For the Hate of the game, called Cricket.

Dead?

Not much time went by after Sachin’s record breaking deal of Rs180 crores with Sachi and Sachi; Subhash Dixit, once India’s Under-15 Captain jumped off his building’s roof to end his financial miseries and his life. And much more appalling to me was that Kanpur’s Raju Srivastava came first with a cash help of Rs 50k before UPCA offered a mere 1 lakh. And if you are still not disgusted, add to the fact that BCCI, still at the time a “charitable” organization, reported its annual income of whooping Rs 1000 crores in the same year 2007-08. Apparently Matthew effect doesnt just hold to sociology.

May be I was crazy for the game while in school, because I dint understand market and sociology much, even though I fail in these subjects now. The demigod caricatures of our cricketers, the exploitation of sentiments by the market, the hype during the tournaments, the lust for TRP and money catches my attention much more than sixes and fours. Prior to 2010, BCCI was a charitable organization and dint need to file the tax. Let me give you some numbers. BCCI, which dint use to have its website till 2008 while others in the sub-continent did, has been alleged of having an income of Rs 10,000 crores but let us take the 1000 crore they officially reported in 2007-08. Now 30% of which, the tax rate, would be equal to Rs 300 crores, an amount greater than GDP of Lakshwadeep. And what does the common cricket fan gets in return? First he doesnt get tickets for we have too many VIPs in India, even if you get inside the stadium, the sun reminds him why Dhoni asks him to use Nivea fairness cream, the heat makes him have the elixir drinks ads of which show man boobs of Sehwag, and the loo coerces him sympathize with Hasan Ali. You get much better entertainment and comfort for 150 bucks in a Multpliplex, but why would BCCI care. Thats just their way of kidding with you.

And you must not the forget the administrators, majority of them care of the business and not the sport, how can they, none have a cricketing background. You have a Ulti-Multi-Stud Mr ‘Power’ who can handle his constituency, ministry, party, BCCI, ICC all at the same time. I wonder Lord Vishnu with his those many hands could have matched him. Then you have the Secretary Mr Srinivasan who owns Chennai Super Kings and then blames Mr Modi of nepotism and corruption. Aah all the poor guy wanted was some kisses and hugs from Preity Zinta. So these guys would emulate EPL and UCL as IPL and ICL for the grandeur that is involved but not strengthen or glamorize First-Class Cricket or nurture the game on the lines of FA Youth Cup, FA Womens Cup, etc.

Okay a nitwit would find all the above not directly related to the sport but the sport is dying indeed. IPL, ICL, and so many other matches in a calender year, why Yuvraj any cricketer would need Revital, kyunki thakna mana hai. The sport is being diluted with too much entertainment, for TV accounts for 30-40% of the revenues. Pro-batting pitches, scoop shots, every now and then monumental targets and chases, wouldnt baseball be hit in this country? How often do we get to see contests based on some classic balling and if we see, do we enjoy those low score matches? The Test matches yielded to One-days, which now have yielded to T20s. Ten years down the line do we really see 50 over matches still being popular? Take the ongoing World Cup, how many matches do we really look forward to with so many minnows playing. And even with 14 teams they have a over a month of Cricket, the reasons for which are obvious.

Any sport is much more than money and entertainment. You dont need corporations and media to make you like a sport, that is just getting caught up in the mad fad, the mainstream fans would any how prefer a good Test over a loud T20, the cricketing shots and the moving ball over scoreboard, and for being the key stakeholder he deserves a lot better and much more from the administrators. Yes cricket is a religion and if thinking beyond sixes and fours makes me an atheist, then for the love of the game I dont mind.