Saturday, April 14, 2007

Indian Cricketers: An Analysis

Indian cricketers start playing cricket in their childhood because they love the game, they love their heroes and they love playing and winning.

By the time they grow up appreciated for their cricketing skills, they are aware of what lies ahead in terms of their career goals (Playing for India) and the obstacles (competition etc.) they face in reaching the career goal.

They compete hard in domestic cricket on wickets which suit the batsmen - they get recognized, their hopes are fuelled and they try harder and harder to enable that one step - the crown of Indian child's dreams - to play for India.

There are exceptions that get there by other means, but let us talk only about those who get picked to play for the country on merit.

If they play for the country and do well , suddenly they find that they have 'arrived'. They get attention, endorsements, advertisements etc., which is only a distant dream till you 'arrive'. They get thrilled by this flashy life.

Suddenly, there is no more career goal than just ensuring that you maintain your place in the team. Maintaining your place in the team depends on lot of things apart from your batting - it depends on your 'weight' and 'contacts' and of course, being in form just enough to stay in the team and keep earning the money as long as you play.

One rotten apple can spoil the entire basket, they say.

In the circle of this life, a child wants to play for the joy of playing and at his adulthood he wants to play to keep his place in the side and survive on payments. There is just no more 'joy' left.

As priorities change, so do actions.

And I have not even dared to broach the subject of match fixing and the money involved.

In ignorance, lies bliss.

Long live Indian Cricket!

2 comments:

Cuckoo said...

How beautifully you said it... the bitter truth !!

Ranjeet said...

Hey thanks, Cuckoo :-)
Don't know how things can and will change. :-(