How GEPL is powering India's Esports revolution through digital cricket
How GEPL is powering India's Esports revolution through digital cricket
A decade ago, the idea of making a career out of gaming in India was mostly met with raised eyebrows. Today, India is home to more than 591 million gamers1. The number of e-sports athletes has quadrupled in recent years.
With the government recognising esports as a legitimate sport, the landscape has changed rapidly.
JetSynthesys CEO Rajan Navani
believes India holds significant potential in sectors such as e-sports, video gaming and media. While the country currently has a relatively small global presence in these areas, the market is expanding rapidly.
Nearly 25% of gamers in India2 are now paying users. Brands, investors, and broadcasters are taking notice.
National networks are acquiring streaming rights, and prize pools are reaching into crores. India's esports sector is not just catching up, it is developing its own unique formats.
And perhaps nowhere is this transformation more visible than in the
Global e-Cricket Premier League (GEPL), the world's largest franchise-based eCricket sports & entertainment league
, one of the strongest examples of this momentum, having seen exponential growth since its launch.
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Season 2
featured an expanded prize pool of ₹3.05 crore, up from ₹2.51 crore the previous year. The season 1 also recorded a multiplatform reach of 70 million+ and more than 2.4 million minutes of streamed content - evidence of its growing appeal among both cricket and gaming fans across India.
Season 2 of GEPL was broadcasted live on
JioHotstar (linear and OTT platforms)
, expanding its accessibility and national footprint. The league featured six dynamic city-based franchises—Mumbai Grizzlies, Delhi Sharks, Bengaluru Badgers, Chennai Falcons, Hyderabad Rhinos, and Pune Stallions—each bringing its own fanbase, strategy, and flavour to the competition.
These teams reflect the local pride and national ambition fuelling the esports boom in India.
At first glance, GEPL looks like a traditional cricket league - with city-based franchises, team auctions, and marquee names. But instead of stadiums and leather balls, it unfolds on screens, powered by Real Cricket™, a mobile-first simulation game that's built for the touchscreen generation. In just its second season, the league has attracted over
9 lakh
registrations, which is five times more than its debut year.
The Season 2 finale of GEPL saw Chennai Falcons take home the title, with Mumbai Grizzlies finishing as runners-up. But the more significant outcome may be what happened off the pitch: all six team owners committed to another three years, signalling rare continuity in a young industry. 'GEPL is not just about tournaments,'
says Navani
. 'It's about creating an ecosystem where sport, technology, and ambition come together.
It's a model that could work not just in India, but globally.'
'With every season, we see esports gain more ground, not just in participation but in purpose,' says
Rohit Potphode, CEO of GEPL
, highlighting how the league has evolved beyond novelty into a serious sporting format. That momentum is echoed by investors too.
Prashant Prakash, co-owner of the Bengaluru franchise
, believes GEPL is tapping into a unique opportunity.
'This is one sport where everyone in the audience also has a chance to be a player,' he says. 'It's truly democratic and inclusive—and has the potential to go from zero to a hundred in no time.'
The league's backers aren't your typical gaming insiders, either. The franchise owners reflect a mix of youth icons and seasoned entrepreneurs:
Suniel Shetty
(actor and investor),
Sara Tendulkar
(entrepreneur and philanthropist), Prashant Prakash (Founding Partner, Accel India), Nikhil Kamath (Co-founder, Zerodha & True Beacon), Mr.
Ankit Nagori (Founder, Curefoods), Peyush Bansal (Founder & CEO, Lenskart), Mr. Gopal Srinivasan (Chairman, TVS Capital Funds), Mr. Madhusudanan R (Founder, YAP), and Mr. Arjun Santhanakrishnan (Investor & Entrepreneur) and Mr. Amit Mehta (Director, LNB Group) alongside many more.
'Cricket has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and exploring its future through esports is incredibly exciting,' says
Sara Tendulkar, owner of the Mumbai franchise
.
'Being part of GEPL, especially with a team from Mumbai, brings together my love for the game and my city.'
Suniel Shetty adds as the owner of the Pune franchise
, 'Cricket has always been a passion - whether playing it, watching it, or now investing in its digital evolution. GEPL is changing how fans experience the game, and I'm proud to back a league that's energizing young India through e-cricket.'
Amit Mehta, owner of the Hyderabad Rhinos
, shared a similar perspective, 'GEPL's structure and community focus make it a meaningful platform to invest in.
Our commitment is about backing young talent, early, and consistently.'
Gopal Srinivasan, co-owner of the Chennai Falcons
added, 'GEPL is a meaningful step toward building a sustainable, investable esports ecosystem in India. The league's format and quality of participation make it an exciting platform for both business and talent.'
That mix of community, aspiration, and structure is part of what's making esports in India more than just a trend.
Since being formally brought under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2022, esports has gained institutional legitimacy. This has unlocked new avenues for investment, training infrastructure, and talent development. With affordable smartphones and cheap data, India's esports revolution is being driven from the bottom up - by Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, by students and creators, by people who might never step onto a physical cricket field but can still top a leader board.
India's esports story is still unfolding, but leagues like GEPL signal a shift - from passion to profession, from pastime to platform.
References -
https://www.ibef.org/news/india-s-online-gaming-sector-may-cross-rs-77-688-crore-us-9-billion-by-2029-report
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/india-gaming-market-to-hit-9-2-billion-by-fy29-lumikai-report/articleshow/115188845.cms?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Disclaimer - The above content is non-editorial, and TIL hereby disclaims any and all warranties, expressed or implied, relating to it, and does not guarantee, vouch for or necessarily endorse any of the content.
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