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Take the current predicament of this World Cup as an example. The major stake-holders in the tournament - the television channels and major sponsors - risk losing millions, either in cash or kind, if India go out in the first round. They are not the number one team in the world by a mile. Not even number two. They are ranked sixth in the ICC team ratings and, while that might not always be the best indicator of a team's worth, they have not won a competition of note outside the subcontinent since 1985. Yet the fate of the World Cup rides on them. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

Cricket has acquired a dangerous obsession with money, to the extent where it is not a question of a game needing the money to survive or grow but making as much as possible at any cost.

The reason for this is not hard to comprehend. Cricket has acquired a dangerous obsession with money, to the extent where it is not a question of a game needing the money to survive or grow but making as much as possible at any cost. Players have been ground to dust and cricket, the one-day variety in particular, has been divested of any meaning and consequence. It would seem that the administrators have learnt very little from the match-fixing scandal, which was as much a result of greed as of a surfeit of matches that meant little to the players.

Meanwhile, the Indian administrators have managed to market a massive captive television audience to acquire financial muscle that relies little on the capabilities of the national team. As a result the cricket economy has gone ahead of the game, which is struggling to catch up.

It's an economy that relies more on projection and hype than reality. SetMax, the entertainment channel owned by Sony, paid nearly 40 % of the total cost of the ICC rights in the hope of recouping it from advertisers. Luckily for them, India made it to the final of the last World Cup and one Champions Trophy. But that was clearly not enough and Sony didn't even bother to bid for the next set of rights, which have been won by ESPN-Star for US $1.1 billion.

ESPN-Star is a joint venture between Disney and NewsCorp, but there is little doubt which television audience they are banking on. It is an unhealthy dependence. So much should never depend on the performance of one team. Apart from putting unfair pressure on the players, it leaves the cricket economy dangerously imbalanced and prone to huge risks.

The passion of the fans is the biggest strength of cricket in the sub-continent - but it is also its weakness, particularly in case of India and Pakistan. Sri Lankan fans are far more stoic about their team's fortunes and far more accepting of failure, whereas in Bangladesh they are grateful for every little or big victory, be that of the team or individual. But in India and Pakistan, the passion borders on frenzy.

As an Indian, I would like India to win the World Cup. But it might not be such a bad thing for cricket if they were to be knocked out in the first round

In India it is brazenly and cynically fueled by an increasingly sensationalist and populist mass media, which treats cricket as one of the biggest baits to attract advertisers. Instead of providing perspective and being the voice of reason, the media feeds the frenzy and cashes in on it. Stars are built up and decimated. Exaggerated glorification is matched by proportionate vilification. So cricketers are either to be worshipped or denigrated. There isn't a middle ground, a measure of reality, or a sense of proportion.

The reality is that India reaching the World Cup final would be an overachievement. Australia and South Africa possess superior teams, New Zealand have more balance and depth and Sri Lanka are the most improved team in world cricket. India have proven, but ageing, batsmen, a bowling attack that's susceptible to pressure and poor fielders. To be a fan is to dream. But to many Indian fans the dream is the reality.

Nationalism is the bedrock of cricket. But you can't call yourself a true fan if the sight of 17-year old Tamim Iqbal charging down pitch to belt Indian quick bowlers brought you no thrill. Yes, India played below themselves, but every cricket match has a winner. To be unable to comprehend, and appreciate, this runs against the spirit of the game.

Yes, India not making past the first round would be a huge setback. But it would be accorded the status of a national calamity. It will be discussed in Parliament. Television channels will conduct inquests. Effigies will be burnt, cricketers' homes will be attacked, and these will be gleefully publicised. A couple of months ago, Greg Chappell was slapped on the back by a man in Bhubaneswar seeking his fifteen seconds of fame. He was obliged. It could get worse. Someone could get killed. Perhaps someone has already been killed.

As an Indian, I would like India to win the World Cup. But it might not be such a bad thing for cricket if they were to be knocked out in the first round. Cricket needs a reality check. It has an unhealthy, and unsustainable, business model that relies primarily on an increasingly delusional and one-dimensional fan-base. The bubble has to burst for a semblance of sanity to be restored. We must learn to once again enjoy cricket as a game.

spot on! i agree. i'ts just a game and if it's a game there is the term "lost" in the definition of the game. losing should not hurt us, it should remind us that its just a game not a war, where losing really matters.

spot on!!!! i agree. its just a game and if its a game there is the term "lost" in the defination of game. loseing should not hurt us, it should remind us that its just a game not a war, where losing really matters.

Hi,

With due either respect, either Sambit is unaware of the happenings in world sport or just refuses to accept the reality existing in the sporting domain.

