Cricket Overkill

Cricket – the virtual religion of India, with Sachin being the God, has taken its position from being great to becoming “greatest ever”. As an ardent cricket lover and a staunch supporter of “Midas Dhoni and his leadership”, I realized my dream on April 2 when India became the world champions. I was yet to reach the mother earth (Yes! I was born in the year 1985) when Kapil and his men did it, but I was in full glee and elation when Dhoni lifted the world cup much to the delight of the entire nation. But all those jubilation and celebration were cut short by the commercial and colloquial Indian Premier League where the best pals in the team became the foe from the opposite team in much less than 5 days.

IPL – version 4.0 has not attracted much of cricket fans as it has done in the last 3 years. This is attributed to the “cricket overkill” where the spectators and television viewers feel its “too much cricket in too few days”. It’s almost 4 months of continuous non – stop cricket (Feb 19 – May 28). It has eaten into the cricketers’ mind where people think of the glamour and financial proficiency of IPL as their priority than their rehabilitation and cricketing schedule of their country. Sehwag has delayed his shoulder surgery at the end of IPL which will jeopardize his selection for India tour of West Indies and Chris Gayle has preferred IPL as his “cup of tea” positioning it much ahead of his country’s schedule against Pakistan.

Sachin is still the Mumbai Indian, but the King of Punjab is now a warrior from Pune! Delhi “dare devil” has become “bare evil” where the captain claims him to be the only member playing from the past and other 10 are making their respective IPL birth, where people from different countries are meeting for a period of 2 months, trying to achieve something magnanimous and end up on the other side of the coin after the season.

Cricket Overkill and its effect are very much shown in the IPL 4 where the players are feeling the pinch and there is “the pressure to perform rather than the passion to perform” which will show its ultimatum in the coming days. Let the IPL run its way, but as a frenetic fan of cricket, Iam still rejoicing the SIX of Dhoni in the “final” than his prowess with the Chennai team. Let it be a “whistle podu” for TEAM INDIA rather than for Chennai alone!

Tags: Cup Of Tea, Greatest Ever, Overkill, Passion, Pressure, Team India, Whistle Podu