The Indian Premier League (IPL) is the most popular league in India. It hosts the world’s most widely viewed T20 cricket competition; it features a premium-quality game involving the best players. The IPL has changed how cricket is played, watched, and consumed. And it was Lalit Modi who introduced the concept for a domestic T20 league and has brought the game to a whole new level. Lalit was an Indian businessman who had previously served as a cricket administrator. He served as BCCI’s vice president from 2005 until 2010. Serving as a chairman of the Indian Premier League from 2008 to 2010, Lalit was building the groundwork for the IPL.
How It All Has Started
The IPL debuted in 2008. Since then, it has been featured in the real money casino app 1xbet where cricket fans can place bets online. It started with eight franchises that represented various cities in India:
- At the time, the most expensive team was “Mumbai India,” which was purchased for around $111.90 million by Mukesh Ambani, India’s wealthiest person;
- The “Rajasthan Royals” were the least costly 8th team. The franchise owner of the squad is an Emerging Media-led partnership worth around $67 million;
- “Royal Challengers Bangalore” was the second most expensive team, acquired for $111.60 million. The team is owned by Vijay Mallya’s United Spirits;
- The Deccan Chronicle paid $107 million for the third most expensive franchise, “Deccan Chargers New Name Is Sunrisers Hyderabad;”
- The “Chennai Super Kings” were the fourth team, purchased by India Cements for $91 million;
- The “Delhi Daredevils” were the fifth franchise, purchased by GMR Group for $84 million;
- Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia, Karan Paul, and Dabur’s Mohit Burman paid $76 million for the sixth team, “Kings XI Punjab.”
- Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment purchased the “Kolkata Knight Riders” for $75.09 million.
At the time, the top five most renowned Indian players had been sold out by their respective franchises. Here are the former iconic players purchased by the franchise:
- Sachin Tendulkar by the Mumbai Indians
- Sourav Ganguly for Kolkata Knight Riders
- Rahul Dravid for Royal Challengers Bangalore
These are some examples of how old is gold. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, our “Thalaiva of IPL” at the time, was also present. One of our very favorite cricketers. He is a champion in the cricket world. We shall never forget his achievements. We remember every single one of his chasing sixes, especially the 2011 World Cup one-sixth. That was a fantastic triumph for us after 24 years.
Over time, the league has increased in size. In addition, the game’s popularity and impact are growing worldwide. Today, we have ten IPL-featured teams. All ten squad members are from all over the globe. They compete in high-intensity bouts. The league is aired to millions of spectators across the globe.
Top Five Most Popular IPL Teams
Let’s take a look at the top five most popular IPL teams, who are followed by millions of fans and admirers from around the globe:
- Chennai Super Kings — The Thalaiva squad boasts an army of fans in India and throughout the globe. The squad now has 2.77 million YouTube subscribers, 11.3 million Instagram followers, and 9.4 million Twitter followers. We should admit that CSK is the most popular IPL team, and it is for a good reason;
- Mumbai Indians — The Mumbai Indians have found themselves in second place in the hearts of their supporters and admirers. Currently, the squad is led by Rohit Sharma. The squad now has 2.84 million YouTube subscribers, 11.5 million Instagram followers, and 8 million Twitter followers;
- Royal Challengers Bangalore — The third most popular team is RCB. This squad includes Virat Kohli, dubbed the “King of Cricket,” which significantly multiplies the following. The team has 3.52 million YouTube subscribers, 10.3 million Instagram followers, and 6.5 million Twitter followers.
- Kolkata Knight Riders — The popularity of this team is recognized for Shahrukh Khan, also known as Bollywood’s Badshah. In addition, Juhi Chawla plays for KKR. The squad has 1.16 million YouTube subscribers, 3.6 million Instagram followers, and 5.1 million Twitter followers;
- Rajasthan Royals — RR is now the fifth-best and most popular team. Fans of the team admire Sanju Samson’s leadership. The squad is doing well with Sanju Baba. The team has 659K million YouTube subscribers, 2.8 million Instagram followers, and 2.6 million Twitter followers.
These are just some of the IPL teams that cricket fans love and support with IPL cricket betting on a regular basis. As the Indian Premier League evolves and gains an even wider following, more squads and talented athletes appear.