Vikram Sathaye, stand-up comic, cracks a good one about the IPL. "Lalit Modi is going to go down in the history books as having more impact for bringing the IPL to South Africa than Gandhi was for coming from South Africa."

Gerald Majola's cup runneth over: "We couldn't have asked for anything better than this."

Amrit Mathur, chief operating officer of the Delhi franchise, goes a tad overboard with a football analogy: "For sheer intensity and pressure of the final phase, the players feel each IPL game is a Cup final."

Coca Cola South Africa comes on all sociological: "The IPL is a great distraction for people going through tough times."

Partab Ramchand isn't waiting for the revolution. Mr Modi has done it and how. "His brainchild in two short years has not just changed cricket, it has taken over the game."

Rajat Bhatia confuses a city-based franchise for national colours. "The IPL gives you the feeling that you're playing for your country."

Tom Moody talks about the IPL after a high caffeine intake. "It's extremely exciting to work in, extremely exciting to play in and it's extremely exciting to watch. So everyone's benefiting and enjoying from how it all unfolds ... I think IPL is unique. You have different nationalities playing in the same side. You have got different levels of experience, quite extreme levels of experience in the same side. So to me, it's probably the most exciting environment to be a part of."

Danny Morrison goes back to his roots: "I think it's hugely exciting and the public here in the Rainbow Nation are very spoilt because it's a sporting mecca, let's face that too, and it's exciting to be back in the motherland. A lot of listeners may be aware too, my mother is originally from here, from Cape Town, so I love coming back to this region."

Herschelle Gibbs doesn't think a five-Test series, a 50-over World Cup or a Kanpur dustbowl at the height of the Indian summer quite match up to the IPL in the challenge stakes: "It is the toughest tournament from a mental point of view. It is just so mentally tough and draining - on and off the field. It is not just the players you play against; the media and public are very much in your face too."

Gautam Gambhir can't quite get enough of it all: "I think it's a big tournament, IPL is a very big thing, so it's always more pressure leading the side in the IPL. It's a great honour as well."