iSport | For the Fans, by the Fans

Let me start with a question that’s a little off topic. How many of you watch a reality show called ‘Emotional Atyachar’. I hear there is a movie out on the same concept. There have been a lot of views on this show. Some say, ‘what nonsense! It’s all about generating TRPs’. Others say ‘Wow, I wonder if I should have someone spying on my better half too’. I never believed in the concept and always felt it was the perfect platform for national embarrassment. But now I truly believe that the people who are hell bent on splashing muck on a game like cricket should be the leading men of every episode. We’ll get to see how they sell the game, their morals and ofcourse for how much. I’m sure the channel will be more than happy to have their TRPs soaring even higher! Talk about ‘Cricket ka Atyachar’!

Have you ever thought that when India goes out to bat, in some corner of the country a passionate cricket fan has crossed his fingers hoping that India wins the match? Have you ever pondered on the fact that when a batsman like a Tendulkar is standing tall on 99 not-out, the several ordinary Indians crowd around TV showrooms or coffee shops just to get a glimpse of his century so they can rejoice? Another thought. People on the move while a  match is going on, stop at a local Chai wala [Tea man] or a Dhabha that is blasting the commentary of the match at a decibel louder than you can imagine just for a score update? Or even school kids for that matter who hold batsmen like Tendulkar, Dhoni and the likes in the greatest regard, see their picture atleast once a day, hoping to meet them or be like them someday? This is Cricket in India. This is the craziness, the madness involved with this sport. It’s the love for a player that blinds fools like us who sit and watch every stroke, every square cut and appreciate the precision with which it was played. But what do fans get in return? Getting bamboozled? Being cheated on?

In 2005, Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi was banned for twisting his spikes and trying to change the pitch condition during a Test match against England in Faisalabad. Then came the Twenty20 format and early this year Afridi got roped into yet another controversy. He pleaded guilty for ‘ball tampering’ and was banned for two T20 Internationals. What a foolish act this was! The world, and I literally mean the world was watching him as he chewed one side of the ball. And then we come to a man, for whom it’s safe to say is synonymous with the Indian Premier League [IPL], however in all the ‘wrong’ ways. Yes, Mr. Lalit Modi. This twitter fanatic ruined it for himself as he boldly tweeted away key information of the two new franchisees Kochi and Pune. Aha! News channels got more content, newspapers suddenly had a special column with a tiny bird which signified the latest twitter gossip, and new doors opened to dirtier data that led to his suspension as the commissioner of the IPL and ofcourse Mr. Shashi Tharoor resigned.

Early this month, Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan instructed Suraj Randiv to bowl a no-ball to Sehwag. Is this really the spirit of the game? Is this what’s left of it? The opener was denied his century on the opponent’s instruction. And ofcourse now we have the latest headline of another decisive act by Pakistan’s Salman Butt being accused of match fixing in the fourth Test against England at Lord’s. If you simply type ‘cricket controversies’ there are over 2.5 lakh hits that Google would  throw out.
I can’t help but wonder what is it that drives these people to make such a respected game so filthy? Is it that players are in this only for the money they make? It’s not that they are not handsomely rewarded for every win. With the media mileage that they receive by simply being on the team, they make even more money on brand endorsements and other associations! By getting involved in such scandals they are not only selling themselves, but also the team and the nation’s pride! All of this just for a few bucks?

All the ‘C’ related words that come to my mind are unfortunately everything but ‘Cricket’. I am sure every cricket fan will agree when I say that we are being ‘C’heated. There is nothing but a new ‘C’ontroversy every second week. And ofcourse there is no doubt that cricket officials and players like the ones mentioned above ‘C’orrupt the game even more. Don’t be surprised if after reading this article, your news channel flashes another headline. It maybe a way to hike TRPs for a channel. Or for a newspaper to increase it’s readership viz-a-viz it’s competition with a ground breaking headline. But for a cricket fan it’s another slap. The true spirit of the game is dying and with it dies the ardent fan.

My question is simple. Is there an end? And if so, then when?