Stars without Success – The untold Story of IPL 2026

 

Seven IPL teams have at least one Indian player who was part of the victorious Indian squad that won the T20 World Cup 2026. Interestingly, three teams did not have even one player from the victorious Indian team, namely:

1. RCB
2. LSG
3. RR

Among these three, LSG are the bottom huggers, RCB are the table toppers, and RR can still qualify. What this proves is that in the IPL, it is not merely Indian stars but team composition that matters. RCB are proving that even without present Indian superstars from the World Cup-winning squad, a team can still do exceptionally well. RR, meanwhile, have terrific talent in Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal and might still qualify for the playoffs.

Mumbai Indians (MI): The most puzzling case is that of MI. They had the best Indian world cup winning players,  Surya, Tilak (batters), Bumrah (the best pace bowler in the world), and Hardik (all-rounder), yet they are already eliminated. Just imagine having nearly half the World Cup winning team and still getting knocked out!

Hardik’s form has dipped, and he does not seem to be on the best of terms with the team management and some of his yellow-star teammates. The dip in Surya’s form is also alarming, and he may have to retire in the near future, at least from the T20I format.

Indian World Cup Winners in MI:  Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya and  Jasprit Bumrah – (4)

Delhi Capitals (DC): DC did not have a great season, and it might be difficult for them to qualify. Their team composition seems to be suffering, and they do not possess the batting firepower required in the modern slam-bang IPL style of cricket.

In a team devoid of explosive batting stars, there is hardly any chance for bowlers like Axar and Kuldeep to shine consistently. They may once again fail to qualify for the playoffs, and the IPL trophy could elude them for the 19th time.

Indian World Cup Winners in DC, Axar Patel  and Kuldeep Yadav – (2)

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): SRH are extremely lucky to have Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan from the World Cup-winning team. Add Travis Head and Klaasen to the mix, and SRH possess the most explosive batting line-up in IPL 2026.

If Abhishek and Head can put their heads down and bat sensibly, with Cummins returning and Eshan Malinga along with the rookie fast bowlers doing well, SRH could go all the way. They need a little bit of luck, and this could still be SRH’s year.

Just wait for a day when all the top four click together, and we could be looking at a 270+ score. But the real surprise is how well SRH’s Achilles’ heel is performing. SRH’s bowling has always been ridiculed, but this year the bowlers are finally coming to the party. Against CSK, it was the bowlers who restricted the opposition to 180, which SRH later overhauled, not easily, but effectively.

Indian World Cup Winners in SRH, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan (2)

Chennai Super Kings (CSK): CSK’s 2026 campaign has been hampered by the continuous chatter surrounding Dhoni. The talisman who carried CSK for 18 years has ironically become the team’s biggest weakness this season. The constant debate over whether Dhoni will play or not seems to have affected everyone in the CSK camp.

Even two explosive players like Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube have not been able to stem the rot. Ruturaj has proved to be an insipid leader, and the famous “Whistle Podu” spirit seems absent this year. The whistle simply refuses to blow.

Fleming says the team is in transition, but that sounds more like false bravado. It is almost confirmed that Dhoni will retire after this season, and the CSK management should answer its fans as to why commercial interests outweighed the team’s interests.

If CSK had let go of Dhoni last year, maybe it would have hurt financially, but perhaps the team would have performed better. Dhoni is not merely a wicketkeeper-batsman and leader; he is an institution. The void created by his fading presence has proved too deep to overcome. CSK might not qualify for the playoffs.

Indian World Cup Winners in CSK. Sanju Samson and  Shivam Dube – (2)

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR):  Varun’s mystery has been cracked, and Rinku’s blow-hot, blow-cold form has not helped either. Rahane has been a total flop and might find himself back in the bidding pool next year.

He could face the same ignominy suffered by David Warner,  captain one season, thrown into obscurity the next. For players like Rahane, the sell-by date appears to have already expired. It was a bad decision by  KKR to retain him as both player and captain. A costly mistake. KKR might not qualify for the playoffs.

Indian World Cup Winners in KKR, Rinku Singh and Varun Chakravarthy – (2)

Gujarat Titans (GT): The surprise team this year has been GT. They started slowly but have shaped up magnificently. Shubman Gill is playing well and leading from the front, ably supported by Sai Sudharsan. The bowling unit also looks solid, with Rabada, Siraj, and Rashid Khan firing on all cylinders.

