Lalit Modi Recalls Sachin Tendulkar And Rahul Dravid’s 2007 T20 World Cup Hesitation

Former IPL Chairman Lalit Modi has made a striking claim about the early days of the T20 format, recalling how senior Indian cricketers were initially reluctant to participate in the inaugural 2007 T20 World Cup, which ultimately transformed the global cricketing landscape. The 2007 tournament, held in South Africa, is widely regarded as a turning point in modern cricket history. India, led by MS Dhoni, entered the competition with a relatively young squad after several senior players, including Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, opted out of the event.

At the time, the T20 format was still in its infancy and not widely accepted as a serious version of the game. According to Modi, who was then a senior BCCI official and later the driving force behind the Indian Premier League (IPL), there was significant resistance within the Indian dressing room ahead of the tournament. He claimed that many players questioned the relevance of the format and preferred to take rest after a long international tour.

Modi said he personally approached players during India’s tour of England in 2007 to encourage participation in the T20 World Cup. He alleged that the response he received reflected widespread scepticism about the format at the time, with players prioritising rest and family time over participation in what was then seen as an experimental competition.

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In comments made during an interview with ANI, Modi recalled that several players reportedly dismissed the format altogether, questioning its seriousness. He suggested that perceptions around T20 cricket at the time were very different from today, when the format has become central to international schedules and franchise leagues worldwide.

Despite the absence of several senior players, India went on to produce a historic campaign under the leadership of MS Dhoni. The relatively inexperienced squad played with freedom and confidence, eventually defeating arch-rivals Pakistan in a closely contested final to win the inaugural T20 World Cup. The victory is widely credited with accelerating the global rise of T20 cricket.

The success of the tournament also laid the foundation for the launch of the Indian Premier League in 2008, which has since grown into one of the most lucrative and influential franchise cricket competitions in the world. The IPL’s emergence further cemented the commercial and sporting importance of the shortest format. Modi’s remarks have once again revived discussion around how quickly perceptions of T20 cricket changed within a short span of time, transforming from a format once viewed with scepticism into one of the most dominant forces in modern cricket.

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