NDTV.com: Is IPL a 'serial killer'?

NDTV.com: Is IPL a 'serial killer'?

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-Motera-like tracks would kill Test cricket: Harbhajan

-Middlesex line up Gilchrist-Tendulkar partnership

-Decision on sending Misbah to NZ after first Test: PCB

-Shane Bond returns to Tests after 2-year hiatus

-SA-England match abandoned due to rain

-McIntosh century highlights tour match

-Don Bradman inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

-Warne, Clarke face off in All Star Twenty20 match

-Butt rules out Shoaib Akhtar making a comeback

-Chappell sees Tests shrinking to a 4-nation format

-Defiant India pull off a draw against tough Lankans

-We never panicked, says Dhoni

-India can rise if Proteas fall in ICC one-day rankings

-Dammika Prasad doubtful for second Test

-Highlights: India vs SL, 1st Test, Day 5

-No psychological edge from drawn Test: Sangakkara

-Dar gives thumbs up to UDRS

-Fit Clarke returns to Aussie squad for WI series

-Live: India win toss, elect to bowl

-India fight back to save Test after Lankan run feast

-Sachin completes 30,000 international runs

-Dhoni rules out possibility of batting up the order

-India can rise if Proteas fall in ICC one-day rankings

-Poor performance, packaged IPL, hit cricketers

-Sri Lanka's Kandamby gets Test call for India tour

-Dhoni, Sangakkara differ on Motera featherbed

-India to sponsor Lord's cricket ground?

-1st ODI: Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 5 wickets

-Kirsten demands application and determination from batsmen

-Lanka keeper did not know he had broken world record

-Butt ready for more matches at neutral venues

-NZ, Pak to use contentious umpire review system

-Highlights: India vs Sri Lanka, Day 3

-New Zealander sets world wicketkeeping record

-ICC should promote Test cricket vigorously: Viswanath

-Tendulkar disappointed his effort went in vain

-Suggesting Sachin greatest is demeaning to others: Atherton

-There is too much cricket: Siddle

-Jayawardenes break 72-year-old world record

-Rahul Dravid namesake makes waves

-South Africa seek to end losing streak

-Australia sneak a 3-run win despite Sachin special

-Younus undecided about joining Australia tour

-Tough for Brett Lee to make Test return: Taylor

-Gayle heads home to be with ailing mother

-Pathan, Solanki hit 50s, Baroda folds for 234

-Three-tier security plan for India-Australia ODI

-Huge crowds at first two ODIs give fillip to 50-over game

-Coaching session with Tendulkar goes for Rs 12 lakh

-PC wants another Services match scheduled in Srinagar

-Afridi to play for Redbacks in Australia's T20 tournament

-Shakib signs for Worcestershire

-Umpire review system may go

-Zimbabwe will soon return to Test fold: Chingoka

-Younus wants direct communication with teammates

-Turmoil-hit New Zealand depart for Pakistan series

-No ICC support for two-tier Test system: PCB official

-MCC denies planning to rebrand Lord's

-BCCI mum on player-photographer fracas at Nagpur

-Aussie injury crisis proves there's too much cricket: Marsh

-New Zealand coach quits amid player criticism

-All-rounder Afridi helps Pakistan sink New Zealand

-We can press for a maiden Test win: Mahela

-Mahela's double ton pushes India on back foot

-PCB chief plans Indo-Pak ODI series with BCCI

-Australia win Mohali ODI to level series 2-2

-Srikkanth thrilled at team's performance

-Pakistan bowlers on song in tour match

-Pakistan seek revenge against New Zealand

-Security for Cuttack ODI to be strengthened

-Australia can never replace Warne: Hilditch

-Statistical highlights: India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Day 3

