So, Indian cricket fans are literally having their cake and eating it too right now. India is the "Number 1" cricket team in the world thanks to some dubious statistics from the ICC (demystified thanks to Russel Degnan here), they have just finished a riveting series against the fantastic South Africans (anyone who disagrees with that just needs to have a look at Dale Steyn on song). All in all, pretty heartening to see Test cricket return to the Indian public consciousness after many years of languishing in the shadows of ODIs and that Twenty-20 monstrosity.
However, there is something I would like to think/talk about - the crowds in India. The Eden Gardens just witnessed one of the best Indian victories in the Test arena, and was lauded by everyone watching for their support of the Indian team and the fact that the crowd is the X factor, the 12th man, your mom's chicken curry, etc. What I'd like to point out is how bloody partisan those crowds are! When Hashim Amla (the best batsman in the tournament, notwithstanding the belligerence of Sehwag or the precision of Tendulkar) reached his fifty on the final day at Eden, the hush in the crowd was so palpable it made you feel bad for him. He was the only South African with a backbone on the final day, and it was clear from the start of the day that all India had to do was to get him out (which they didn't, btw, they merely made sure he ran out of partners), and yet there was not even an attempt to applaud the young man.
On the other hand, if Sachin so much as runs down to the boundary and fields a ball, the crowd is up and clapping. Agreed, this is a man who more then deserves the adulation of the fans, but it is disappointing to see the crowds react so favourably towards cricketers from India, and so unfavourably towards others.
This whole situation is also exacerbated by the silly games the IPL is playing, together with Lalit Modi in the driving seat, to ensure that broadcast rights for the IPL 2010 end up lining their pockets even more over the next year.
All in the name of cricket. What a shame.
However, there is something I would like to think/talk about - the crowds in India. The Eden Gardens just witnessed one of the best Indian victories in the Test arena, and was lauded by everyone watching for their support of the Indian team and the fact that the crowd is the X factor, the 12th man, your mom's chicken curry, etc. What I'd like to point out is how bloody partisan those crowds are! When Hashim Amla (the best batsman in the tournament, notwithstanding the belligerence of Sehwag or the precision of Tendulkar) reached his fifty on the final day at Eden, the hush in the crowd was so palpable it made you feel bad for him. He was the only South African with a backbone on the final day, and it was clear from the start of the day that all India had to do was to get him out (which they didn't, btw, they merely made sure he ran out of partners), and yet there was not even an attempt to applaud the young man.
On the other hand, if Sachin so much as runs down to the boundary and fields a ball, the crowd is up and clapping. Agreed, this is a man who more then deserves the adulation of the fans, but it is disappointing to see the crowds react so favourably towards cricketers from India, and so unfavourably towards others.
This whole situation is also exacerbated by the silly games the IPL is playing, together with Lalit Modi in the driving seat, to ensure that broadcast rights for the IPL 2010 end up lining their pockets even more over the next year.
All in the name of cricket. What a shame.
No comments:
Post a Comment