Sandeep Patil: Indian selectors prefer to watch IPL on TV

"It is not that we don’t watch IPL, we watch it on television. The problem is, if you watch it in the stadium, you don’t get to see action replays, when you are particularly watching a youngster," said Sandip Patil.

BCCI chief selector Sandeep Patil explained the national selectors' preference of watching the IPL on TV over watching it from the stadiums.

National selection committee chief Sandeep Patil today said he and his colleagues prefer to watch the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches on TV than in the stadiums, as it helps them understand the players’ calibre better.

“I would like to clarify one thing, it is not that we don’t watch IPL, we watch it on television. The problem is, if you watch it in the stadium, you don’t get to see action replays, when you are particularly watching a youngster,” Patil told reporters after the Indian squads for the forthcoming tours of Zimbabwe and West Indies were announced.

“Now, in IPL we are watching most of the performances of youngsters and TV gives us more opportunities because they show not one but 10-15 replays, so that’s why we have preferred it. It’s not that we are against (going to the stadium),” the former India player said.

“By staying away from IPL games, we get a better opportunity to assess the calibre of a player on television,” he added.