Why do we need a window?

This blog first appeared on expressblogs, my source of mutton, chicken & shahi panner!

All this talk of ICC creating a window in the ‘Future’s Tour Programme’ (FTP) for tournaments like IPL to flourish doesn’t make any sense to me. The basic premise of the Indian Premier League is taken from the highly successful soccer club competitions across Europe where international players play in various clubs but whenever they are required to join their international squads, the clubs have to let them go. There are no two ways about it. FIFA rules make it very clear that international fixtures hold priority over club clashes. But they make sure that when important matches are held, like knock-out matches of tournaments like Champions League in Europe or the tournaments in Latin America, soccer bodies don’t fix any game during that particular time.So it is a fine balancing act that keeps the multi-million dollar/pound/euro club soccer system going without harming the importance and relevance of international FIFA matches. Here the International cricket body, ICC, is mulling about stalling international fixtures to allow the ‘big players’ to earn more by playing in tournaments like IPL. To me personally it sounds preposterous to say the least. Whatever maybe at stake financially in tournaments like IPL, nothing can match the edge in clashes like India-Pakistan or Australia-England and that is what a true cricket fan wants.
Not a war minus bullets and slaps but a hard fought game in which cricket comes out as the winner. I am all for IPL and other tournaments like it and personally I love the Twenty20 format but frankly stalling international cricket matches for a period of time to facilitate cash-driven tournaments is just not done