Washington Sundar is lucky to be in such company. So far, his performance with the bat has been good, though he may still get opportunities to prove his worth as a bowler. GT, along with SRH and RCB, look like the strongest contenders to win IPL 2026. Mohammed Siraj has been a revelation and, along with Rabada, forms perhaps the best pace duo among all IPL teams.

Indian World Cup Winners in GT, Washington Sundar  and Mohammed Siraj – (2)

Punjab Kings (PBKS): What do we say about PBKS? They have been the biggest enigma this year. After winning six matches and collecting 13 points out of a possible 14 from their first seven games, some even predicted they would win all 14 matches. But how the mighty have fallen.

After losing six on the trot, they may now not even qualify for the playoffs. PBKS have deservedly been receiving bad press. There have been accusations of indiscipline within the squad, especially against Prabhsimran. He has been accused of not practising enough and not giving his best. These allegations appear to have negatively affected team morale.

The cocky antics of Shreyas Iyer have also not gone down well. He seems to have taken his non-selection very badly, and his leadership appears to be faltering.

Most disappointing, however, has been the behaviour of Arshdeep Singh. His aggressive sledging of teammates and his insensitive comments about Tilak Varma have outraged Indian cricket fans.

Arshdeep Singh must understand that he is a senior Indian player and that he will continue to play alongside Tilak Varma in the future. Publicly targeting a fellow Indian player in such a manner was unnecessary and avoidable. Even now, a public apology would help heal matters. Punjabis themselves have historically faced prejudice, and Arshdeep should understand how hurtful such comments can be.

Indian World Cup Winner  in PBKS, Arshdeep Singh – (1)

Conclusion: All IPL stars must understand that once the IPL ends, they will return to their respective state teams and eventually the Indian national side. Let there not be deep divisions like those seen in certain European football leagues, where club loyalty sometimes appears greater than national loyalty.

The former Liverpool manager once remarked rather condescendingly: “I have to let go of my players so they can play in a small tournament in Africa.” The tournament he referred to was the Africa Cup of Nations, one of the most passionately followed football tournaments on the continent.

Let the IPL feed and strengthen Indian cricket, not become the reason for weakening it at its roots.

IPL Captains and Their Fate After This Year’s IPL

1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK): Ruturaj Gaikwad might retain his captaincy, but personally I would prefer Sanju Samson as captain. Sanju has the aggression, modern mindset, and natural flair that CSK currently seem to lack. Ruturaj appears too calm and understated for a side that desperately needs fresh energy.

2. Delhi Capitals (DC): Axar Patel may not have had a great season as captain, but K.L. Rahul himself had a poor season too. My guess is that Axar might be given another chance. DC do not have too many strong leadership alternatives, and changing captains repeatedly has never really helped them. Axar at least brings stability and calmness, even if the results were disappointing.

3. Gujarat Titans (GT): Shubman Gill has been exceptional. He will definitely remain captain. He has matured enormously as both batter and leader. GT look disciplined, balanced, and tactically sharp under him. Gill seems destined to become one of the long-term leaders of Indian cricket.

4. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Ajinkya Rahane might lose both his captaincy and even his place in the team. The big question is: who replaces him?

My bet would be Sunil Narine, a wonderful choice for captaining KKR. He understands the franchise culture, has immense experience, and commands natural respect within the dressing room.

5. Mumbai Indians (MI): Hardik Pandya might either quit or possibly get traded — maybe even to CSK. Bumrah would probably be the best choice as captain. He is calm, respected, disciplined, and leads through performance rather than theatrics.

MI’s biggest problem this season was not talent but dressing-room harmony. Too many stars, too many egos, and not enough cohesion.

6. Rajasthan Royals (RR): RR should retain Riyan Parag as a player but make Jaiswal the captain.

Jaiswal has the aggression, confidence, and long-term future needed in a leader. RR need to think beyond temporary fixes and build around young Indian talent.

7. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Rajat Patidar did very well as captain and should definitely be retained. RCB finally looked like a disciplined, balanced side instead of merely a superstar-driven franchise. Patidar brought calmness and clarity without unnecessary drama.

8. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH): Pat Cummins did well and will remain captain next year too. His leadership style suits SRH perfectly, aggressive when needed but composed under pressure. More importantly, the players seem to trust him completely.

