Lalit Modi, the former chairperson of the Indian Premier League (IPL), revealed that he personally urged Indian cricketers to take part in the first-ever T20 World Cup during India’s tour of England in 2007. This tour, which lasted from July 19 to September 8, included a three-match Test series and a seven-match ODI series, occurring just days before the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 commenced on September 11.
During this tour, while established players like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Sourav Ganguly were part of the squad, the team chosen for the T20 World Cup was predominantly youthful, lacking many seasoned athletes. Under the captaincy of MS Dhoni, the squad featured players including Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, RP Singh, and Irfan Pathan. This team ultimately won the tournament, which led to the establishment of the IPL a year later and significantly boosted the popularity of T20 cricket.
Modi highlighted that the new format faced considerable skepticism at the time, with many players dismissing it as a “stupid game” and expressing their fatigue from the lengthy tour, alongside a wish to reunite with their families. In an interview with ANI, he stated, “I approached every player in the dressing room during the England tour in 2007. I pleaded with them to participate in the T20. They responded, ‘Lalit, are you joking? What is this stupid game? We don’t want to play it.’ Everyone echoed that sentiment, saying they wanted to be with their families after a long tour.”
He further noted, “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t even send the main Indian team to South Africa for the T20 World Cup, opting instead to send a secondary squad. They decided to place a completely inexperienced team under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Not a single player from the ranks of Tendulkars, Dravids, or Gangulys participated in the T20 World Cup. Would such a decision be acceptable today? If the Indian team were to compete in any World Cup, would the public or the board tolerate sending a B team?”
For the latest updates in sports, including Cricket, Football, Chess, and more, stay tuned for real-time live scores and comprehensive coverage of ongoing matches.