-Bedi blasts BCCI for unceremonious ouster of Prasad and Robin

-I could come back for Pakistan T20 team: Younus

-Paine replaced by Manou in Aus squad

-Brett Lee ruled out of the ODI series

-PCB, ex-players unhappy with Younus' wish to play T20 again

-Former players lambast Butt

-Kirsten unhappy with team performance

-Mumbai to host first Sri Lanka Test, Rajkot first ODI

-Uthappa eyes India comeback with good show for Board XI

-Enough of celebrations, it's time to move on: Tendulkar

-Lord's could be renamed under revamp: Report

-Off-spinner Sarandeep Singh called for chucking

-Paine out of rest of series with broken finger, says Ponting

-Australia seek to trim congested calendar: Report

-PCB granted NOCs to players to feature in IPL III: Razzaq

-Bangledesh beat Zimbabwe by 6 wickets, take 3-1 lead

-Team doors not closed for Misbah: Intikhab

-New NCA chief aspires to create bench strength for Indian team

-Tharoor wants India-Pak series at neutral venues

-No dates available for India-Pak series: BCCI

-Malik scalps six as Himachal bowl out Mumbai for 162

-Buoyant Australia wary of India backlash

-Was too keen to finish it off: Jadeja

-Lee powers NSW to Champions League title

-Only 7 per cent Indians prefer Test cricket: survey

-Gavaskar too feels Dhoni should bat higher in the order

-Champions League hindered our preparation: Ponting

-Taufeeq resigns from ICL, submits NOC to PCB

-Sreesanth gets 'final warning' from Kerala Board

-ICC introduces anti-racism, anti-corruption codes

-Pak Sports Ministry asks PCB for review of players' contracts

-Dhoni is still with us: Mindscapes

-Team India eyes hat-trick of wins to stretch lead

-8 IPL team owners to form association

-Highlights of Hyderabad ODI between India and Australia

-Sri Lanka reviews security arrangements in Rajkot

-India-Australia series prove ODI is still popular: Bindra

-Yuvraj returns to boost India against injury-hit Aussies

-India and Australia resume rivalry as series begins

-India will miss Zaheer in the ODI series: Hussey

-Indisposed Benson replaced by India's Asnani as umpire

-Indian, Australian teams arrive for Mohali ODI

-Dissent over Misbah's selection in Pak Test team

-Paine will have to go once Haddin returns: Nielsen

-Butt confident about Indo-Pak cricket resuming soon

-J&K cricketer's bag tests negative for explosives

-Dav Whatmore to be Knight Riders' new coach

-Harbhajan back in top-10 of ICC rankings

-Series win against Australia will make India No 1

-Akhtar undergoes liposuction surgery without informing PCB

-Moises injury a new headache, says Nielsen

-Lee raring to come back in 3rd ODI

-We look to make a fresh start: Dhoni

-Sri Lanka reply strongly to Indian challenge

-'No statement to make on my batting up the order'

-Heavy security cover for the India-Australia ODI

-Dhoni should bat higher up the order: Gilchrist

-Thackeray's criticism of Tendulkar uncalled for: BCCI

-I'll try make up for the lost time: Asif

-Coach-less New Zealand face troubled Pakistan

-Fleming out of New Zealand coaching race

-ICC condoles Shepherd's death

-Younus, Afridi call truce in a close-door meeting

-Gayle back as Windies captain to tour Australia

-Recurrent injuries force Lee to contemplate future

-Injury worries for Australia ahead of 2nd ODI

-James Hopes ruled out of ODI series, to return home

-CLT20 campaign will help WI cricket: Ganga

-India will be under pressure: Sangakkara

-Sreesanth makes a surprise comeback against Lanka

-Hauritz is better than Harbhajan: Ponting

-All tickets for Mumbai ODI sold out

-Anti-Naxal cover for cricketers

-Long series helps in bouncing back: Dhoni

-India to retain same squad in next two one-dayers

-Former umpire David Shepherd dies

-WADA, BCCI to meet on 'whereabouts clause'

-Justin Langer appointed Australia's batting coach

-BCCI proposal to shift ICC HQ gains favour

-South Africa win Hong Kong Sixes

-Pakistan to get more moolah for 2011 WC shift

-Tendulkar's career a lesson for all youngsters: Miandad

-PCB gives permission to Misbah to play in Bangladesh

-NSW eyes big-hitting Kieron Pollard for Big Bash

-Pathan lands into controversy

-Problems with players forced NZ tour pullout: Younus

-No more 10-over limit for bowlers in ODIs?