9. Punjab Kings (PBKS): Even though PBKS’ campaign appears to have derailed badly, Shreyas Iyer might still retain the captaincy simply due to lack of alternatives. PBKS always seem to promise much and deliver little. Leadership instability has been one of their biggest long-term problems.

10. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): Rishabh Pant had a horror show as captain, but he might still remain captain because LSG do not have too many alternatives. What choices do LSG really have? Markram? Shami?

Maybe Markram could take over and relieve Pant of the captaincy burden. Pant’s decline, along with Surya’s dip in form, does not augur well for the Indian national team,  especially Pant, who seems to be fading alarmingly fast. Once considered the future of Indian cricket, he now appears burdened, distracted, and short of confidence.

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India win the T20I World Cup - 2026 - India’s Cricket Empire: World Cup Glory, IPL Power, and the Rise of a Sporting Superpower

So the dust has finally settled, and the Indian cricket team has achieved something that had never been done before. They have not just repeated history, they have rewritten it. Along the way, they set a plethora of records that may stand untouched for years.

This is now the only team to have won a T20 World Cup at home. The only team to have successfully defended a T20 World Cup title. The only team to have won three T20I World Cups. And consistency? India has won 31 matches and lost just two across the last four ICC tournaments, lifting three ICC trophies in a row. Add to that the highest totals ever recorded in both the semi-finals and finals of a T20 World Cup, and you begin to see the scale of dominance.

But this piece is not merely about cricketing records. It is about the rise of a nation that has become both an economic and sporting colossus in the world of cricket. India’s dominance in the global cricket economy is no accident. The country’s expanding economic strength appears to be rubbing off on its sporting ecosystem. Financial muscle is translating into administrative power, broadcast leverage, infrastructure, talent systems, and ultimately, on-field results.

India, with its enormous population base, has hit a sporting sweet spot. A cricket-crazy nation has embraced the T20 format like a duck takes to water. The format perfectly matches the pulse of the Indian audience. It plays out like a typical Hindi blockbuster, packed with action, glamour, drama, noise, colour, and celebration. It is loud, emotional, and designed for entertainment.

Matches begin around 7:00 pm and end by 10:30 pm, ideal for prime-time family viewing and social gatherings. It fits seamlessly into India’s party culture: friends gathering, food flowing, conversations buzzing, celebrations erupting, and yes, a fair share of competitive banter and fantasy gaming adding spice to the experience.

The rise of the IPL perfectly complements this T20 surge. Consider the timing. India are the reigning T20 World Cup champions, and within days the next IPL season begins. The cricketing high simply does not fade. The emotional momentum flows from national glory straight into franchise passion.

And it is not just India waiting. The entire cricketing world tunes in. International stars from Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, and the Caribbean descend on India to compete for IPL glory. Global rivalries blend with local loyalties. National pride merges with franchise identity. The IPL becomes a melting pot of world cricket.

Look at the composition of IPL squads and you will understand the scale of strength. Mumbai Indians boast multiple World Cup heroes including Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya, along with Rohit Sharma, practically the spine of the championship-winning side. Sunrisers Hyderabad feature Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Kolkata Knight Riders include Varun Chakravarthy and Rinku Singh. Gujarat Titans have Mohammed Siraj and Washington Sundar. Delhi Capitals field Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Chennai Super Kings showcase Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson. Punjab Kings rely on Arshdeep Singh.

Almost every IPL franchise is sprinkled with World Cup-winning stars. Add to that elite overseas players from top cricketing nations, and the squads begin to look stronger than many international teams. One could argue that several IPL sides are more formidable than national teams outside the “Big Three”.

That is the true power of the IPL ecosystem. The brilliance of the league lies in competitive balance. Teams are evenly matched, making contests unpredictable and thrilling. This parity is no accident. IPL architects carefully designed auction systems, salary caps, and player distribution rules to prevent talent hoarding.

Contrast this with leagues like the English Premier League, where financial heavyweights such as Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool FC, and Arsenal FC often dominate due to massive financial disparities, leaving smaller clubs struggling to compete consistently.

The IPL’s rule allowing only four overseas players in the playing XI ensures global quality without compromising domestic opportunity. Seven slots remain for Indian talent in every team. With ten franchises, that creates opportunities for 70 Indian cricketers each season.

