It’s the game invented by the British, but which ended up unifying India. There is really nothing to say other than the obvious phrases “Its just an amazing game” and “Cricket is a religion”. This game created legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Don Bradman and Vivian Richards. Indian team first lifted the world cup in 1983, a time when the nation saw the whole match through the All India Radio. With media and technology having leaped so far ahead, India once again won the cricket world cup in 2011 to delight its fans, who in turn took to the streets in celebration.
Over so many years, the number of cricket matches has increased substantially. This is of course a delight to the millions of viewers who follow these matches with great loyalty. Now, with the introduction of new format called the T20 (the game lasts only 20 overs as compared to the traditional formats of 50 over one dayers and test matches) and each match lasting only 4 hours, more number of matches could be arranged. This only delighted the viewers even more.
The hard truth is that it is so easy to sit and watch a match on the TV and incredibly difficult to play and perform on the field. With the number of matches going up by leaps and bounds and the introduction of new tournaments like the IPL and the Champions League, cricket players, especially the Indian cricket players are facing tight and busy schedules.
While the saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is true, “All play and no work will tire Jack out” is also true. Cricket players are humans and mortals get tired. Realizing that they are not able to play full year round, priorities have shifted and now the players are more focussed on earning money for their work than representing their team and nation. And they cannot be blamed at all. If anyone has to be blamed, it is the cricket fan. These cricket fans who love sweets do not realise that they will hate sweets if they eat them every day. And the evidence for this is the falling brand value of IPL.
The realization that cricket is losing its sheen raises a vast array of questions. For one, what is the next sport that will hold the Indian nation after cricket. Another question is whether the people of India will finally start focussing on issues that actually matter, like the progress in the investigation of the 2G scam.
Extreme opinions like “the death of cricket is around the corner” are not only absurd but also impossible. Cricket is an established sport and a religion to some. The point in question is the game’s effectiveness in commanding viewership around the world, competing with football and F1 racing. Nonetheless, the current Indian generation will definitely hold Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni as one of their role models. How the next generation of Indians perceive successors of such legends remains to be seen.
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