The 32-year-old New Zealander lauds the idea of IPL which has wooed a lot of corporate houses to the game.

"Cricket is one of the most popular games in the world in which today corporates are involving themselves. It's good for the game," Styris said.

He cited instances of basketball which has become popular in USA using the same idea. "It was to happen one day. It's evident today that the Twenty20 version of the tournament has become highly successful in the country. I am very happy that finally this thing is happening in India," he said.

Styris, who served his country in 29 Test matches, announced a shocking retirement from the five-day-version of the game in a bid to prolong his ODI and Twenty20 career.

Styris says he enjoys his stint with the IPL which allows a player to mingle with cricketers from other countries. "It's a lot of fun to play in a tournament like IPL where you are sharing the dressing room with those players who intended to be your rivals in international clashes. So it's quite interesting as well," the right-hand batsman said.

On being asked whether he considered joining the rival Indian Cricket League (ICL) prior to the IPL, he said, "no, I didn't think about such a possibility as I wanted to continue with my international career."