What was it after all that led to the fall (‘and what a fall ‘twas my countrymen’) of the fiery Indian cricket team which seemed to be on a roll till a few months back. Three consecutive loses in T20 for a team which ranks 1 in this form of cricket was something that we as a country were not prepared for. So what are the typical reactions you get post this. Some prefer to best avoid this topic because you hate to believe that India is not even in the semis and would rather pretend that there is no tournament currently going on – T20 World Cup? what’s that?, some want to beat this topic to death, some want to make judgments and some want to refute them…the same saga that unfolds each time that India returns home empty handed. I usually do the first and move on – I hate dissecting cause it hurts, it is useless and then at times you have to be fair to the team – after all you lose some, you win some.
But this time around, I am disappointed and that is because I had almost seen this coming. Not that I am a cricket specialist but I was always worried sick of the fact that they have been playing non stop. And no matter what Dhoni says – while yes practice is cool but at the end of the day players are regular human beings with finite capacity and capability to deliver. You can stretch the capacity and capability to only so much. Of course BCCI, Dhoni, the players, anybody who is a stakeholder in the drama will never admit it – and will not let others admit it too. Why – how can they take a risk with their million dollar baby? But this time I firmly believe that yes IPL did have a hand in what we have seen in T20 WC (Why – hasn’t Sehwag admitted that about his injury? Wouldn’t it have made a difference had he been fit ) and it makes me sad. It makes me sad that commercialism has killed the spirit of this game, the players and the audience.
What a shame. I do not know about others but at least for me India means more than IPL. Yes I did cheer for Deccan Chargers but frankly I did not care, it was more for an entertainment value with Bangalorean friends over beer and food. Never did I say a little prayer for them. But I do care when India plays, I do say that little prayer when the match is in a tense situation and I do lose my appetite the day India loses. But alas! The power of money is such that it overpowers everything – so can we really blame the 20, 30 year olds in the team to be able to think more as an Indian than as a player being paid (and paid jolly well!) to do his job. No we can’t blame them. Its we who have encouraged the commercialization of cricket. Its we who have brought this game to a point where kids call a six a “DLF maximum” today. Poor kids – by the time they grow up, I wonder if they will be able to get the same thrill that we used to get watching an India Pak match and walking out on the streets with flags when India would win a series.
No I want my son to feel for India and not any team else. At least I take a pledge that I will now no more cheer for, spend a penny on or contribute my share of TRPs to IPL. Nothing for any team which doesn’t spell I N D I A.
