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Lalit Modi recalled persuading Indian players during the 2007 England tour to join the inaugural T20 World Cup, saying many dismissed it as a “stupid game” and were reluctant after a long tour. He said India sent a young MS Dhoni-led side, with senior stars skipping the event. He added T20 was initially unpopular until Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes boosted interest and is now highly valued.

London: Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairperson Lalit Modi has recalled how he personally approached Indian cricketers in the dressing room during Team India's 2007 tour of England, urging them to participate in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup, saying the format was initially met with scepticism within the team.

India's tour of England took place from July 19 to September 8, 2007, comprising a three-match Test series and a seven-match ODI series, just days before the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 got underway on September 11. While senior stars such as Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were part of the squad for the England tour, the team selected for the T20 World Cup featured a younger core, with several experienced players absent. Led by MS Dhoni, India's squad included players such as Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, RP Singh, Irfan Pathan and others.

Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Lalit Modi revealed that he personally approached Indian players during the 2007 tour of England and urged them to take part in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup. However, he said many players were reluctant to play the new format, calling it a "stupid game" and citing fatigue after a long tour and a desire to spend time with their families. The IPL Founder contrasted that attitude with the present day, saying the significance of T20 cricket has grown so much that any player opting out of a World Cup now would trigger widespread criticism from fans, players and administrators alike.

"I went to every player in the dressing room in England when India was touring in 2007. I went and I said, 'Please, I beg you to play the T20. They said, 'Lalit, are you joking? What is this stupid game? We don't want to play it.' Everybody said that to me in the dressing room. 'Oh, we've had a long tour. We want to be with our families.' Now, today, would the public, number one, the players, number two, the administrator, number three, accept a player not playing the World Cup? There'd be uproar," he said.