Its been sometime that I wrote my last post. Nearly three months, if I am not mistaken. These have been very busy months though. I have visited three continents as a part of my work and a lot of things happening at the official front as well. I did mean to write about a lot of stuff but somehow I only kept promising to write , but it never happened. I am now sitting in a room in Hyderabad free of the hussle and bustle and this is the right time to pen down a few ideas.

For the last two weeks, the nation is caught with the IPL fever (International Player’s League of Cricket). The new avatar of cricket has gotten the response it expected. With its adrelanin pumping style of format, the 20-20 game has fundamentally changed Cricket as a game. The fifty over format had raised a big hue and cry when Kerry packer introduced it for the first time in the mid 70’s in Australia. He had roped in all the top players in the world to play the game. The cricketing boards accross the world were horrified to see the game being vandalized by sheer power play. There was tremendrous opposition by the purists and there were predictions that the One-day format would not survive beyond the initial euphoria that is generated. But clearly, all of them were wrong. A quarter of a century later, One days games have become a integral part of the sport, so much so that it has started replacing test Cricket as a more fundamental form of the game. Will 20-20 do the same thing to One day cricket?

I often wonder what gives these shortened versions of the game more popularity than the longer ones. I have very fond memories of Test cricket. The languid pace at which the game was played; the adherence to technique and style; the real sportmanship displayed - all these were the connosieur’s delight. But today, I would rather watch the One day’s than the Test’s. Many theorists may have many reasons for this transformation. I will present mine here.

Arts, sports and other various forms of leisure and culture always undergoes a change in perception over a period of time. There is need for a certain degree of senstivity in the public at large to appreciate the finer nuances of a well drawn out Raaga, a beautiful piece of painting, a well played front drive and a fabulous piece of improvisation in dance. And to do that, there must be a sense of security and a way of life that is appreciative of quality living. To appreciate any type of Social liesure , there must be a sense of peace internally (One cannot sit though a musical concert if one is disturbed internally) and the senses must be sensitive to things around. How many of us can sit through a classical concert, not matter how famed the artist is? The long drawn alaps, the slowly but steady immersion into the heart of the raaga and the unravelling of the beauty of each and every note in it,the cresendo - when the artist and the audience are lost in the undiluted purity of the tones when the cleansing of the bosdy, mind and soul happens. Do we have time for all this?????. Cricket is no exception. We simply dont have the time nor the taste to enjoy good cricket. I have had the oppurtunity to watch a Test Match in Bangalore many years ago which sort of illustrates my point. It was a turning pitch in the Chinnaswamy stadium and turning right from Day one. India was playing I guess with Pakistan (I am not sure of that). Every Batsmen found it difficult to find one right stroke. Even an average bowler was made to look like a champion, thanks to the pitch. There was only one player who stood apart and that was the “Little Master” - Sunil Gavaskar. Under the most exasperating conditions to bat on, the Master recorded a score of 96. It was innings that lasted two days and played with a skill and technique that was a honour to watch. History books may say that gavaskar did not score a century, but that is immaterial. For those of us who were priveleged to watch his artistry, it was an unforgettable moment. But who has the time and patience to sit for two days and watch every ball. I may not do it myself and thats the point.

We want instant gratification. Our jarred senses must be soothed. we require sensationalism. And 20-20 is an answer to that. Its a meaningless form of cricket, but it does its job. it gives sucour to the millions of us who require histronics in daily life but unable to find it or do it. We want to see the red sherry (The cricket ball) to be beaten back and blue - A symbolic reflection of our need to beat the System that we live in. In three and Half hours time, we have vented our anguishes, worries and frustrations; all mixed with glamour and sex. What more do we want?

As I am writing this post, I am watching an IPL match. I stop to see the ball hit over the fence and feel very happy about it. Thats how the game is viewed. There is no sanity to it. While I may have sounded a bit harsh on this new format, I will certainly not blame anyone for arganizing this form of the game. We asked for it and we got it. We have lost the sense of appreciation of a long drawn act and now we are fed with small doses of cocaine. It suits us. But before long our senses will get weary of this too and then God knows what’s in store for us. Meanwhile I thank god for still preserving in me a sense of taste. I hope there will never come a day when I cannot apprescate a Gavaskar like innings. That would spell the beginning of my doom. Cheers!!!!!1