Indian Premier League shines as the clocks go back

In the Fuller household and millions of homes around the world, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is currently the focus for anyone thirsting after live cricket to watch.

If you don’t wrinkle your nose at T20 cricket then it’s proved to be a humdinger, even without any fans attending.

I’ve been glued to the Indian Premier League since the start of this year’s tournament, beamed into living rooms, bars and businesses from the UAE.

The best domestic T20 competition in the world has been a welcome distraction from tiers, lockdowns and the gathering gloom of an English winter.

#MumbaiIndians Captain Kieron Pollard wins the toss and elects to bowl first against #RCB #Dream11IPL pic.twitter.com/m6voxFiOOt

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) October 28, 2020

I particularly like the way that the IPL takes a marketing bulldozer to convention with something approaching glee. 

Is that a six? No, it’s a Unacademy Cracking Six. #LetsCrackIt.

Is this a drinks break? No, it’s a CEAT Tyres Strategic Timeout.

Cue two and a half minutes of adverts, even if you’ve literally just returned from a break. The IPL teams can be mischevious like that.

We would never be so blatantly product-led in England – but perhaps we should.

In this fantastical world where cricket and commercialism collide, it is entirely appropriate that the headline sponsor of #Dream11IPL is a fantasy cricket platform.

I keep waiting for Kieron Pollard or KL Rahul to deposit a six onto the Tata Altroz hatchback perched provocatively at the sidelines.

Meanwhile, commentator Danny Morrison plays up to his reputation as animated jester and rolls his tongue, as if he’s been on the rum.

The Rajasthan Royals are the ‘Double arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs.’

You suspect Danny could make a funeral sound like a gloriously upbeat occasion. It is a prime skill to stand out in the merry-go-round of T20 competitions.

I’ve been quietly rooting for the double Rs; given the English contingent of Stokes, Buttler and Archer.

(While keeping an eye on how Jonny Bairstow is going at Sunrisers Hyderabad).

It’s been a revelation to see Joffra Archer throw off the shackles of our critical obsession with his speed in England and just enjoy his cricket overseas. 

The end result? Warp-speed rockets and a miserly economy rate plus batting fireworks.

With the blizzard of games comes the risk they can fudge into one but tiny details, more than the sixes, stand out. 

Like Steve Smith’s finger encased in a pink plaster the shade of the Rajasthan Royals.

View this post on Instagram

And that brilliant win against RCB takes MI to the 🔝of the table with 1️⃣6️⃣ points #Dream11IPL

A post shared by IPL (@iplt20) on Oct 28, 2020 at 11:32am PDT

We’re at the business-end of the IPL. Mumbai Indians, glittering in gold trim like they’re off to a night on the tiles in Bradford, will be hard to stop.

The best domestic T20 competition in the world has been a welcome distraction from tiers, lockdowns and the gathering gloom of an English winter.

To read the latest about the Indian Premier League, visit www.iplt20.com.