20 September,2009 07:17 AM IST | | Hemal Ashar
IPL's latest fallout might just be the birth of the freelancing cricketer. Andrew Flintoff seems to have put a dangerous new thought into everyone's head. And the lure? Big Money
The megabuck Indian Premier League (IPL) has turned the cricket world on its head. Amidst the continuing flux, comes England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff's recent announcement that he wants to turn cricket freelancer, a move that has earned him the catchy sobriquet, 'Freelance Fred' (Fred is Flintoff's nickname) and the more pungent, 'cricket mercenary'.
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The Future is here: Amol Muzumdar Shadab Jakati Dhaval Kulkarni
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Sunny speak
Ever since 20:20 rocketed on to the cricket scene, there have always been murmurs about big bucks taking precedence over the national cap and the freelance concept give these fears fresh resonance. At the Dilip Sardesai Memorial Cricket Lecture at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) recently, former great Sunil Gavaskar cautioned youngsters to aim to play for the country first and not consider the IPL the be-all and end-all of their careers.u00a0u00a0
Stable board
Australian captain Ricky Ponting and Oz's controversial sheikh of tweak, Shane Warne has already said that the future of cricket looks to go the freelance way.u00a0 Goa-based youngster, Shadab Jakati, who plays in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Chennai Super Kings captained by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, agrees with the Aussies.
"Yet," says Shadab, "I do not see this happening on a large scale with Indian cricketers or aspirants. This is because the Indian cricket board is so rich and stable. But, it would prove a huge attraction with more countries having T-20; lots of cricketers would explore this option. Flintoff may have opted for the freelance path because the money is huge. The debate is just beginning but I have little doubt, this freelance cricketer concept would catch on."u00a0
M for money
One can almost hear former Mumbai Ranji captain Amol Muzumdar saying, "My sentiments exactly." Muzumdar, who will now play Ranji Trophy for Assam adds, "We have to come to terms with it. Of course, we have to encourage youngsters in India to aim for the national team, but this is an option and cricketers would explore it, surely." Muzumdar says the big motivator would be money. "You know, the kind of money on offer, cricketers are going to be thinking about the fact that they can earn in 45 days in T-20 what they would maybe earn in one year otherwise. Guys like Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist retired from Test cricket and are now playing the IPL."u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Caution here
Former India women's cricketer Diana Edulji says all the conjecture may be premature. Says Diana, "This might be difficult in India because the Board here functions in such an autocratic manner that cricketers would find it difficult to turn freelancers. Look how the Indian Cricket League (ICL) was finished off. Then again, remember that Australian Andrew Symonds, also reported to go freelance, has been in trouble with his own Board and Flintoff is injured, so they are the ones said to be turning freelancers. When you talk about different T20 outfits all around the globe, you also have to see the quality of those u2014 what are these freelancers playing?'
Individual choice
Former India spinner Bishan Singh Bedi, is surprised that the freelance concept should evoke so much debate and simply said, "This is a natural offshoot of the cricket world today. You know, today cricket is like any other job; you do well, you get promotions, if not, you slide down the ladder and maybe, look for other avenues. Whether a cricketer opts to try for the national team or opts to become a freelancer, it is after all an extremely individual choice. I can only hope that national pride takes precedence over mercenary instincts."
National pride
Bedi's hopes seem to live on in young hearts like Dhaval Kulkarni's. Kulkarni, who plays for Mukesh Ambani's Mumbai Indians in the IPL says, "Cricketers do not play the game just for the money; they are passionate about it too. I have no doubt that youngsters would put national pride ahead of earning moolah the freelance way. Having said that for players who keep playing at the domestic level and are unable to break into the international fold, this would be an avenue."
Financial future
Former India bowler Karsan Ghavri is more pragmatic, saying national pride is important but "if youngsters do not get a break in the national team, they might go freelance. Nobody can wait forever for a break to get into a team. So, I do not see anything wrong with that. Everybody has a right to look at his financial future. They are not doing anything illegal by opting to freelance".u00a0
Auction stations
It is evident that the cricket world will now gear up to accept and accommodate a freelance cricketer. Nobody may have thought a freelance professional would enter this game, but then, did anybody ever dream about players being 'auctioned' like they are today?