In the NBA we have regular brawls spilling into the courts, we have wide spread doping problems in MLB, of course in addition to fights involving entire teams. In football, especially in Latin America we have kidnappings and even murders. In Europe we have spectators running onto the pitch with only one intent on their mind. To single out cricket fans and to say that they are to blamed is preposterous. The cricketers and other sportsmen dont care when they are reaping those lakhs of rupees. You cant have the cake and eat it too..literally. Either stop making so much money and play decently, or make as much as you want and atleast put out enough effort on the field so that we wont feel aggrieved when you lose..

It is time they realized that "we the public" are feeding them those crores of rupees...and if we want we can change the kismat of each and every one of those involved in sport.

So they better kiss our arse and get on with it...or join some tech company and do a 9-5 job.

Well said. I totally agree with Sambit's views. Being a regular player and ardent fan myself, it is sickening to see the crazy audience-ship of India & Pakistan countries driving the commercial aspect of the world cricket.

I find this Article to be very correct, yet it fails to point out why Sub Continent nations mainly India Pakistan are overtly emotional about their cricket. Cricket serves as a basis of solidarity since they have no real hope in other major sports. Not to mention the fact typical Sub Continent culture which is quite illierate when it comes to sympathy. Unfortunate fact is people won't change. The cricket should/need to let the fans know of their rude behaviour, such entities not only let down themselves but their fellow countrymen when they act like hooligans. Also not to mention the fact they can get away with anything due to a broken down legal system.

It is really a great irony that a country of one billion population has fallen in love with a game like cricket. The other great irony is the game is not loved by anyone else in the world. One could look at the USA and say that baseball is loved by Americans and almost nobody else plays the game. But the game of baseball is sustained by the Americans. The case about cricket and India is different, domestic cricket in India is hardly watched by local people.

I find this Article to be very correct, yet it fails to point out why Sub Continent nations mainly India Pakistan are overtly emotional about their cricket. Cricket serves as a basis of solidarity since they have no real hope in other major sports. Not to mention the fact typical Sub Continent culture which is quite illierate when it comes to sympathy. Unfortunate fact is people won't chance. The cricket should/need to let the fans know of their rude behaviour, such entities not only let themselves but their fellow countrymen when they act like hooligans. Also not to mention the fact they can get away with anything due to a broken down legal system.

In Pakistan and India the minute their national teams lose a game effigies are burnt, people take to the streets demanding the resignation of the coach, captain, wicketkeeper, drinks boy etc. It's absurd. Bob Woolmer's death is tragic and it's stunned me. If he was murdered and police do find a link back to cricket, ie match-fixing, results etc, then the whole of Pakistani cricket should be banned from international cricket. Life is more valuable than a few thousand rupees surely.

Agree totally about the reality check. However, India will win the next game...courtesy external forces (Not suggesting India cannot win without it). This would mean "Back from the Dead" headlines for the Indian Team...more ad more revenue.

This article makes perfect sense. If indian media is one thing to blame the indian team the other one. Our cricketers play like they are the best when they win or they look like amateurs when they lose. The performances are extreme. It is the same with the media too. The media though should stop giving so much crap about cricket. I wish India went on to the next round, but it would probably make sense for the better team(between India and SriLanka) to win. There are chances that indian fans will step out into the reality if India loses!

Excellent article!!! cricket should alwayz been taken as a game im a die hard fan of ckt n support pakistan team alot i was dissapointed n deeply hurt when i know we r out of worldcup but when i got to know woolmers death lost of pakistan is loooking a very small thing to me there is nothing bigger than ones life in this world and you are right reality check is must and for me this is the best time for it

This is absolutely the most thoughtful article published on cricinfo in recent times. As an Indian, all you have said is like a bitter pill I have to swallow, as should millions of other fans..lets take a step back & think about this. Lets not be manipulated by the cynical overhype of the media..lets get the perspective back & enjoy the game as a sport again. It's the least we can do for cricket during this world cup.

Thank you very much Mr.Bal for the clarity & honesty!

Well written article. The commercial aspects and monetization of the game of cricket. From an Indian fan's perspective, there are after all only eight genuine qualifying countries of this game and the hope is that at least we could stand out as a potential champion among them. After all we are a country that barely won a Bronze medal at the Summer Olympics. We desperately need some semblence of achievement in the Sports arena. In most professional sports, money does sponsor great teams ( ala New York Yankees), and that is our expectation among Indians. Is it too much to ask to be the best among a mere eight countries, so when even that level is not achieved, the disappoint is very profound. Every year, we Indians make extensive plans to attend the games and display our colours and this year would be no different. We have been used to watching different countries play competetive cricket.

Thank God for sane and outspoken people like Sambit Bal. Cricket indeed badly needs a reality check, I couldn't agree with him more. Apart from Indian fans, the Indian electronic media has simply gone mad. The most irresponsible and atrocious statements are being made by people who don't have any knowledge of or love for cricket. Only TRP's matter for them. Cricket is a great game primarily because of its subtleties and underlying strategies, which other team games like football and hockey lack. But we Inidans have made a travesty of the immense possibilities of cricket being the ultimate game. Shame on all of us.