This has produced an extraordinary talent pipeline. India now has such depth that it can field separate high-quality squads simultaneously in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. In fact, India’s second-string white-ball teams could realistically compete with and often outperform, the full-strength national sides of several countries, including Australia, England, and South Africa.

That depth is not accidental. It is the outcome of exposure, pressure, infrastructure, analytics, sports science, financial incentives, and constant competition at the highest level. Now let us shift to the commercial powerhouse behind this cricketing dominance, the money machine of global tournaments.

The 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is poised to become the first edition in history to cross $1 billion (Rs 9,000 crore) in total revenue. Hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the tournament has been driven by record-breaking broadcast rights, premium sponsorships, and unprecedented advertising demand.

Broadcaster JioStar alone is expected to contribute nearly 90% of total revenues through its domestic media rights in India. Advertising collections are projected at approximately Rs 2,500 crore.

Television ad rates for the final have surged beyond Rs 50 lakh for a 10-second slot across HD and SD feeds, a staggering 42% increase from early tournament rates. Even the India–Pakistan blockbuster had earlier peaked at Rs 40 lakh per 10 seconds.

And the surge is not confined to television. Connected TV advertising rates jumped from roughly Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 (CPM) per 10 seconds. Digital ad pricing climbed nearly 30%, proving that advertisers are chasing audiences across every screen.

Viewership figures reinforce this commercial explosion. The first 49 matches delivered a cumulative television reach of 275 million viewers in India alone. The India–England semi-final crossed an astonishing 580 million viewers. Overall Indian viewership has already crossed 500 million, making this the most-watched T20 World Cup ever.

Digital streaming has multiplied accessibility, especially among younger audiences consuming cricket via mobile devices and smart TVs. Sponsorship revenues are equally massive. The ICC is projected to earn more than $110 million from on-ground branding, central partnerships, and licensing deals.

Prize money has also reached historic levels, with a $13.5 million pool (₹120+ crore) and $3 million reserved for the champions. Individual matches dramatically influence revenue flows. A single India–Pakistan game can generate more than $250 million for broadcasters. Conversely, the absence of such marquee clashes may reduce ad revenues by 15–20%.

Yet, despite these extraordinary figures, the T20 World Cup differs from the IPL in commercial structure. Only about 10–15 matches, India games, Super 8 contests, semi-finals, and the final, generate peak advertising interest. The IPL, in contrast, offers nearly two months of consistent high-engagement cricket with strong teams playing daily, making it a more stable platform for long-duration brand campaigns.

Even so, global tournaments deliver unmatched intensity, prestige, and premium pricing power within a shorter window. Earlier T20 World Cups saw television ad rates of Rs 20–25 lakh for a 10-second slot. Today’s numbers tell a clear story: as cricket becomes shorter, faster, and more dramatic, advertising value rises exponentially.

Cricket is no longer just a sport. In India, it is emotion, economy, entertainment, and national identity woven into one unstoppable force. 

#IndiawinsT20Iworldcup2026 #IndianCricket #CricketBusiness #SportsEconomy #SportsMarketing #T20WorldCup2026 #IPL #BrandIndia #SportsIndustry #MediaRights #BroadcastIndustry #SportsManagement #CricketFans #DigitalStreaming #SportsAnalytics #BusinessOfSports #SportsLeadership #EventMarketing #SportsRevenue #GlobalSports #IndiaGrowthStory

Primary Keywords: Indian cricket dominance, India T20 World Cup victory, Indian cricket team records, IPL and Indian cricket economy, Business of cricket in India, India cricket superpower, T20 cricket popularity in India, Indian Premier League strength, ICC tournaments India performance and Cricket revenue in India. 

Secondary Keywords:  India cricket commercial success, T20 World Cup advertising revenue, IPL business model success, Indian cricket financial power, Sports economy India cricket, Cricket broadcasting rights India, Cricket sponsorship revenue ICC, India cricket fan base growth, Rise of T20 cricket India, India cricket global influence, IPL vs international cricket revenue, Indian cricket talent depth, Cricket viewership India records, Sports marketing through cricket, Indian cricket brand value, Cricket media rights billion dollar deals, India Pakistan match ad revenue, T20 World Cup business analysis, Indian cricket future prospects and Economics of modern cricket. 

Mahendra Singh Dhoni Retires - Right time to Retire - Fading into the Sunset

 

Just thinking aloud! it is very difficult for sports legends to fade off into the sunset gracefully.