-Australians consider alternative venue to SCG

-Prasad fails to get Lanka assistant coach's job

-Ojha, Murali Vijay released from Indian squad

-Pak players will have no visa problems: India

-Johnson may still play Nagpur ODI: Nielsen

-Expect 550-plus runs during Mohali ODI: Curator

-India waiting for Harbhajan to hit his straps

-Henriques returns, McDonald and Cockley called in

-Australia fined for slow over-rate in Mohali ODI

-D Y Patil Stadium wicket would be a good one, says Kuruvilla

-Lee savours success, happy to live upto expectations

-Sachin Tendulkar's milestones

-Mohali win will make India number one

-Record-breaking Smith, Bosman lead South Africa to victory

-Rohan smashes hundred as Bengal reach 252-5

-Tendulkar is beyond compare: Gavaskar

-Wasim Akram's wife dies in Chennai

-Kashmir match: BCCI says Army's apology won't do

-Sachin rates 2007 WC ouster career's worst moment

-Vettori undergoes scan after injury

-Chinese women's team learning cricket at PCA stadium

-Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 7 wickets in 2nd ODI

-Hyderabad 175 for 5 against Gujarat on Day One

-Looking to keep winning momentum going in Mohali: Dhoni

-17,000 runs: Another milestone awaits Sachin

-Sachin needs 7 for 17,000 as India eye lead

-Top order has to fire in unison, says Dhoni

-Umpire Hazare makes premature ODI debut, De Silva to fly in

-Special century at number five, says Dhoni

-Improve players arena at Eden Gardens: ICC team to CAB

-Miandad backs Tharoor's proposal on Indo-Pak series

-Reading habit reason behind Gavaskar avoiding helmet

-Ex-Manager expressed concern over Younus: Report

-India eye victory to remain alive in the series

-Kirsten defends spinners after innocuous display

-We need 150-run lead to control the match: Dilshan

-Lankans not keen to play ODIs before Test series

-We hope to seal the series here: Hussey

-Arthur 'frustrated' by Trott as Richards hits out

-Mithali tops batting chart of ICC women's ranking

-No warning for proven chuckers, BCCI tells umpires

-Ranadeb's fiver restricts Maharashtra to 179

-We can beat Aussies at their home: Malik

-Kapil lashes out at BCCI for sacking Prasad, Robin

-2nd ODI: Records made and broken

-Gambhir, Sehwag's injuries spell trouble for India

-Now Henriques is injured, not to play 5th ODI

-Batting key as Pakistan jet off to New Zealand

-Dharmani guides Punjab to 212/7 against TN

-Ponting creates confusion over Siddle's injury

-Dhoni should have been the Man of the Match: Yuvraj

-Younus welcome to T20 cricket: Afridi

-South Africa aim to be 'hot' against England

-Bangladesh win battle of minnows in style

-Ganguly back as KKR captain, Whatmore to coach

-Ponting asks youngsters to choose country over IPL money

-New wonder boy of cricket wants to meet Tendulkar

-Amarnath gets Lifetime Achievement Award

-Ponting gracious in defeat

-Australians do not sledge: Brett Lee

-We'll beat Aussies 5-2, says Harbhajan

-India's fight goes in vain as Australia win series opener

-IPL to introduce 2 new teams and pink balls from 2011

-2010 World Cup T20 tickets go on sale worldwide

-Jadeja will learn from mistakes, says Dhoni

-Statistical highlights: India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Day 2

-Injured Thushara sent back, Fernando to join squad soon

-Hopes feels awkward to sledge Indians post-IPL

-India will go flat out against Aussies: Dhoni

-India seek to keep momentum going against Australia

-Make Afridi captain of one-day side too: Inzamam

-South Africa cruise to victory as Taibu steals show

-I conveyed all problems to Younus: Afridi

-Younus looks for redemption against New Zealand

-Tendulkar shocked at Prabhash Joshi's death

-When umpires declined to stand in World T20

-IPL has helped curb nastiness in cricket: Gavaskar

-Harbhajan not at his best but we are not worried, says Dhoni

-Losing too many wickets in powerplay did us in: Dhoni

-Dravid, Dhoni help India recover from dire straits

-BCCI yet to find a sponsor for Test series against Lanka

-BCCI yet to find a sponsor for Test series against Lanka

-Aus media hails series victory against 'upstart rivals' India

-India paired with South Africa at World T20

-We have some work to do at death bowling: Ponting

-Dhoni all praise for impressive Ishant

-Clinical India steamroll Australia by 99 runs

-Dhoni, Harbhajan give slip to police

-Siddle returns home, Aussies' injury list gets longer

-McCullum, Styris star as New Zealand level series

-WC one trophy every cricketer aspires to win: Lorgat

-Pietersen rediscovered joy of cricket after injury

-Live: Ponting sends India to bat 1st

-Umpire Benson falls sick, replaced by Saheba

-Dhoni hurts knee during batting practice

-Tendulkar crosses 17,000-run milestone

-No security breach by Harbhajan: Police

-Second day of SL practice match called off

-Sri Lanka to look for right combination against BPXI

-India's chance to be No. 1 takes a nosedive

-Teams arrive in Nagpur for second ODI

-Dhoni has no place up in top-order: Gavaskar

-Sans stars Delhi, Baroda square off in Ranji opener

-Ganguly to play for Bengal in Ranji Trophy

-I thought my career was over: Tendulkar

-'Dark chapter' of match-fixing should remain closed: Sachin

-'I feel nervous while starting every new innings'

