To be fair, IPL is as much of a celebration as it is a cricket tournament. We’re accustomed to pulsating music, beautiful dancers, and lights shooting across the sky. But what happens when you feel that carnival vibes are misplaced? This is what cricketing great Sunil Gavaskar wants us to consider.
Cricket in a Time of Grief
The IPL 2025 was suspended mid-season following a horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that resulted in 26 deaths. Political tensions, especially between India and Pakistan, erupted immediately following the attack and resulted in military action and a subsequent suspension of the tournament for one week. Now, there is a ceasefire and the IPL is about to resume, although in the context of national mourning.
Gavaskar, as we know him, doesn’t always mince words, and he has implored the BCCI to understand the emotional context of the country. In his interview with Sports Today, he called for a more respectful format: no loud music, no pumped-up entertainment, and certainly no dancing girls—just the game. Plain and simple. It’s not like we are cancelling the fun for eternity. He is asking people to understand this moment.
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The IPL’s Entertainment vs Emotion Dilemma
We can admit it—the IPL is all about luxury and extravagance. The DJ’s monotonous voice after every delivery, cheerleaders dancing after every boundary, and any other excess are built into the event.
Gavaskar is not saying never glam again. He is just saying it is time to change the tone. With 17 games to go in the tournament—playoffs and final June 3—this is an opportunity for IPL to show some maturity.
Consider the power of absence (nothingness) while discussing a tactical timeout. No music. Just the activity noise of the game and every person in the vehicle. Imagine how potent and profound that could be. Not only is there an absence of noise, but it can also serve as a restorative state of innocence that some fans might be yearning for during the insanity of commercialization.
Cricket has always been about the emotions—happiness, despair, tension, and perhaps this is the time to let those emotions breathe.
Time for BCCI to Set a New Tone
The BCCI has an opportunity to chart a new course of action. They have a new schedule – starting on May 17 and a final on June 3 – and they could honour Gavaskar’s idea of having a national mourning period with the families.
It’s not doing less, it’s doing it better. It is possible to have an atmosphere less garish and not boring. It is possible to have meaningful games. The last-over drama, the mammoth chases, and the finishes at the end of the last over have always defined what entertains.
Gavaskar is not being critical, but has some empathy and compassion for what professional cricket has become. In a nation that idolizes cricket, we saw how we play the game. It is important, even more so in times of national mourning. As the IPL 2025 season draws to a conclusion, I ask you to reflect on this as more than just cricket; a soul-searching memorial, a collective respect, and a reminder of the bigger picture.
So, how do you feel on the topic; should the IPL take a break and revert to its roots, for a couple of games? No DJs, no dancing girls, just the wonderful sound of leather on willow. Perhaps that is what the doctor ordered right now.
Let’s talk cricket, not just for fun, but with compassion.
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