Samit....u made some vaild points and i condemn what happened with Dhoni(destruction of his house)...But want to ask y is only the Frustration of the fans is highlighted and not the amount of admiration they shower...And dont you think there so many positive sides of having Fans to the game or Indian cricket team than negatives...forget Fans what about the so many articles that are written on indian team when they win and lose,they are as drastically different as they get...bottom line if you(cricketers) want the support and affection when they are winning then dont you think they should be ready to take the wrath when they lose.

A perceptive and prescient article.

It really is time to look at where things are headed. Can the ICC not institute a study looking at how big money and other games handle each other eg football, big money American sports?

A most needed article at the time. One hopes it will be first of many. Perhaps there have been others, but I have not seen any.

Well said...you make a valid point but that is the path all professional sports have taken. Motivation as an emotion is directly propotional to money, fame, success, etc. Easier said than done.

Sambit so easily dices India just because our ranking is not 1 or 2 and since we have old batsmen? On paper many teams might be good but you have to remember that a team does not win on paper. It is this fact which endears cricket to the public, everybody is an equal, you don't need million or stars to win a match...take the Ireland Pakistan match for instance. And dude, India has won many events out of the sub-continent after 1985. Get your facts straight, or wait... are you using controversy to get attention for your article?? Hmm...makes one wonder if you believe in what you write.

From being an avid watcher of cricket I've come to a point of not caring what happens one way or another. This article puts my ill formed thoughts about the game in the clearest way. Unfortunately I think that having an hysterical relationship to watching sport is the way of the future. Despite the best intentions of this article, there doesn't seem to be any going back. Cricket has, in a way, been chosen to carry the burden of India and Pakistan's preoccupations about their self-worth, which seem to border on the irrational, perhaps because visions of contentment and success are so rarely experienced in the daily run of life.

well put, sambit. let us stop commoditizing cricket. having said that, i do hope your article doesnt manifest itself in ESPN/Star Sports coming for your head a la Bob Woolmer for such calamitous wishes.

Publicity has always been in bad state, then be it the good one or the bad one. And in the age where money drives everything, it is hard to believe fans would use some brains.

I would completely agree with Sambit has said in his post. Everyone should realize, at the end of the day, it is just a game of 100 overs. Someone will win and others will lose, unless you are aiming a tie all the time in all the games.

We are not sure what happened to Mr. Woolmer. But this clearly brings the sad state of cricket on the table. Cricket is supposed to be the Gentleman's game and here a gentleman loses his life for it.

In my view, Govt of India, BCCI and any other cricket boards around the world should sit and think for a while, what are we heading to. Steve Waugh has once complained about too much of cricket and he was not wrong. Too much of cricket is generating too much of interest attracting too much of money. Well, we just hope it ends here - NOW.

India out of first round or into finals. We just need to look at it a game and ultimately the players are Humans too. We should probably treat them as humans and not national representatives. If India loses the game, it doesnt get thrown out of UN or there wont be any sanctions I guess. So why worry. A bunch of 11 people are just people like you and me. So let us be fair.

Publicity has always been in bad state, then be it the good one or the bad one. And in the age where money drives everything, it is hard to believe fans would use some brains.

We are not sure what happened to Mr. Woolmer. But this clearly brings the sad state of cricket on the table. Cricket is supposed to be the Gentleman's game and here a gentleman loses his life for it.

Absolutely fantastic article by Mr. Bal. As an Indian, I will be happy with an Indian victory, but it would be foolish to assume that they are the best team in the world as a result of it. The problem is, we'll never hear the end of this from the media, licking their lips at the prospect of another major showing by the country. The problem has its roots much deeper - at the level of education, or lack thereof. The people that read this article probably share the sentiments of the writer. But the majority that cannot read this article are the ones being fueled by an equally over-hyped media industry. India's economy will grow, the uneducated will have more purchasing power, and the frenzy will worsen. This is why India still gets little respect outside of its borders, and yet we wonder why. Where is the reality check, the measuring yardstick for anything anymore?

"Nationalism is the bedrock of cricket" agreed! But is it not the case for most sports. Even though a team may not be performing at their best and playing better than others at a particular point of time, there is hope from their countrymen that the team will be able to perform some miracle of some sort to win the World Cup. This is the case with all sports. And is applicabe to cricket more than others because of the unpredictable nature of the game. India and Pakistan's world cup victories and Kenya's semifinal apperance are examples that what might seem very difficult is possible in cricket. I quite liked the idea of a reality check but the problem is given the nature of the situation we are in, I do not think that India going out of the world cup will solve the problem, although I am a Bangladeshi fan and would like to see India go out (impossible it seemed but now very close to being possible; that is in essence cricket: we hope). I think that ICC and cricket boards have to distance themselves from the bussiness side of the game. As a Bangladeshi fan I find it difficult to digest the fact that BCCI did not have a full home series with our team for such a long time for monetary reasons. This reinforces the argument that the people who run the game need to treat cricket as a sport and only then will the fans follow.