-Qadir wants youngsters be given proper chance

-Younus under pressure in Pakistan-New Zealand decider

-Tendulkar misses 17,000-run mark again

-India spank Aussies by six wickets, take 2-1 lead

-Nielsen concerned about players' burn-out

-Vadodara pitch could help bowlers initially

-Hopes and Lee to miss 3rd ODI: Ponting

-Botham brushes aside 'burnout' talk

-Pakistan beat New Zealand in 1st Twenty20 match

-ICC eager to add context to Test match program

-Gambhir gives tips to Pak batsman

-Tamim stars in Bangladesh's 3rd ODI win

-We lost in the first 15 minutes: Dhoni

-Zaheer, Nehra eye Test return against Lanka

-Dravid completes 11,000 Test runs

-Irfan not to play against Delhi

-BCCI bans Services from Ranji Trophy for skipping match in J&K

-Younus quit after failing to get Butt's backing: Sources

-A 16-year old boy still lives within me: Tendulkar

-Australia PM salutes Tendulkar

-Ponting fumes over training facilities in Kotla

-Australia's transition period is over: Nielsen

-Hopes ruled out of 2nd ODI; Lee, Johnson doubtful

-We squandered a good start: Dhoni

-Gavaskar, Vishwanath felicitated

-No rift in Pakistan team, insists Butt

-Pakistan's Afridi accepts a captain's challenge

-PCB approves controversial audit reports

-Players worried after attacks but Quaid-e-Azam Trophy to go on

-Flower backs Pietersen to overpower South Africa

-Vettori quiet on Moles' coaching

-There has been no complaint on security: SLC

-Rains claim first day's play between Lanka and President's XI

-Highlights: India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Day 1

-Afridi wants to take a break from Tests

-Army following double standards in Kashmir: Omar

-PCB boss wanted Younus to continue as captain

-I want Sachin to win 2011 World Cup: Lata Mangeshkar

-Australia want to play India more: Report

-Milestone man Sachin completes 20 years in cricket

-Sachin the greatest ever sportsperson in Asia: Srinath

-There will never be another Sachin: Murali

-Batting powerplays becoming crucial in ODIs

-Younus shouldn't have backed out of NZ tour: Afridi

-JKCA fumes at Services last-minute backout from Ranji match

-Pakistan all-rounder Arafat to play for Otago

-One of my most fluent knocks in recent times: Dravid

-India were unlucky against Aussies: Laxman

-We are not content with just semifinal win: Ganga

-India record second best 'first day total'

