Indian Millennial

NEIL MAXWELL's office at the Mohali Stadium in the Punjab region of northwest India has panoramic views of the Himalayas.

What was a swamp with deep ravines not so long ago is now one of India's best cricket stadiums.

But Maxwell hasn't had any spare time to take in the scenery in his new role as chief executive of the Kings XI Punjab, one of eight franchises in the fledgling Indian Premier League.

"What we're trying to do in two months would normally take 12," Maxwell said.

"The business plan on what IPL is built on is a sound one, but it will take time to bed down.

"Granted a few things have fallen through the cracks, but people back home have got to remember IPL is one of the most exciting ventures in world cricket in the last 30 years.

"When you are building an asset, it does take time to build the brand.

"We are filling the stands and building on the fan base."

Maxwell, a director of the Sydney-based Insite Management Group, is no stranger to the subcontinent.

This is his 53rd visit in 14 years.

But what is different this time around is he has moved his entire family, wife Rachel and three pre-school children, to the city of Chandigarh.

Where once the Maxwell children had a leafy backyard at one of Sydney's better addresses on the north shore to play, home now for the duration of the tournament is a modest two bedroom suite at the Taj Hotel, the only four-star rated establishment in all of the Punjab.

"The temperature outside right now is 40C and it hasn't been easy on Rachel or the children. This isn't the most kid-friendly place in the world," Maxwell said.

"It has been hectic. My normal working day starts at 9.30 in the morning and I don't get home much before 11.30 at night on match days.

"This tournament has happened so very, very quickly that the work at times has been quite draining, but it was too good an opportunity to knock back."

Maxwell says he expects the Punjab franchise to break square financially this year and show a profit in year two having been told there will be no new franchises established in the near future.

"Each of the franchises receives 80 per cent of the broadcast revenue, 60 per cent of the sponsorship, and all gate revenue," Maxwell said.

"I'm not being unrealistic in saying that, but with time and effort it will be achievable."

Maxwell has assembled a fair sprinkling of Australian talent at the Kings XI Punjab, coached by former Test and West Australian all-rounder Tom Moody.

The playing roster includes Test quick Brett Lee, Simon Katich, James Hopes, Luke Pomersbach and Shaun Marsh.

He's also lured Cricket NSW team physiotherapist Paddy Farhart and video analyst Andrew Ware.

Meanwhile, the Australian Cricketers Association has called on Cricket Australia to develop a Twenty20 competition along similar lines to the Indian Premier League. Paul Marsh, the ACA's chief executive, also in India to monitor the opening week of the IPL, said the expansion of the concept could follow soccer's model.

"The Indian league will be the Premier League, and then you have the Australian league as the second league, or even the English league," Marsh said.

"Over time players could go and play in one of these leagues and then you'll have a situation where the ICC could license each league, get a return and distribute it to each of these boards."

The initial success of the IPL has other countries trying to think of ways to benefit financially from the Twenty20 concept.

Support is also growing for the ICC to implement a set time each year for the IPL so it doesn't overlap with Test and one-day internationals.

"We need to find this window and then find how to get a return from it for each of the boards," Marsh said.

"We might find a window and it opens a door for a whole lot of these leagues."

- Additional reporting: Agencies