Very well written article. Indians, in general, are hero worshippers and have an escapist attitude towards life. Bollywood has exploited this to the fullest by dishing out trash movies year after year, now media is doing the same with cricket.
Indians do not have the physical ability, for genetic reasons or whatever, to do well in the truely international sports like soccer, basketball, tennis etc. Cricket is not as physically demanding as the aforementioned sports(Arjuna Ranatunga, who was the captain of a world cup winning Srilankan side, is a glaring example)...this is the only sports which India can play at the international level and actually win a few matches. This is where the media and the corporates come in, everytime India wins a one day match on a tailor made subcontinental pitch, the gullible public are made to believe that we have conquered the world. This ensures more eyeballs and product placement for the next match, but in the process people forget that cricket is played seriously by only nine countries in the world, and out of them four are from the subcontinent, and for the remaining five countries cricket is not the number 1 sport.
If India loses against Srilanka on Friday, this madness will subside temporarily, but may be in a few months India will win a triangular series on a spinning track in Wankhede or Eden, and it will be deja vu all over again!

Sambit, good for you! India needs a massive set down. The players, the fans, the media and everyone else should understand that our team is at best a good one, not a great one. It is obvious from the body language of Dravid, Ganguly. Tendulkar and Kumble that not one of them see eye to eye with each other. The others? God help them! Hey Ho India!

I couldn't agree more with this article. In India the sportsmen have become bigger than the sport itself largely due to asinine expectations from the fans and the media. Any sort of rational criticism is met by chest-thumping jingoistic patriotism.
If India doesn't make it to the next round, then so be it. They lost to better teams that day. And yes, there are teams that are better than India. If the companies are losing money, then thats their problem, not the Indian team's.

Don't every say that "its just a game." It means MUCH MORE than just a game for many of us, Samit Bal. You are absolutely right that if Woolmer was indeed murdered, it is an absolute tragedy and cricket is not worth someone's life - not even close. however, cricket is not just a game - it is much, much more than that...

Sambit,
Brilliant article, it was about time someone wrote candidly about what is happening to the game we all love...I have been an avid cricket follower and played at club level; however, death of an outstanding coach over a loss has left a bitter taste in my mouth! I wish more journalist’s thought and wrote like you instead of always going for sensationalism...Thank you

Yes, one wonders if this isn't an historical moment in the game of cricket. Millions have been lost by interested parties when Pakistan crashed out on the firth day. The game will surely enter a new era if murder for failure to succeed on the cricket pitch has become a reality and organizers can't even protect the players or coaching staff.

Unfortunately, this net is cast too widely. ***South Asian*** Cricket needs a reality check.

Wow Mr Bal. Very well written, very well poised reality put in very prefessional and politically correct manner. Loss of life for reasons connected to the unfortunate driver of the game is just mind boggling. The concept of reality check if indeed very candid and is long awaited.

Excellent piece! very sound and reasonable points. I have a couple of remarks: where is all the money going? Who is getting richer with all the money generated by the sub-continent cricket frenzy? Second, given this imbalance in revenue generation and distribution in world cricket, maybe the ICC should consider adopting an approach like the NFL in the USA, where revenues are shared, the teams have a cap on the amount they can disburse as salaries, and so forth.

Financial interests have dominated the game of cricket for a while now and BCCI (or for that matter ICC) are responsible in a big way. I wonder whether the big corporations will one day make and break the rules of the game (maybe they already are doing it right now). The worst part is that organized crime is now an itegral part of cricket. People may not notice it but it is always present in the background. So big corporations may find an ally in organized crime and eventually kill the spirit of the game.

I completly agrre with you. I stopped being die hard fan of the team since '96 world cup semis, when I realised that it is a game nothing more than that. I dont want INDIA to win the cup this time and wish they get kicked out soon. The hype sorrounding this men is too much. If the fans want INDIA to win so much, why dont they work hard and be a member of the team? If they dont have the ability or dedication, they should shut up and cheer the team. I still get disapponited when INDIA loses but dont blame the players. Its a bad day in the office.

Sambit, very well written and it is about time that someone spoke out constructively about the fanatasism in South Asia. To applaud a shot by the opponents if you are Indian or Pakistani is sacrilegeous! The way Bangladesh and Ireland played - it was ridiculous, how some commentators simply focussed on the situation for India to qualify for the Super Eight! How can Cricket grow, if we as a whole community can't simply applaud the best team on the day?
The money model for Indian Cricket should be that of England - if the team performs well - they will show up to appreciate the game. Mind you there is a core group of passionate supporters, who know the difference between doosra and google. But the rest of the people (Bandwagonists) come down to support their team when they are doing well.

