ISPL a great platform for players to showcase talent: Sachin Tendulkar

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Friday praised the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) as a “great platform for players to showcase their talent” and said he joined the tournament to support young cricketers nationwide.

ISPL returned for its third season with eight celebrity-owned teams competing for a Rs 5.92 crore prize pool in a month-long tennis-ball T10 cricket tournament, running until February 6 with 44 matches. The season opened with defending champions Majhi Mumbai facing Srinagar Ke Veer.

“ISPL gives players the support and platform to show the world what they are made of,” Tendulkar said. “It provides targets for young players to chase and keeps their passion for the game alive.”

Highlighting standout performers, he noted, “Players like Abhishek and Irfan have grabbed opportunities, with one part of Mumbai’s Ranji team and the other called for Kolkata Knight Riders trials. Others are knocking on the doors. Patience, persistence, discipline, and dedication are key.”

The tournament features Majhi Mumbai (Amitabh Bachchan), Tiigers of Kolkata (Sourav Ganguly, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan), Srinagar Ke Veer (Akshay Kumar), Chennai Singams (Suriya), Bengaluru Strikers (Hrithik Roshan), Falcon Risers Hyderabad (Ram Charan), Delhi Superheroes (Salman Khan), and Ahmedabad Lions (Ajay Devgn).

Tendulkar emphasised that ISPL encourages a sporting culture in India. “We are a sports-loving nation, but we must become a sports-playing nation. Tournaments like ISPL inspire youngsters and open doors for talent,” he said, calling his involvement a “no-brainer” to help create a movement towards a sports-playing India.