During a recent discussion, I had a heated argument with some friends over IPL.
I was (and certainly am today) of the opinion that the whole IPL things is the worst thing that could happen to Indian cricket and I hate it. So, here's why.
At the outset, I would like to clarify that I'm not against T20 cricket format. Its great. Test-One Day-T20 is like Vilambit Khyal- Madhya lay and Drut lay of a bandish. Times change and the game has to change accordingly. People like to watch a smaller version, so be it.
In more than one ways, T20 carried forward the passion, in a quicker way.
So, Its fun! Indian winning First T20 World cup was really great. Specially as we won against Pakistan. Had it not been the ba**ard Shrisanth to take the fatal catch of Misbah, it would have remained as the great memory.
But when BCCI came up with this idea of IPL and the way it has progressed, the thing has done more harm to cricket than anything else.
Everything, art or sport, music or film has an intrinsic value associated with it.
Along with the intrinsic value, there also is an element of Entertainment. Both should be in appropriate portion.
A sad reality about the Indian Classical Music today is the lower proportion of entertainment for the masses. So very few actually are able to enjoy it (fortunate me!).
Cricket has that inherent intrinsic value.
A game of intense stamina, intelligence, sharp reflexes. Its a combo of Chess and Rugby requiring the precision of a Shooter. The flexibility of game allows it to be played from Eden Gardens to Municipal Gardens with equally intense emotions.
I'm sure everyone remembers their best 50/100 s or hat-tricks taken, may be with a plastic ball. The run outs when bicycle Tyre worked as stumps. 2 Batsman playing, the one on non striker end just having a plain stick for the want of a bat.
A billion hearts missing a beat when a off swinger would pass off the bat of Sachin.
Watching a clever trap set by Anil Kumble to get a experienced batsman. The cameras panning from top of the stadium when bowler starts and focusing on batsman just at the right time. It was all related to the game, to the sport, to the anxiety, to the passion, to me and to you.
What IPL has done effectively, is amplified the entertainment part a million times and completely neglecting the Sport part.
In our country, any Batsman is generally more famous than Bowler, as Batting is adored more than Bowling. Agreed.
So, what you do is put on rewards for every single hit Batsman makes. Then you change the rules of the game to suit big shots being hit. Even that wasn't sufficient, so you curate the pitches suitable for batsman.
That's like playing a great computer game with cheats on. So, you just keep on shooting. Never mind ammo or you getting hit. Ridiculous!
Even when that seems inadequate, you start fixing the matches.
I am not against the money flowing in IPL. There are many players who have a stable life out of IPL income. It has also widened reach of cricket. But at what cost??
The game itself!
Its a plain truth now that a lot of black money (and perhaps the Underworld) is involved in IPL. And when the manager of a winning team in implicated in fixing scam, what else is required to ascertain the integrity of the game.
The cricketers are no different than Gladiators fighting each other, for money now, for their sport means nothing.
The sad part is the way IPL is put down our throats. 99% of us are ignorant fools (Thanks Justice Katju). The way we accept our politicians quietly over the morning tea, we just accepted and swallowed what was fed to us. When you are being shown a 3 hrs fantacy everyday every summer, why bother whats in there. And we would have turned on TV to watch a saas-bahu opera.
So it hardly matters what we watch. Its the 'masterly inactivity' of our minds that makes sure such phenomenon become popular.
Harsha Bhogale is my favourite Commentator/Columnist. His book is titled, ' Out of the Box: Watching the game we love'
God save us from this IPL. Else his next book could be 'Out of the Mind: Watching the game we used to love'
I was (and certainly am today) of the opinion that the whole IPL things is the worst thing that could happen to Indian cricket and I hate it. So, here's why.
At the outset, I would like to clarify that I'm not against T20 cricket format. Its great. Test-One Day-T20 is like Vilambit Khyal- Madhya lay and Drut lay of a bandish. Times change and the game has to change accordingly. People like to watch a smaller version, so be it.
In more than one ways, T20 carried forward the passion, in a quicker way.
So, Its fun! Indian winning First T20 World cup was really great. Specially as we won against Pakistan. Had it not been the ba**ard Shrisanth to take the fatal catch of Misbah, it would have remained as the great memory.
But when BCCI came up with this idea of IPL and the way it has progressed, the thing has done more harm to cricket than anything else.
Everything, art or sport, music or film has an intrinsic value associated with it.
Along with the intrinsic value, there also is an element of Entertainment. Both should be in appropriate portion.
A sad reality about the Indian Classical Music today is the lower proportion of entertainment for the masses. So very few actually are able to enjoy it (fortunate me!).
Cricket has that inherent intrinsic value.
A game of intense stamina, intelligence, sharp reflexes. Its a combo of Chess and Rugby requiring the precision of a Shooter. The flexibility of game allows it to be played from Eden Gardens to Municipal Gardens with equally intense emotions.
I'm sure everyone remembers their best 50/100 s or hat-tricks taken, may be with a plastic ball. The run outs when bicycle Tyre worked as stumps. 2 Batsman playing, the one on non striker end just having a plain stick for the want of a bat.
A billion hearts missing a beat when a off swinger would pass off the bat of Sachin.
Watching a clever trap set by Anil Kumble to get a experienced batsman. The cameras panning from top of the stadium when bowler starts and focusing on batsman just at the right time. It was all related to the game, to the sport, to the anxiety, to the passion, to me and to you.
What IPL has done effectively, is amplified the entertainment part a million times and completely neglecting the Sport part.
In our country, any Batsman is generally more famous than Bowler, as Batting is adored more than Bowling. Agreed.
So, what you do is put on rewards for every single hit Batsman makes. Then you change the rules of the game to suit big shots being hit. Even that wasn't sufficient, so you curate the pitches suitable for batsman.
That's like playing a great computer game with cheats on. So, you just keep on shooting. Never mind ammo or you getting hit. Ridiculous!
Even when that seems inadequate, you start fixing the matches.
I am not against the money flowing in IPL. There are many players who have a stable life out of IPL income. It has also widened reach of cricket. But at what cost??
The game itself!
Its a plain truth now that a lot of black money (and perhaps the Underworld) is involved in IPL. And when the manager of a winning team in implicated in fixing scam, what else is required to ascertain the integrity of the game.
The cricketers are no different than Gladiators fighting each other, for money now, for their sport means nothing.
The sad part is the way IPL is put down our throats. 99% of us are ignorant fools (Thanks Justice Katju). The way we accept our politicians quietly over the morning tea, we just accepted and swallowed what was fed to us. When you are being shown a 3 hrs fantacy everyday every summer, why bother whats in there. And we would have turned on TV to watch a saas-bahu opera.
So it hardly matters what we watch. Its the 'masterly inactivity' of our minds that makes sure such phenomenon become popular.
Harsha Bhogale is my favourite Commentator/Columnist. His book is titled, ' Out of the Box: Watching the game we love'
God save us from this IPL. Else his next book could be 'Out of the Mind: Watching the game we used to love'
