What if IPL had started in the 1990s? Who would have been the first mega auction pick?

Introduction

The inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was held in 2008. In quick time, the franchise tournament secured a spot in the hearts of cricket enthusiasts around the world. The amount of money involved in the league has been awe-inspiring. It has also opened the door for franchise leagues in other parts of the world. Cricketers who fail to make it to the national team can still earn a lot of money by playing in these competitions.

It is quite interesting to imagine a scenario where the IPL started in the 1990s. The T20 format hadn't been discovered back then. Players who scored run-a-ball were considered to be rare. However, if the format and the IPL had been introduced back then, it would have taken the world by storm. Imagine stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar and Wasim Akram sharing dressing rooms.

The Auction Dynamics in the 1990s

Another interesting question that comes to mind is whether the franchises would have been the same had the IPL started in the 1990s. For instance, Shah Rukh Khan, who is the co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), had only made his Bollywood debut in 1992. Juhi Chawla and husband Jay Mehta, who are the co-owners of KKR, tied the knot in 1995. Shah Rukh and Juhi improved their financial condition in the latter part of the 1990s. They might not have invested in cricket back then. However, Kolkata, being a sports-loving city, would have surely had a team albeit with different owners. Some of the other cities might have had teams with different owners.

Top Contenders for the First Mega Auction Pick

Sachin Tendulkar had established himself as a household name in world cricket by the mid-1990s with some scintillating performances against top teams. He turned 20 years old in April 1993. The legendary cricketer would have been one of the top contenders to become the first pick in the mega-auction.

Brian Lara could have been another player for whom franchises would have broken the banks. The southpaw was one of the finest players of that era. One of the highlights of Lara's game was the ease with which he played the spinners. This trait would have helped him score a lot of runs on the Indian pitches in the IPL.

Wasim Akram is one of the greatest left-arm seamers to have played the game. He had the ability to swing the new ball at pace and also bowl deadly yorkers at the backend. Akram's four-over spells would have been crucial for teams in the IPL.

Shane Warne will be remembered as the first captain to win the IPL. He achieved the feat with Rajasthan Royals in 2008. Warne was at his peak in the 1990s and he would have wreaked havoc had he played the IPL back then.

Jacques Kallis is one of the finest seam-bowling all-rounders of all time. He played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and KKR in the IPL. The South Africa is a two-time IPL winner with the Knights. Kallis contributed more with the ball in the latter years in the IPL. Had the IPL started in the 1990s, teams would have tried their best to acquire the services of the Pinelands-born.

Who Would Have Been the No.1 Pick?

Sanath Jayasuriya could have earned a lot more money to his bank balance had he played the IPL during his peak years. He was one of the fiercest strikers of the ball. From 1990 to 1999, Jayasuriya had a strike rate of over 90 in ODIs. Lance Klusener could have also been a hot property at the auction because of his ability to hit the big shots and take crucial wickets.

Shahid Afridi is another candidate who could have earned the most amount of money among the overseas players. He had the highest strike rate (103.91) in ODI cricket from 1990 to 1999. However, it would have been hard to beat Tendulkar because of his consistency and prowess.

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Conclusion

If the IPL had started back then, considering that there was no international T20 cricket, the calendar would have been less demanding on the players. Even the introduction of T20Is, wouldn't have caused much of a problem as there were not as many games played back then in international cricket. However, ODI cricket was hugely popular back then and the introduction of the T20 format would have taken a lot of the spotlight away.