Oz World Cup win shows why India should change its T20 league policy

Glenn Maxwell standing on one leg to deliver a scintillating double hundred against Afghanistan in Mumbai starts to make more sense once you are told that his highest IPL strike rate at all venues where he has played at least 10 innings is 178.05, at the Wankhede. A stint with Kolkata Knight Riders could have played a small role in Pat Cummins dismissing David Miller-Gujarat Titans' trusted finisher in the last two seasons off a slower short ball with 16 deliveries remaining in the semifinal at Eden Gardens.

- Somshuvra Laha

David Warner-whose 18-ball 29 was half the reason Australia won that semi-final-calls India his second home. Devon Conway and Mitchell Santner bleed yellow for Chennai Super Kings; Quinton de Kock and Marcus Stoinis have been pillars of Lucknow Super Giants while Adam Zampa continues the legacy of the great Shane Warne at Rajasthan Royals. Little wonder then that the aforementioned names find prominent places in the most recent World Cup winning and semi-finalist teams.

It's a different cricket world now with India at its core and the Indian Premier League as its beating heart, attracting the finest from all over the world. These cricketers play dozens of matches, spending nearly three months across several cities, embracing different cultures, exchanging notes and absorbing every byte of information on pitches, outfields, dew and other elements that tend to come into play. With overseas players gaining encyclopaedic knowledge of IPL venues, India is becoming less daunting as a cricketing destination every passing year.