It's high time Sambit Bal turned off the hysteria switch. Let's not get into scare-mongering before the full facts of the Bob Woolmers incident are known. That's best left to the self same conspiracy theorists referred to in his piece.
Furthermore he paints a murky picture of what is essentially a well-administrated game compared to other global sports.
I suspect Mr Bal presides overe the cricnfo match running match report which mentioned 'murdered' and 'heart attack' when describing a batsman's shot and the crowds' reaction in the space of a few overs - and on the same day as the news of Bob Woolmer's death broke. Shabby stuff.
A little restraint from your 'reporters' at the World Cup would not go amiss on occasions.

Greed always make a devil of a man.As in life so it has happened in cricket. Prfessionalism is needed but not to the extremes to which it has been taken.The enjoyment has certainly gone away.

Does the author feel that losing in the first round will make the Indian fans' one dimensional mentality? There is a huuuuuuuuge part played by the private media here. In the head lines of a private news channel's news, you will find cricket news getting first priority than a National news. Am I right? If so, what is the road ahead...This won't stop if they loose in the first round too....

Let me tell you one thing my dear friend u must be really day dreaming if you think India is going to make it to Super 8's just look at the bowling and you wil know that we really do not have the ammunition to win the worldcup. Mind you i will up and supporting India on Friday it is going to be Do or Die but thats it if they lose it should not be the end of the world cup for us there are other teams. Windies are there we can support them too. It is a game after all

But it is so funny that our supporters have the time to go an burn effigies of the players after one game loss. Let me tell u Bangladesh was much better than India on Saturday and they deserved to win they outbowled and outfielded us. We were treating the BANG bowlers with so much respect and i guess u might have thought we were the minnows.Wiht our bowling attack we have to hit above 300 in every single match to win which is next to impossible.

So i think we would should watch cricket only if you like the sport which i do i watch irrespective if India plays or not i still get excited about the game and make no mistake i do support India but also appreciate that in this day and age we are just not up there with the best teams.

Our fielding is thrid rate at the best and our batting with so many super stars never perform under pressure. So relax,chill out but be prepared for an early exit but watch the cricket because the game is great and i still love SA,Eng and Newzealand any of these would do for me though if India wins i must admit i will be over the moon. I just dont want australia to win.

Lets wish our team the best but keep your expectations at a low level

one thing is for sure it is either CHAPPELL or CHAPPALL. This is a sport no point in getting emotional but never say that to an Indian FAn or u may well get hammerred

let Woolmer Rest in Peace. Pakis were packed home even before a week was over.

Fantastic thoughts.we should take it as a game,not a religion or war.Being a Pakistani,i am saddend by the performance of Pak Cricket Team,but it happens in world sports.Everyone should enjoy the game in its true spirit.We shouldn't allow any game to take lives of people!

Very well written and very true. its almost out of control and we need to check it in time before it takes more lives. its sickening that a great person like Bob Woolmer has been a prey ironically of the same game he devoted his life to.

Sambit, more power to your pen. It was horrifying for me to see and hear the terribly unfair comments about Bangladesh by Indian 'fans'. They won fair and square, for heaven's sake, give them the credt. The whole probl;em is that for most Indians, cricket is all about winning, about individual records, about hero worship, about bashing others and stupidly letting loose a few crackers, not about enjoying the greatest game in the world. When will we learn?

Sambit, Couldnt agree with you more. Even though my heart wishes India reaches the second round, my head says the game will be better off with India getting knocked off... Who knows, with all the sponsorship worries, if India does reach the super eights, all the conspiracy theories about match-fixing will start again. When is this madness going to stop?
-- Dhivakaran

I actually agree with you, People in India need to stop whining about cricket and concentrate more on the development of other sports where they can actually compete. Its sad when Cricketers are signing the multi million dollar deals with corporate houses, and other sport athletes who are as talented(maybe more) are struggling to put bread and butter on the table.

Hi Sambit, This is one of the most sensible articles I have read. I am a cricket buff and a hard-core Indian fan as well. But, I have myself started to digest the reality that India is one of the lower ranked sides.

You're absolutely right about mass media creating a strong virtual image of the Indian team. I think two other contributing factors (perhaps not as much as the first point) are:
(1) Lack of any other sport in highlight for people to take their mind off cricket.
(2) The number of uneducated people in a country. Only Indians and Pakistanis are known to share such irresponsible behavior. The lack of education and size of population together is the highest in these 2 countries. This madness does not exist in any of the developed nations or an underdeveloped nation in which the population is not high enough to create such a passion.

