After a lengthy conversation with Zubin Bharucha, Director of High Performance at Rajasthan Royals, over emails and calls, Monty Desai decided to leave Atlanta and travel to Jaipur to explore something new. It was mid-2008, just a few months after the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite the presence of cricket legends and Bollywood superstars, the first edition of the cash-rich league raised more questions than answers. The focus on glamour rather than the game left concerns about the long-term viability of the project and its impact on Indian cricket. However, over the next 16 years, the IPL not only became one of the most successful sports leagues globally but also created opportunities for both current players and retired Indian cricketers.
“One of the first things that Zubin told me back then was that the league is going to expand and they were looking at an Indian coach for scouting and development work. That’s why I came back to India,” Desai says.
In that era, the nuances of scouting were not widely understood, and the requirements were unclear. However, franchises such as Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders displayed foresight by engaging former cricketers to traverse the country and watch countless cricket matches to secure the most promising talents for their teams. “Back then, it was a trial and error method as there were no formula for it,” Desai, who worked for seven seasons at Rajasthan Royals, says.
Scouts used to earn between Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10 lakh annually. Now, the salaries have significantly risen and vary based on the scouts’ profiles. “With the IPL, a lot of former cricketers and people who are passionate about the game have been able to be associated with it in various sectors and that’s the best part about it,” Desai says.
“Even some of the lesser known players are also part of scouting now because they have the eye, and are curious about tracking a player - not just his game but also his background. So, everything put together, the concept of scouting is fast evolving and there are more and more opportunities…”
More than a decade ago, Mumbai Indians roped in former New Zealand captain and erstwhile India coach John Wright as the chief of scouting. India international Rahul Sanghvi joined alongside him. Taking a cue from Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals hired Pravin Amre, Saba Karim, whereas Punjab Kings has availed the services of Reetinder Singh Sodhi and VRV Singh over the years.
Franchises typically maintain a team of five to six scouts, each assigned to specific zones. They primarily focus on BCCI-approved age-group tournaments, state-level U-19 and U-23 tournaments, and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy held just before the IPL auction.
A scout, on condition of anonymity, reveals that the job involves discovering new talents, closely monitoring them for at least three to four local tournaments, and providing insights into their strengths and weaknesses to the franchise’s analysts and coaches. The final decision on whether a player fits into the team’s plans rests with the coaching staff.
Big leap: Chandrakant Pandit, a highly regarded coach on the Indian domestic circuit, is KKR’s first Indian head coach. | Photo Credit: SPORTZPICS for IPL
In contrast to the past preference for notable overseas coaches, Indian coaches are now securing prominent roles. For instance, Kolkata Knight Riders appointed Chandrakant Pandit as its head coach last season, recognising his success with teams like Madhya Pradesh and Vidarbha in domestic tournaments. While domestic coaches like Bharucha, Vijay Dahiya, Ajay Ratra, Sunil Joshi, Joydeep Mukherjee, Dishant Yagnik, and Trevor Gonsalves have long been part of the system as assistant coaches, Pandit marked a significant shift as the first high-profile domestic coach in the head coach role.
“The best part about the IPL is the fact that there are so many opportunities and it’s not restricted to just cricketing affairs. Now, there are several cricketers who are hired by teams for specific specialist roles and that also creates newer opportunities and employment,” Pandit says.
“I know one of the spinners who is called by different franchises to help out spinners. Similarly, former fast bowlers are invited to specially conduct 15-day camps to help out the fast bowlers in respective franchises,” Pandit says. “I won’t call it a job, but it’s certainly an opportunity for former cricketers to be part of the game. Now, no former player can complain of not getting anything after retirement because there are various ways to be connected to the game through the IPL.”
Pandit highlights the transformation from the past when cricketers were uncertain about their post-retirement prospects. The IPL now serves as a platform for players to showcase their skills and secure employment, extending beyond roles in scouting or coaching. In the inaugural edition, Shishir Hattangadi, the former Mumbai captain, served as the CEO of the now-defunct Deccan Chargers. Presently, broadcasting has taken centre stage, with numerous former players joining this sector.
