daredevils, because I am from Delhi.
Childhood memories of playing cricket: When I was a little kid, my maasis (mother's sisters) and maamu (mother's brother) used to play cricket, and I would insist that they take me in the team. I would never bowl, only bat.
Gunjan Utreja
Has India’s World Cup defeat dampened your interest in IPL? The World Cup and the IPL are two different tournaments in two different formats.
Do you think IPL has commercialised cricket? IPL has made the game more popular. It is short, crisp and entertaining. Today, more people across the globe are aware of cricket because of IPL.
Favourite team and why: I am a Kolkata Knight Riders fan because of SRK. I am looking forward to them retaining the championship.
Childhood memories of playing cricket: I have some really funny childhood memories associated with the game.
Only one of my friends had a bat at that time. The moment he got out, he would go home with it. So, just to continue the game, we had to ensure that he never got out.
I also remember practising pace bowling with my cousins.
Shweta Munshi
Has India’s World Cup defeat dampened your interest in IPL? I am not a great cricket fan. I watch it only occasionally, at the semi-final and final stages... that too, only when India is playing.
Do you think IPL has commercialised cricket? Yes, IPL is way too commercialised; it kills the essence of a good sport.
Favourite team and why: I have no favourites. May the best team win.
Childhood memories of playing cricket: We used to go to my nani’s (maternal grandmother) house during the summer vacations. Over there, my male cousins would tease me about how I held the bat. So, they would make me the audience. I had to throw a fit to get a chance to bat or bowl.