Agree and Disagree !!! Its a game but not JUST a game for the subcontinent. We have used it to improve relations with our neighbors because it is a symbol of our national identity. Did anyone suggest a kabaddi match between India and Pakistan to improve our relations ?
Cricket is much more than a game. I agree that there are negative aspects to over-commercialization.
If there is no passion, there is no fun in playing the game. No matter how bad our team is, we shouldnt compete if we think we cannot beat the best. One could have said the same in 1983 about other teams but we still won the world cup. Ireland has shown us that its not the reputation that matters more.
Fans resorting to violence cannot be justified but players competing with the 'just a game' mindset cannot be justified either!

It is not just a game. Like any other proffession it carries a price and with all the good things it gives, a cricketeer needs to take the bad and the ugly. Soccer fans are equally belligerent in countries that are supposed to be advanced. Fights have broken out in the USA over football and base ball games. The bottom line is that sports touches a deeply emotional cord in every human being that is why it is just not a game. This does not condone sport violence but fans have every right to express their disgust and dissappointment, albeit peacefully.

This article is all the reason why you sir are the only asian whose columns I still read. For the first time after years of reading poorly written columns ( by others on this website and an other indian cricket website cricketn...t.com which I feel is a joke) I felt someone was writing sense withouth trying to be sensationalistic.

I am a cricket addict......I play, I watch...I preach. But if the Bob Woolmer case pans out to something suspicious ( i dont believe they'll every catch or prove anything).............I will step back a little from following internaltional cricket. Well atleast I wont pay a dime more for any cricket telecast..I am not supporting anything that breeds crime.

Excellent article. I have to agree but emotions and passions are not always rational, are they?

Dont worry Sambit Bal, there is every possibility that ICC and the organizers in order for India to go through will use the flattest track every made. No seam, No swing, No spin and their will also be the possibility of using a two headed coin.
The only thing they cannot control is the weather.

I totally agree, Sambit. It will be a very dark day if it turns out that Bob Woolmer was murdered.

The article seems to have hit the target..perfectly..One of the finest reality bites article i have read in recent past. I just wish some how this article reaches every body in india and pakistan and the game of love and unity is clean of all the controversies and no 1 looses his/her life in the cause of it

I fully agree with Sambit. The sooner India comes home with their third rate team and inflated egos and their millions, the better for Cricket. Indian cricket has become one big market with no love for the game. Most Indian fans don't even know what's a Power Play or the difference between a stumping and a run out

Very well written. The sooner we fix this issue the better we are. I was surprised to hear the news of attacking of Dhoni's house by some emotional fans after his failure in one inning.

Your views must open the eyes of the administrators of the game. But too much of dependence on one nation is not a sustainable proposition for any game. True cricket fans would be the biggest losers if no one puts an end to the frenzy.

Sports are for fun. On any given day there will be a winner and a loser. True sportsmanship is to accepts the verdict gracefully. In India's first game, they didn't deserve to win. Bangladesh was right on top since the begining of the game. Hope they do well against Sri Lanka. I will watch and enjoy the game and cheer for the one that plays well.

Acceptable,Well Said Samit.This is one of the best articles i have come across.What you tried to explain through this article is really something every Indian Fan should read.Cricket is no more a Game in India with money involved in this and with the fame & Money cricketers make out of this,i assume the game might sooner or later loose it's charm in India.Why can't you post such an article in a place like NDTV or CNN IBN so that we can make people understand the reality.

spot on! nice job and excellent writing. I agree. A game is a game. I have been losing interest in cricket due to betting. now with these scenarios it is disgusting. If this was anything beyond a natural death even be it stress the real fans should push the administration for a fair game and cut all politics and money. this is supposed to be fun. Common when we take career related exams we are excusing ourselves and say we want to have fun. Game is exactly that! We need to enjoy! In fact the word sportsmanship in common literacy is from sports!

Brilliant article..I completely agree with the view shared by Samit Bal in this article. I live in US and everytime I visit India, I like to watch cricket on tv BUT the media hypes it up so much that it sometimes becomes annoying to watch all about cricket on TV while poor soldiers are giving away their lives on border and many young kids are sleeping hungry under some open bridges without a home or any clothes on. Not just cricket but life overall needs a reality check...our world is becoming too commercialized now. Hopefully we can wake up of this bad dream and get back to work!

Very well written. Indians are so much into hero worship (one of the reasons why we were ruled by outsiders for so long). We think that doing homas will win matches. If this was the case we should have been the number 1 country in the world forever. Also the media perpetuates the frenzy due to the big stakes involved. Hopefully we will learn that homas and prayers don't get things done but hard work will.

Sambhit - it is a very well written article. Its not just the crowds and the media who are grinding cricket to dust. Its actually the greediest corporation in the world which is ICC and the respective cricket boards. With the amount of cricket that is being played today, it has already started to become boring. Trust me I used to be very passionate about India winning & losing but not anymore just because there is no time to digest or even reflect on whats happening. Its just an endless array of series after series after series and memory is very short. If this trend continues, take it from me the time will come very soon when the crowds will no longer be bothered and there will be no frenzy to feed.

