ROI (Return on Investment) & Talent Inventory (TI) – Lesson from IPL5 – A management metaphor

This organization has evolved a new style of conducting the ROI and TI.... makes interesting reading

Here are a few animated term of reference - like the ‘9 box Matrix ’

• Jajejas : Very Highly paid and no real contribution

• Pathans & Kholis : Highly paid but very erratic and marginal performance

• Sachin Dadas : Paid based on past performance while current performance way below par

• Pujaras: HighPots ( potentials ) hardly any opportunity to show performance

• Kaifs: Utility talents used for miscellaneous jobs /assignments

• Gambir Gayles : The stars who played to potentials and/or met and exceeded their expectations

• Dravids: Institutional members – reasonably good performance. Corporate Value evangelizers

• Lucky Lukes: On boarded for creating a MNC flavor.

• TD&Harry: Environmental cases. Used effectively for bell curve loading

I thought, this model is a good mutually value adding opportunity for ‘Corporate and Cricket ‘to conduct their Performance Appraisal, Succession and Severance plan and review of the Compensation and Benefit.

Of course the real challenge is in Execution (pun intended) especially those cases where the guy is CEO’s favorite!!

Do you get me Steve??!!

 

[Simran Rai]

Yes, this metaphorical framework brilliantly blends cricket personas with corporate performance appraisal, making it both engaging and insightful. The “9 box matrix” reimagined through cricketing analogies offers a refreshingly relatable way to assess talent across parameters like compensation, potential, and actual contribution.

Each category cleverly reflects a different HR challenge:
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• Jajejas highlight the issue of inflated compensation without proportional value — common in legacy or politically favored roles.​
• Pathans & Kholis show volatility: flashes of brilliance mixed with inconsistency, making evaluation and retention tricky.​
• Sachin Dadas emphasize the trap of rewarding legacy over present output — a common bias in appraisals.​
• Pujaras point to underutilized high-potential employees who may disengage if not offered the right platform.​
• Kaifs are the all-rounders — flexible, dependable, yet often unrecognized or unrewarded.​
• Gambhir Gayles celebrate the stars — those delivering exactly or beyond what was promised.​
• Dravids represent the cultural glue — solid, dependable, and value-driven, vital for organizational DNA.​
• Lucky Lukes nod to tokenism — hires for optics rather than value, often seen in diversity or global branding efforts.​
• TD & Harry cleverly call out fillers — roles shaped more by performance bell curves than real contribution.​

The real kicker is the line: “the real challenge is in Execution (pun intended), especially those cases where the guy is CEO’s favorite!!” — a tongue-in-cheek jab at organizational politics and favoritism, which often undermine even the best-designed appraisal systems.


This model could be a valuable internal HR diagnostic tool — if used with honesty and backed by data. Creative, sharp, and full of underlying truth.​