Pushing boundaries

AS THE SECOND INDIAN AFTER MANU SAWHNEY TO HEAD ICC, GUPTA HAS HIS TASK CUT OUT

- VIVEAT SUSAN PINTO

THERE IS NEVER a dull moment with Sanjog Gupta, sports media veteran and the newly appointed CEO of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He is clear, articulate and brutally honest, studying the pulse of the consumer to understand broadcasting and media trends. ICC will be counting on the 44-year-old's sharp insights to help the body navigate the world of cricket, which is changing fast.

Attention spans are getting shorter, the need for entertainment is growing, prompting a shift away from longer formats to shorter-duration games such as T20 cricket. Gupta, who was earlier the CEO for sports and live experiences at broadcaster JioStar, has admitted in conversations that the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has set the tone for T20 cricket not just in India, but across the world. The formation of T20 leagues on the lines of the IPL in the last few years, he says, is proof of that. JioStar has the TV and digital media rights of the IPL.