The TLDR: Is the daily parade of ball-cracking cricket a tasteless spectacle of excess amid great suffering? Or a valuable service to “humanity,” as the Indian cricket board insists? We take a look at the controversy over IPL’s bio-bubble of privilege.

Some quick context

The IPL season: kicked off on April 9 and is due to end on May 30. It will roughly span the entirety of the second wave which is due to peak around mid-May according to experts.

The pressure of money: The cricket board expects to earn Rs 40 billion (4000 crore) in sponsorship moolah this IPL season. And the players aren’t exactly hurting either. South African all-rounder Chris Morris sold for a record-breaking Rs 162.5 million (16.25 crore) during the IPL auction. So yeah, there is a lot of money at stake here.

The political pressure: The government has been cracking down on anyone raising alarm over oxygen shortage and/or deaths. It ordered social media platforms to block 150-plus posts—including those of opposition party spokespersons, journalists and activists. It has also pushed back against foreign coverage of the crisis. 

This mirrors the government’s near-identical strategy during the farmer protests. At that time, it also pushed Bollywood celebrities and prominent cricketers to defend the government on Twitter—almost all at the same time—with Sachin Tendulkar tweeting: "India’s sovereignty cannot be compromised. External forces can be spectators but not participants. Indians know India and should decide for India. Let's remain united as a nation.”

An ugly spectacle?

Today, the first IPL match will be played in Delhi—in a city gasping for air amid severe oxygen shortages and running out of space for cremations. It is the first of eight matches to be held in the capital from April 28 to May 8. But cricket officials have been less concerned with optics than keeping cricketers safe from the pandemic killing hundreds every day: 

“There is a health and safety protocol that is already in place where teams move around in bubbles. They stay in bubbles, practice happens in a bubble, and any and every person who comes in contact is part of the bubble. There is no one who is outside the bubble.”

And Delhi Capitals player Chris Woakes would only say:

"It's a shame with the situation at the moment with the people all around the world having to deal with Covid, which isn't ideal. Within the bubble, we are trying to stay positive. We are very lucky that we still get a chance to play cricket and entertain people on the outside." 

There appears to be little understanding that the very privilege of these bio-bubbles—enforced in the comfort of five-star hotels—may spark anger and questions. 

The naysayers: have been few and far between. Andrew Tye of Rajasthan Royals—who has chosen to drop out and return to Australia—offered the most blunt comment to date: 

“Looking at it from an Indian point of view, how are these companies and franchises spending so much money, and the government, on the IPL when there’s people not being able to get accepted into hospital?”

Big point to note: The National Shooting Championships scheduled to be held in the city this month has been postponed—as is the India Open badminton—a qualifying event for Tokyo Olympics—which was slated for May. Also indefinitely postponed: The Women’s T20 Challenge which was to coincide with the IPL playoffs. The reason: “logistical challenges” involved in flying out overseas players.

But, but, but: The Indian cricket board just sent a letter to IPL players saying:

“We understand that many of you are apprehensive about how you will get back home once the tournament concludes, which is natural and understandable. We want to apprise you that you have nothing to worry about. The BCCI will do everything to ensure that you reach your respective destinations seamlessly… Be rest assured that the tournament is not over for BCCI till each one of you has reached your home, safe and sound.”

Vaccine privileges

Quick context: Ordinary citizens are scrambling to get the jab in the midst of a raging second wave—but even senior citizens are not able to get the required second dose. India is in the middle of a massive vaccine shortage—so much so that we are grateful to the US for sharing its stocks of the AstraZeneca vaccine. And they are likely to become even more scarce when eligibility is extended to everyone above the age of 18, starting May 1. A number of states have raised the alarm about their ability to vaccinate their residents. 

Point to note: Most experts agree a massive vaccination rollout to protect the most vulnerable is a must. It may not stop the second wave, but it is the only way to definitively end the pandemic—and avoid a third wave. 

Meanwhile at the BCCI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is entirely focused on vaccinating Indian players ASAP so they will be ready for the England tour—which kicks off right after the IPL. And then Mumbai Indian player Chris Lynn let slip that his team will be vaccinated this week. Almost no Indian media outlet has flagged the glaring inequity, but British tabloids have no such qualms. Daily Mail’s take:

“Excuse me? The fittest, most protected young men, currently playing cricket in a bio-secure environment are jumping the vaccine queue in a Covid-ravaged country where thousands are dying because of a shortage of medical resources, not least jabs? Surely not?”

Point to note: The BCCI insists that it will only vaccinate Indian players.

Adding to the perception of privilege: MS Dhoni’s parents tested positive in Jharkhand—and there was great worry in the Chennai Super Kings camp. Fans began praying for a speedy recovery, and there were fears that he may fly out to be with them—breaking the bio bubble. The coach had to reassure everyone that the situation was “under control.” Also this: Dhoni’s parents managed to get beds at a private hospital despite the fact that their oxygen levels were well within the safe limits.

A selective silence 

Indian cricketers, coaches and owners have been remarkably silent on the second wave. There have been no expressions of sympathy or even donations—none of which would require taking a political stance per se. Instead, these have come mostly from foreign players such as Pat Cummins and Bret Lee—who just donated one bitcoin (Rs 50 lakh) to Crypto Relief to help hospitals purchase oxygen supplies.

Indian players have instead participated in orchestrated messaging around Covid protocols arranged by their teams. For example, the Royal Challengers Bangalore video below:

OTOH, Delhi Capitals is urging Covid survivors to donate blood plasma (which is of spurious value, according to medical experts). 

What’s missing: These efforts are especially remarkable given that the desperate need of the hour is oxygen, hospital beds and medicines. Also telling: The complete lack of acknowledgement that Indians are dying by the thousands. What’s striking: These bland social distancing messages could have been just as easily sent out any time in the past year—except during election rallies and Kumbh melas, of course.

Chart of note: Dibyendu Mishra put together a graph that mapped when athletes tweeted at politicians. The peaks: The PM’s birthday, the first Janata Lockdown and after the general election results. 

The BCCI defence…

Is fairly straightforward:

• One: “IPL is not an election rally or congregation of people. There are no spectators involved and it is in no way contributing to the growing number of Covid-19 positive cases.”
• Two: “IPL is at least helping people to stay indoors and at home. Then why all such talk?... People need succour during these times of distress and the IPL is capable of providing that. It provides positive vibes all around.”
• Three: “Remember, the IPL is also contributing to the economy in a big way. A lot of livelihood is dependent on it.”
• Four: “Nowhere in the world sport has stopped because of the pandemic. EPL [English Premier League] matches were on even when the second wave was ravaging the UK. The same story applies in Spain.”

Last but not least: BCCI’s recent email reassuring IPL players struck this grandiose note: 

“When you all walk out onto the field, you are bringing hope to millions of people who have tuned in. If, even for a minute, you can bring a smile on someone’s face, then you have done well. While you are professionals and will play to win, this time you are also playing for something much more important … humanity.”

The bottomline: We leave it to you to figure out where you stand on this one. But in our view, this shouldn’t be a debate about what players etc are doing on the field. We have to ask: Why are they doing so little when they are off it?

Reading list

There isn’t a lot of in-depth reporting on this. The Guardian and The Telegraph have details of the BCCI email to IPL players. The Telegraph also talked to an unnamed senior BCCI official who defended the IPL. Firstpost’s Shantanu Shrivastava explains why he can’t watch IPL right now. Viju Cherian in MoneyControl argues that suspending IPL is a hare-brained idea.