Lalit Modi Remembers Pleading with Indian Legends to Join T20 World Cup
Lalit Modi 'Begged' Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly To Play T20 World Cup. This Was India Seniors' Reply
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Lalit Modi, former IPL chairperson, reminisced about urging senior Indian cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly to participate in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007. Despite his pleas, many players dismissed the format as 'stupid,' preferring to rest after a long tour. Modi highlighted how perceptions of T20 cricket have dramatically changed since then.
- 01During India's 2007 tour of England, Lalit Modi urged senior players to join the T20 World Cup, but they were skeptical.
- 02The Indian squad for the T20 World Cup was primarily young, with established stars like Tendulkar and Dravid absent.
- 03Modi noted that player reluctance to participate in T20 cricket would be unthinkable today due to its immense popularity.
- 04Initially, T20 cricket lacked support in India, with low viewership making it unattractive to broadcasters.
- 05Yuvraj Singh's six sixes in an over during the T20 World Cup significantly boosted interest and ratings for the format.
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Lalit Modi, the former chairperson of the Indian Premier League (IPL), recounted his efforts to persuade senior Indian cricketers, including Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, to participate in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007. During India's tour of England, Modi approached players in the dressing room, but many dismissed the T20 format as a 'stupid game' and expressed a desire to rest after a long tour. The Indian team for the T20 World Cup, led by MS Dhoni, featured a younger lineup, with established players opting out. Modi emphasized that such reluctance would not be tolerated today, as T20 cricket has gained immense popularity and any player declining to participate would face public backlash. He also remarked on the initial lack of support for T20 cricket in India, noting that low viewership made it less appealing to advertisers. The turning point came when Yuvraj Singh hit six sixes in an over, which significantly increased interest in the tournament. Modi played a crucial role in promoting T20 cricket at a time when few believed in its potential.
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The evolution of T20 cricket has transformed how players and fans view international tournaments, impacting player participation and public expectations.
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