Totally agree with the article!! Disagree with someone called "Zubaer" who blames Indians and BCCI for this. I am going to go out on a limb here and guess he is a supporter of Pakistan. Makes no sense to indulge in team-bashing here......so take it easy.

One of the best articles on cricket written during the world cup so far. We need more of these "grounded" voices championing the sport and reminding people not to take their frustrations (re: self/life/etc) out on a beautiful sport and their national team.

What has the world come to? We have become ravenous glory-craving beasts. What stories will we tell our children? The stories of how we drenched in sweat, playing cricket in the street in the scorching heat? or would we tell'em about how we killed cricket with our fanatic attitude?

If Woolmer's death turns out to be a murder, I'll lose my faith in humanity. Forever.

Well Sambit, its quiet idiotic of you to single out Indian and Pakistani fans and claim that their passion borders 'frenzy'. You've ridiculed all Indian fans by sighting isolated incidents where some out-of work youth from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha burn effigies and attack players houses. How is it that you've left out the Australian fans and the racist remarks they pass out against all the non-white teams. Are they still better fans? or is it 'ok' for them to do that since Australia is dominating International Cricket? And oh yes, the English cricket fans are quiet sporting, maybe thats because all the hooligans and busy rioting and burning down stadiums after soccer games. Sambit, either your really ignorant or just trying to suck up to the white man.

Well said. Money almost always corrupts. Not that long ago there wasn't much money in cricket, not even international cricket. The Packer series, inspired by amoral Aussie media mogul Kerry Packer, opened the floodgates. Now that a billion US dollars is not foreign to the game the worst elements have risen to the top, those for whom cricket is a mere capitalist enterprise, a vehicle for personal aggrandizement by hook or by crook, to be milked to the max. Cricket governing bodies in many countries, especially the poorer countries, appear infested by 'administrators' simply in it for themselves. Battles Royal have raged in the subcontinent to grab control of governing bodies, the principal protagonists being pseudo-politicians, proto-politicians, or their hacks. Cricket is the last thing on their minds! But the rot is not confined to the subcontinent. Stars are built up, millionaires created, and arrogance promoted. If cricketing bodies were really interested in the game they would, for example, crack down hard on sledging, a practice completely at odds with the nature of this beautiful game. But no, every nasty trick must be pulled, to hell with talent, skill, and athleticism, because psychological upset might give sledgers an advantage --- and a win. The Australians, brilliant athletes all, are sadly (and superfluously) the worst perpetrators of this form of cheating. Sledging will generate money, win advertisers, make reputations, confer power. Yes, Mr. Bal, cricket needs to wake up from the hangover caused by money.

I totally agree with Sambit's views. Over the year cricket as a game has lost its passion. What remains is a commercialized part of it. Perhaps that is the reason why we no longer have players who are eager to play and not eager to earn. How many players in the current crop of so called cricketers can even come close to the brilliance of those who played this wonderful game in 70s and 80s? I would pay much more to go back 25 years to see players like lillee, thompson, hadley, kapil, richards, lloyed play than to see today's matches where you never know whether they are even played for real or are just fixed to satice the pockets of some unknown crooks.

completely agree with sambit's views... people should open their eyes to the reality of the game, and realise what the sport is actually about.

Spot on! Nice job and excellent writing. I agree. A game is a game. I have been losing interest in cricket due to betting. Now with these scenarios it is disgusting. The real fans should push the administration for a fair game and cut all politics and money. This is supposed to be fun. Common! When we take career related exams we are excusing ourselves and say we want to have fun. Game is exactly that! We need to enjoy! In fact the word sportsmanship in common literacy is from sports!

Besides, India should encourage other sports as well. Look at US - has baseball, hoops, football, soccer, ice hockey, and tennis and on... there needs to be competition. We claim to be the largest democracy. Democracy needs to be everywhere in every category. The sports administration needs to start looking at encouraging other sports to deviate attention and frenzy!

One couldn't have put it in any better. This cricket crazy nations need to get back to reality. Media is the first to take blame for it. Man, do they thrive on every single thing about cricketers, Oh, Sachin goes to shopping at 3 AM.. Dhoni gets a hair cut.. what a non-sense!! Leave them alone. A fraction of time people spend on investigating these kind of things, will go long ways for the other betterment of lives in India. Wake up crazy fans.. Stop these poojas, yagnas all sorts of ridiculous things for India to win the World cup. Like Sambit said, it is just a game, with a winner and a looser. A true fan should be able to appreciate with a common sense.

