Exclusive: IPL is not dumbing down of cricket, says Sachin

BATTING FOR IPL: I am happy that I am part of the inaugural year of the IPL tournament, says Sachin.

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New Delhi: The Mumbai Indians may not make it to the semi-finals of the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL), but that hasn't dampened the mood of their Captain Sachin Tendulkar.

In an exclusive interview to CNN's Talk Asia, Tendulkar spoke of his excitement about playing the game's latest format – Twenty20.

“I am extremely happy that I am part of the inaugural year of the IPL tournament. I have no doubts about the fact that it is going to be a huge success. People all over the world are talking about IPL, and here I am not talking about cricket enthusiasts but people who did not know anything about cricket,” Tendulkar told CNN.

Explaining that IPL has a mass appeal, the Little Master said, “The game has a lot to do with family outings. Earlier it used to be about going to the cinemas or for a play but now many people spend evenings watching the match. It's so full of action that everyone enjoys it.

Tendulkar also said that the new format of the game is not about “dumbing down of cricket”.

“It is just another version of cricket. First we had Test cricket then they started with One Days many years ago and we saw what a tremendous success it was. So I don’t see any wrong with the game being globalised in the form of IPL or Twenty20. Why not? I think it is better for cricket,” he said.