Either they have to be dumped or have to be removed forcefully. For a very long time Virendra Shewag persisted to play and hoped for a recall and Harbhajan still has not retired!

At the end of their careers Kapil Dev and Sachin more or less played for records. 434 wickets for Kapil and 100 test centuries for Sachin. It was quite painful to see them continue.

Players like Dravid and VVS Laxman had an inglorious retirement. The guy to retire in a flash was Adam Gilchrist who retired the minute he missed what he considered a regulation catch (in his view).

The Indian I admire who timed his retirement to a perfection is Sunil Gavaskar. He played a gem of an inning, 97 not out, almost guided India to a win against arch rivals Pakistan in 1987! He retired when he was at his peak! He retired when people were thirsting to see him bat on and on. But Gavaskar knew when to call it a day!

This is what Vijay Hazare once said about retirement, "retire when people ask why? Not when people ask why not?" How very thought provoking!!!

Why this monologue? I am quite perplexed at the negative publicity Dhoni is getting online. Ofcourse most of it is from Twitter which is known for blowing things out of proportion, but it is a medium that many swear-by and follow.

This is the same Dhoni that entire cricket world waited with bated breath to return. Pages and pages and many GBs of space was spent on him and within 4 days of IPL starting he has become the topic for heated discussion.

Do we want to remember Dhoni for all his exploits and his services to Indian cricket from 2004 to 2019 or do we want to remember Dhoni as he is portrayed in the dog-eat-dog world of social media! Choice is ours!

Wrong timing wrecks Myntra Campaign

Timing is everything. With perfect timing, a word can become a missile, without it could become a missile that does not detonate! The recent Myntra advertisement is making waves for all the wrong reasons. (the credit for making me aware of this advertisement should go to my colleague at Siva Sivani Institute of Management, Mr. K. N. Srinath. It was Srinath garu who posted the advertisement on my WhatsApp).

The advertisement says “Grand clearance sale, 50 to 80% off, from 29th Feb to 3rd March”. It also says “SALE is LIVE, LOWEST PRICES EVER”. What a funny coincidence, the dates for the 2nd test match between India and New Zealand were from 29th February to 2nd March 2020. The Coup d’état was Virat Kohli in his undies extolling the lowest prices. Virat Kohli, the brand ambassador of Myntra.  

The sale was from 29th Feb to 3rd March 2020. Is a coincidence? Well, it is not. The creative people from Myntra and the advertising agency thought that they had a coup. The company would have planned and conceptualized months in advance, inventories would have been piled up, and Myntra’s warehouses spruced up, expecting a considerable inflow of orders.  

The creative hotheads at Myntra and the advertising agency did everything right. They thought that India would stream roll New Zealand. The widespread expectation was that New Zealand would whimper, curl up and surrender at the feet of the mighty Indians.

“We would emerge victorious. Virat Kohli would be basking in glory”. Myntra thought that they could bask too, in reflected glory. Boon of having a celebrity endorser – the rub-off effect. The positive energy, the glamour, the aura of the celebrity would create a spin-off to the brand endorsed. All Myntra had to do, was to wait and the see moolah roll in – at least in theory!

Myntra proposes and Indian cricket team disposes. Indians performed the way that most cricket experts were expecting. The performance was subpar and both the test matches ended in a whimper. The Indian tiger was tamed and was meowing like a tame pussy cat, and the New Zealand Kiwi’ sprouted enormous wings and became a deadly eagle – proud, stately and precise at execution of well laid out plans.

At the end of the tour, the Indians looked tired, dispirited, desperate to get away, and Virat Kohli was fuming. He was shouting at the spectators “I will show them (New Zealand) what it is when they come to India”. If it were not so tragic it would have been downright comical.

Virat Kohli own form nosedived, and his captaincy was in a scanner. His tactics of not having the inform K. L. Rahul and Wriddiman Saha were being questioned. Virat Kohli was at his low, and his stock had taken a hit, at least temporarily. He was the cynosure of all eyes, for all wrong reasons.

To Myntra’s horror, their campaign had suddenly become a butt of jokes. People started reading between the lines. The Indian team was in its lowest ebb. The advertisement says “End of the season sale”. It appears as if the Indian cricket team is at the end of the season and it is being sold off. And what is Virat Kohli saying “LOWEST PRICES GUARANTEED”.  Is Virat Kohli himself available at the lowest price?