-India keen to get back to winning ways against Lanka

-Aussie relieved over full-strength WI's tour

-Ponting's retirement will leave a big hole: Hilditch

-SCG set to go pink during Oz-Pak Test for McGrath Foundation

-Sehwag, Gambhir cleared to play in 4th ODI

-Ponting feared 250 would not be enough

-Sachin's 20 glorious years in international cricket

-Vettori fit for 1st Pakistan Test

-Mills fined 20 per cent match fee for breaching ICC Code of Conduct

-Little chance of me accepting captaincy again: Younus

-Another PCB snub to Misbah, ignored for Bangladesh series

-Highlights: India vs Australia, 6th ODI

-Welegedara cherishes Tendulkar scalp

-ICC all for high scoring one-dayers and T20s

-Three skippers for Pak as Yousuf appointed Test captain

-Hoggard to join Leicestershire as captain

-India to play 2011 World Cup opener in Dhaka

-Quotes on Tendulkar

-Yousuf wants out of form Misbah back in team

-Sachin to celebrate with family, friends

-Pakistan sweep NZ in Twenty20s

-Ishant needs to balance his workload: Srinath

-Final ODI called off, Australia win series 4-2

-Tendulkar felicitated by Narendra Modi

-Maiden Duminy ton steers SAfrica to big win

-New Zealand survive Aamir scare to win series

-KKR not a side to finish at the bottom of IPL: Whatmore

-Dhoni wants Tendulkar to celebrate 20 years with ton

-Thackeray criticises Sachin over "Mumbai for all" remark

-Younus' removal evokes mixed reaction among former players

-England win 1st Twenty20 match against SAfrica

-Series lost, India play for pride in Mumbai

-Bollinger bowls Aussies to series-clinching win

-Women no longer 'warm-up' act at World T20

-India drop to 3rd place in ODI rankings

-Strauss hits 117 in England warmup game

-Team India is jaded, tired: Younus

-Younus' pull out, Misbah's gain

-Ponting aims to end series on a winning note

-Lack of consistency cost India series, says Azhar

-Sri Lanka look to break jinx against India

-Sreesanth keen to make a new beginning

-20 Years of Sachin: Little Master's Big Words

-Legends' take on Sachin Tendulkar

-New Zealand's Styris wants to carry on in ODIs

-Border-Gavaskar Scholarship launched

-Hussey top run-getter, Watson most wickets in ODI series

-7th ODI: Rain, cyclone alert may play spoilsport

-Injury-plagued Watson sees irony of being 'last man standing'

-100 orphaned kids to watch SL-India Kanpur Test for free

-Badrinath, Vijay delighted at Test call

-New Zealand to have coach by February

-I didn't even know who Sachin was: Anjali

-Sri Lankan Test team arrives for Test series

-Watson, Johnson return home before last ODI

-Sangakkara gives thumbs up to security measures

-Muralitharan wants to end his last tour abroad with win

-Younus criticized for defeat against NZ

-Sangakkara hails Tendulkar as best player of modern era

-'Good decision to host Pakistan's WC matches in Lanka'

-Cricket greats pay tribute to Tendulkar

-Pitch likely to favour seamers on first two days: Curator

-Green Park pitch is better this time: Daljit

-Players arrive in Ahmedabad

-Tendulkar: 20 years of undiminished aura

-Tendulkar 16th in all-time longest careers list

-Tendulkar a true ambassador of the game: Ex-Pak cricketers

-Tendulkar greatest batsman of my generation: Ganguly

Is IPL a 'serial killer'?

Mokshada Batra

Friday, April 25, 2008 (Mumbai)

The initial doubts about whether the DLF Indian Premier League tournament would be able to compete with prime time television soaps have been dispelled. The verdict is out, the DLF IPL is here to stay. At least, that's what the television ratings seem to suggest. The Target Rating Points (TRP) of IPL is much higher than the daily soaps.

In its second week itself, IPL's TRP has soared up to 4.7, which is higher than the highest rated television soaps.

If we were to take a look at the female target audience of 15 years and above and compared what they watched. Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi on Star Plus had a rating of 4.5, while another popular soap on Zee TV, Saat Phere, shows a rating of 4.6. A lot of these women seem to have tuned in to watch the DLF IPL as seen by the TRP of 4.7.

The TRP of IPL shoots up when the target audience shifts to men. For men over 15 years, the ratings for IPL move up to 7.3, which is a dream figure for any daily soap.

While other channels are struggling to retain the viewers, IPL broadcaster SET Max is cashing in on it. Its market share rose to 28.8% from a mere 5.7% just a few weeks ago.

It's not just the broadcaster, advertisers like Godrej are also ecstatic at having taken such a gamble that is beginning to pay off. Godrej has not only chosen the IPL to stage its makeover, it has also spent 16-18 crore on doing it!

"We have not been advertising much on cricket but IPL is a major cricket event which was timed extremely well from our point of view as we were launching our new brand and the IPL had also started. So, we became the TV sponsors of the first set of IPL on SONY Max and that has worked very well. I understand viewership is much higher than expected," Adi Godrej, Chairman of Godrej Group said.

As brands get ready for battle of the eyeballs, the war will not be confined to the cricket field. It will also be interesting to watch how TV viewership ratings fluctuate over the next few days as Shah Rukh Khan's Kyya Aap Panchvi Pass se Tez Hain begins on Star Plus on April 25.

.:: User Comments

Posted by: jks [ 25 Apr 2008 ]
What an argument? Cricket being compared with a serial? Can someone say when India plays against some other country what is the TRP for the match? I am sure this is much higher than those being projected for IPL matches. The truth is IPL might be viewed for a year but it has failed and is incapable of generating passions among masses. 90% of Indians follow the match score when India plays against any oter country but we least bother about what is the score in IPL match.

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