Islamabad, Mar 14 2025: Dinesh Karthik has praised the Indian Premier League (IPL) for its pivotal role in reshaping Indian cricket, both in terms of player mindset and infrastructure development.
Speaking at the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit, held at the Padukone Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence, Karthik joined RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, and former England cricketer Isa Guha to discuss the IPL’s long-term impact on the sport.
Karthik emphasized that the IPL’s financial contributions have led to significant investments in cricket infrastructure, strengthening the overall ecosystem of the sport.
He explained that the influx of money from the league has not only benefited the teams and their stakeholders but has also been reinvested into improving facilities, which in turn enhances the quality of the game.
According to Karthik, this infrastructure growth is essential for the continuous development of Indian cricket.
He further noted that the IPL has integrated deeply into Indian cricket, to the point where the country can now field multiple competitive teams on the international stage simultaneously.
He pointed out that India is now in a unique position, with a diverse pool of cricketers possessing varied skill sets, which allows them to remain competitive across different formats.
Reflecting on his early experiences in the IPL, Karthik shared how his interactions with Australian cricket legend Glenn McGrath in the league’s early years had a profound influence on his approach to the game.
Karthik described the Australian team’s aggressive mentality as a “massive shock” but noted that spending time with McGrath helped him develop the confidence to compete at the highest level.
The second edition of the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit, which runs on March 14-15 in Bengaluru, continues to explore innovations and trends in Indian sports.