According to industry insiders, the pay structure for domestic coaches varies based on their profile and experience. A renowned domestic coach could earn up to Rs 2 crore per season, while assistant coaches typically receive between Rs 25 to 50 lakh (approximately). However, players with a substantial tenure representing India naturally have greater bargaining power.
A similar trend is observed in the broadcast sector. In earlier times, only a handful of top retired Indian cricketers engaged in broadcast and commentary for the IPL. As the league expanded, the broadcast coverage expanded to several regional languages, in addition to English and Hindi.
Previously, Star Sports, the global rights holder, offered IPL commentary in six languages from 2018. By 2022, this number increased to eight, including English, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, and Marathi. In the 2023 season, Jio Cinemas and Star Sports introduced commentary services in Gujarati, Odiya, Bhojpuri, and Punjabi, catering to a diverse domestic audience. This year, there will be a Haryanvi feed as well.
Former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan, who is now into mentoring and commentary, believes that the IPL is the ‘biggest cricketing job factory ever’. “If you look at it, so many retired cricketers have found newer avenues. Even if you have not played in the IPL, after retirement, you have options of making vlogs, getting commentary stints and those two months are busy for all,” Pathan says.
Switching hats: After troubling batters for years with seam and swing, Irfan Pathan now provides his insights into the gentleman’s game from behind the microphone. | Photo Credit: GP SAMPATH KUMAR
Apart from the global feed that’s assigned by the BCCI, which has a separate panel of commentators, the broadcasters also engage more than 50 to 100 former players for their regional commentary and chat shows. The pay package varies between Rs 25 to Rs 2 crore depending on the grade and the category. “No other cricketing league has been able to pull off something like the IPL, and as the league grows and the revenue increases, it has a direct impact on allied sectors as well, and that provides several openings for former players,” Pathan points out.
“Not just cricket, even other sectors - tourism, hotels, hospitality - also boom, so during those two months, there’s an economic progress as well. That automatically trickles down to other sector and the people associated with it.”
Ever since the tournament began, overseas coaches and commentators have also bagged lucrative deals and the trend continues.
“The competition has also gone up,” says Deep Dasgupta. The former India wicketkeeper, who retired from all forms of the game more than a decade ago, has been a noted commentator and broadcaster. He currently heads Chennai Super Kings’ academy in England. “If you look from the perspective of the sports industry, the more it grows, the whole ecosystem grows. So, obviously, the competition is intense, but then, it’s also in a much better shape that where things were maybe 20 years ago,” Dasgupta says.
There are also flip sides to it. “The market has become competitive with more and more people wanting to get into the groove. Earlier, maybe from a pool of five, you could choose three commentators, but now, you need to pick ten or twelve from a pool of 100, so it is challenging,” Dasgupta says.
Given the global nature of the IPL, broadcasters make a conscious effort to maintain a balanced representation of both Indian and overseas experts in their lineup. This emphasis on diversity has led to increased opportunities for players, particularly in regional languages.
“Earlier, things were not that streamlined, but now, with broadcast in so many languages - Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali - the market has opened up, creating job opportunities and for a league to grow, these are great signs,” says Pandit, who’s had brief stints in commentary in the past.
Over the last five years, quite a few noted Ranji Trophy cricketers — Dhawal Kulkarni, Amol Muzumdar, Manoj Tiwary, Shreevats Goswami, Hanuma Vihari, Abhinav Mukund — have joined the regional commentary set up. To add further gloss to the coverage last season, Sports18 added former India women’s team captain Jhulan Goswami to its roster for Bengali commentary.
Several retired players have found opportunities to work overseas, thanks to Indian franchises investing in various international leagues. “But the number is less,” points out a franchise official. The BCCI does not allow its players to feature in overseas leagues, and there are some informal obligations for the staff involved with domestic cricket. “India’s domestic tournaments are on around that time, so obviously, the franchises prefer local coaches for the overseas leagues,” a franchise insider says.
Not long ago, a retirement from the game often meant the end of road for a cricketer, but IPL has been a glimmer of hope; a platform to stay associated with the game and also earn a living.
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