The cash-rich league did travel to South Africa in 2009 and now UAE will host the matches between April 16 and 30 due to general elections in India, but the tournament has survived it all. Manjrekar also believes that IPL will always be high on the popularity chart. "IPL is a product that is quite unique. It is a tournament that has witnessed all challenges. When it went to South Africa, it was a big hit. And UAE is closer to home, so I don't see this as a major issue. The viewers will certainly embrace IPL as they have always done against all odds," said the cricket expert. (Also read: Srinivasan named in IPL spot-fixing probe report, says Supreme Court)
Many Team India discards are also keen to make IPL their comeback vehicle and Manjrekar finds this route absolutely beneficial for many such players. "Yes, IPL is a comeback vehicle. Because of the high-profile nature people who are looking to make a comeback to get noticed if they perform. What the tournament does is that it tells the selectors that the guy is in a good nick. So you would not probably pick IPL performers for Test matches but the selectors do consider a player for limited-overs," concluded Manjrekar.
IPL 7: Spinners may play major role in UAE, says Sanjay Manjrekar
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