At the cost of Cricket

You may call it a prejudice or a mental-block however, this is true that nowadays whenever I watch cricket games being played, I get a worse feel of watching a well enacted drama.

There is no space for talent any longer. In the name of “Playing to your strengths” blatant cheating is stage-managed in the form of cricket. Slowly the charm of cricket, its talent is being lost. Surprisingly, we give an excuse to every wrong activity we do.

As soon as we were bundled out for less than a hundred in the first innings of Ahmedabad Test, messages were passed onto Khanpur curator as to make a spin-friendly pitch. Then, the selection of the team emphasized the fact that the match will played on a spin-turf.

As I mentioned in my earlier blog, India had won this Test match and the series is leveled. It was a nice illustration for a “win-win” theory. Both the teams won and they ensured that their share of money is not lost in the business. The ICC is now turning a blind-eye to all the activities going on here?

In what way preparing a pitch that suits the local team is different from match-fixing? The act of MS Dhoni, the stand-in captain, after the win, leads to many unanswered questions. He has paid a cash reward of Rs10,000/- to the curator for facilitating a win for India.

Does this not commit to bribing a curator? What precedent the future captain is setting. Will not all the curators follow suit and blunt the talents of young cricketers in India. Mr. Ajit Wadekar did this a decade ago and we lost good batsmen in Vinod Kambli who was conditioned to play in such a worst conditions.

The ball never raises above knee level, it is too slow that one can have a tea and go for strokes, the pitch would crack and turning is too effective. India have lost a handful of matches on such pitches to sub-standard spinners from South Africa and England let alone facing Murali or Saqlain or Mushtaq.

We can give excuses that this money is a contribution from every player and I am sure that BCCI would compensate in multiples this amount to players. If they are ready to contribute the curator here, had they penalized the curator of Chepauk pitch that traditionally used to be spin-friendly pitch?

One can understand a tip being paid. However, if the amount of the tip is more than the substantial amount, it needs to be answered. Will BCCI, MSDhoni take pain in answering this question as this act would lead to blunting the talents of upcoming Indian cricketers.