“I would refuse to acknowledge any of the ODI double hundreds other than that of Sachin’s and Sehwag’s.”
He said that in a firm voice, and as I overheard it that made me curious. I generally don’t intervene when a group of people discusses cricket. We Indians are a particularly well-informed and opinionated lot when it comes to this game. But on this occasion I wanted to know why the gentleman was so disapproving of Rohit Sharma’s ODI double hundred, which I thought was a good, if not great, display of batting. “Why do you think Rohit Sharma doesn’t deserve the credit? As it looked to me, he was timing the ball very well.”
My friend sounded dejected, and not at all taunting. “It’s not the same game anymore. It doesn’t feel like the old times. Looks like the batting records are there only to be broken by another guy, the next day,” he said.
“But all records are meant to be broken, some day. Aren’t they?” I replied, thinking that he was just missing the old Sachin-Sehwag times. (I mean, who doesn’t?)
“But why is it just about batting? It’s not like the overall quality of the game has been taken to a whole new level or anything. This says it all,” he said, pointing to a newspaper article.
It was about how batsmen are reaping the benefits of technological advancements, better bats and smaller grounds; and how this is having a negative effect on the game by making it more and more one-sided.
I couldn’t say anything. But I knew there was something about the modern-day game that just didn’t feel right. Starting with the excessive number of T20 matches that are being played, all the absurd efforts to make it an entertainment package, the spot betting scams, all playing a part in it. Cricket has nothing to do with any marketing gigs or cheerleader gimmicks. It was the game we played, growing up. The rubber balls, wooden bats and post-harvest paddyfields are all we had, but we never fell short on passion and enthusiasm. We watched it whenever India played, sometimes even bunking school. Our hearts sank when Lance Klusener stood with a melancholy face while the Australians celebrated their entry into the World Cup final; we thumped our fists when Tendulkar sent Shane Warne out of the Park, repeatedly. And it’s that feeling our generation misses.
We have the strongest and richest Cricket Board. Wouldn’t it be a shame if we can’t bring the life back into the game? O Cricket, where art thou?
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