A pandemic struck India back in 1980s and has only deepened its
root since then. The disease existed even before that with its effect hither
and thither in small pockets. Its dormancy evaporated drastically when some of
the viral agents with likes of Kapi Dev, Mohinder Amarnath, Sunil Gavaskar,
Roger Binni etc grabbed their prey in their spectacular claws. The pandemic
called Cricket has not witnessed a downside since then. The effect sometimes is
so intense that one cannot find single person walking on otherwise busy
streets. Such is the effect of Cricket in India.
Cricket has been termed as a Gentleman’s game. The way it
was played in olden days among royal classes, its exquisiteness, the lunch and
tea breaks and sheer respect for sport made this game different from other
outdoor games, which were more of fierceness and physical aptitude. Cricket required
skills and long term planning. Whilst other games had a course of a few hours,
Cricket went on for six/five days.
With passing days, rules have changed, formats have been
added, and players have adorned more and more accessories. The game has seen
changing attitude among players with more ferocious attitude replacing the
erstwhile calm and gentle behavior on ground. Sledging has become a very common
phenomenon in modern day Cricket. Be it bowlers hurling derogatory words and
showing gestures on batsman missing the delivery, batsman being a bigmouth on
scoring heavily, or fielders/wicketkeepers encircling and openly sledging the batsman has become a necessary ingredient of
this game. Off the field taunting is no more non-existent. Every unthinkable strategy
and tactic is being employed to win a game/series, making it no more a
Gentleman’s game.
Has the spirit of Cricket actually died? Has it just metamorphosed
into just any other game with just an intention of victory/defeat? I would say NO.
Several incidents that I recall has still kept the spirit alive and kicking. The
one that I recall is the Ashes 2005, the Edgbaston Test, a nail biting test match
in which England defeated Australia by 2 runs. Full of twist and turns ended
with Michael Kasprowicz wicket and a thin line victory. Brett Lee on the
non-strikers end was completely distraught and heartbroken that he pinned
himself on ground. Andrew Flintoff then went to him offering his hand in
consolation and pulled Brett Lee up. In words of Flintoff, “While growing up as
a cricketer in Lancashire, I was told that in victory or defeat you respect
your opposition first and then you have a lot of time to celebrate…” it is
clearly evident that the spirit is still alive.
Second incident is just one day old. The World-Cup 2015
semifinal between South Africa and New Zealand. Again a very close fight with a
heartbroken defeat for the favorites RSA in a rain hit match. As the game
reached its conclusion one could see several floods in the eyes of South
African players. It was then that Grant Elliott, the engineer in New Zealand’s
victory with an unbeaten 84 runs, approached Dale Steyn, who was bowling the
last over and fell on ground disheartened. He picked him up and congratulated him
on a superb display of cricket.
These gestures gladdens me to the core of my heart when I see
the backbone of the spirit still healthy in the only sport that I have invested
most of my time either watching or playing. Cricket, Thou shalt live!
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