Myntra learns a lesson, the hard way. Celebrity endorsement is a double-edged weapon; it cuts both ways. Just like a positive rub-off, there can be a negative rub off too. Myntra missed a trick. By the end of the first test match, the writing was on the wall. The Indian cricket team would get a dubbing. Myntra could have put the campaign on hold or cancelled it altogether. By going ahead with the campaign, they have created waves – for the wrong reason.  

TRAI Recent ruling, Broadcasters cry foul while Hotstar, SONY LIV, Amazon Prime and Netflix Rev Up to cash in the content streaming (OTT) platform Craze

The recent report about the TRAI trying to rein in the service provers (TV channel and DTH service providers) is quite amusing. This shows how hopelessly TRAI and service providers are outdated and how much they are wallowing in Marketing Myopia. Both TRAI and the service providers are inward-looking, not focused on customer needs, self-preening and have fallen in love their products services and are blissfully unaware that customer views, preferences and viewing habits have changed drastically. 

TRAI proudly claims that viewers’ cable bills would be down by 12% on an average and that each channel will be available at Rs 12 instead off Rs19 per month? Excuse me, in what time are you living TRAI? The days of Cable operators and service providers holding the customers to ransom are a thing of the past. The bouquet pricing that the broadcasters had thrust down the unwilling customer’s throat is outdated and no longer neither welcomed nor appreciated. 

Let us take an example. A viewer wanting a sports channel has to pay Rs 19/- a month irrespective of whether he watches the channel for a day or a month. One channel in a year will cost 228/-. Only one channel! And all major sports get broadcast on different channels of Star Sports, Ten sports etc. 

The viewers end up shelling out a lot for the live telecast of Cricket, Football matches like the world cup, Euro Cup, EPL, La Liga, Grand Slam tennis, Olympics, Athletics and other major sporting events. 

If one were to cut the cord (I did) the experience is liberating. Cutting the cord is cutting the umbilical cord (the cord that the viewer attaches to the television, like the cable wire or the DTH cable) that tied us to the TV. 

With the arrival of the streaming services, Cable TV and DTH are slowly but surely becoming obsolete. And with entertainment being consumed personally and in private, it might prove quite detrimental to the Cable wallahs and the DTH operators unless they become market savvy and adapt to changing market scenario.

The cost of a Hotstar VIP service is Rs 365/- per year. One rupee per day! Hotstar beams live all the Indian cricket matches and also live telecasts the EPL matches! Rs 365/- a year is quite a steal. Add to that the movies and the TV shows and the viewers' cup floweth full! 

Similarly, Sony LIV has a Rs 499/- package for one year only for Indian content and for cricket telecasts that feature the Australian, English and other cricket team matches played outside India. It also telecasts live the LA LIGA (Spanish Football) league. 

Movies and TV show lovers can avail Amazon Prime available at Rs 999/- per year and Netflix at 2400/- per year. All put together the total comes to Rs 4263/- per year and Rs 365/- per month (Hotstar, Rs 365/-, Sony LIV, Rs 499/-, Amazon Prime, Rs 999/- and Netflix, Rs 2400/-). 

If one is prudent and wants to cut down costs and subscribe only to only Hotstar, SONY LIV and Amazon Prime the costs come down to Rs 1863/- per year and Rs 155 per month. And if one is interested only in sports, the cost can be further be pruned down to Rs 864/- which comes to only Rs 72/- per month. 

The pluses are many. The telecast is in High definition; one can watch at their convenience. We need not be tied to the television, and viewing can happen when one is mobile or from multiple locations. The viewer can watch the same content on multiple devices like TV (with Amazon Firestick, Chromecast), Mobile phones, laptop, desktop, I-Pad etc. three to four people can watch different content as many steaming sites allow multiple sign-ins. 

We can watch the latest movies and shows from the comfort of our homes. We can watch with time-lapse and binge-watch too! 

The viewership figures displayed on Hotstar when India plays T20I or ODI are mouth-watering. On many occasions, the data rake up to 8 million or more. Eighty lakh people are watching only on Hotstar and that too only in India. The shape of things to come!

Of Course, some disadvantages do exist. The viewers have to pay extra for either a broadband connection or opt for a mobile service provider who provides good internet speed. In recent times Reliance JIO mobile speeds have slowed down to a pathetic level. But the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages by a very long shot!