Excellent article, Kudos to Sambit. He has brought out the unholy nexus between TV channels, Advertisers and the Media, each going to great length to maximise their bottomline and limelight.
Among all these, the player himself is relegated to a pawn in the hands of External factors.
Indian people following the game have been benefited by good quality telecast.
Players have been benefitted by increased salary, Perks, additional advertising income and other "Gifts" doled out by many organizations and Rich people.
Cricket Board and Management has increased wealth by all the money pouring in.
Who is the biggest loser? The Game and Spirit of the Sports we love the most - Cricket.

Article is spot-on. Yet, the malady lies within each of us. Notice the disproportionate number of Indian staff and writers for Cricinfo. As an Indian myself, I find articles such as "India far ahead of the rest" more embarrassing than informative. How come there is no equivalent for teams like Australia, or now South Africa, who any cricket follower knows are truly 'far ahead of the rest.' Is there no fidgety, overanxious, keyboard-happy Australian in Cricinfo's staff? Or any other cricket-related website, news station, media network for that matter? The reality check begins with each of us. A genuine sports purist enjoys the game, irrespective of patriotic inclinations.

Well said Mr Bal. I believe that we Indians have done enough damage to the game. Most of it has do with the financial clout we have and business associated with cricket. Politics has entered the game because of money it attracts and it is not good for anything. If we see the better teams, their is more motivation than money and corruption. It is high time that we fans take a notice of it. If we want Indian team to win, we should not go into hype. Than only true talent will come out and we have a team of professionals.It is a pity that a country of 1 Billion cant produce 11 good players. And I do believe there is no dearth of talent in India, but there is total lack of motivation and honesty in system.

i cannot agree more on those very realistic views Sambit. just because our old parents cannot afford to bread-win for us at their old age do we throw them out? drag them to the streets ? NO.. we think of what they have done in their able-past and be grateful.Same goes for your national sports figures.I am a Sri Lankan.Even though i`m overjoyed at our super form , i wouldn`t stone them even if they slump from here on wards. THEY HAVE GIVEN US OUR MOMENTS WITH THEIR SWEAT AND TOIL PEOPLE !! and how cowardice are you if you burn their effigies or stone their possesions at the hands of a single unlucky moment??..Yeah If India gets out of the tournament you all must be wise enough to asses the scale of damage and control your remorse!i still remember how ugly the fans treated Indian cricketers in 1996 semi-final we won and i pray and hope if history repeats itself at the field tommorrow , whole of India will be in a advanced position to make sure that history at the stadium won`t repeat. GODSPEED MAHELA JAYAWARDHANE AND RAHUL DRAVID

Couldn't have agreed more, I'm a huge fan of cricket and by all means supporting India. But if they loose doesn't mean you go on a destructive spree. Personally I think more than anyone its the media that instigates such behaviour and historically Indians are the most vulnerable set of people who anyone can misdirect. But I sincerely hope that changes and cricket is enjoyed as a game rather than a war field

I think this was one of the best articles I have read in recent times especially since it looked at a point of view that lot of asians, Indians in particular tend to overlook. One thing though worthwhile mentioning is that Indian fans are more or less peaceful except for the stray incidences of bottle throwing and reasonably polite with the visiting teams unlike the aussie ones who regularly toment them with racial slurs especially if you believe Graeme Smith.

Excellent perspective. This is a must-read article for all those cricket-crazed fans out there in the subcontinent. The media in India has just been exploiting the game and cashing in - at the expense of the game and the players. Had the burden of expectation not been weighing this heavily on Indian players and the public and media reactions not so extreme, I suspect the Indian team would have been performing better over the years.

I totally agree with your comments. Cricket is just the sport and Indian and other countries fans should enjoy the game no matter who is winning on a particular day. To my opinion exit in first round for team India may be blessing in disguise for not only for Indian fans but also for media. We need to treat cricket just like any other sport in India and Pakistan.

A Combination of huge fan base and money is a lethal for any sport. For example take soccer, every one knows what happens to the matches in Europe, where people get killed.

The average Indian would not indulge in any kind of violence. It is only a few people who instigate this and trigger a violence. The fans are same all over the world. Visitors mock,make comments, throw cans in Australia, South Africa, England, Canada(A cricketer chased and hit a fan for instigating him)

And I don't think these problems would be resolved if India looses in the first round.

The main people that should be blamed for this is the media. Do they give the same kind of importance to other sports like Hockey, Kabbadi etc. The answer is 'NO'. This has to be corrected and Cricket needs to be treated like any other sport by the media. They have headlines about Cricketer's personal life. This should change.

Great article. Must be published in all the media for everyone to read.

I think it is highly hypocritical of cricinfo to publish this article when they are making a lot of money out of this frenzy. The cricinfo text commentary has succeeded in bringing cricket to the workplaces/desktops of the subcontinent fans. The volume of traffic that you receive must be staggering(how many servers do you have). And what about the revenue? Are you doing all this for free? You are cashing in big time on cricket mania. Lets face it - you wouldn't exist but for this mania. And like every business model that you criticize in your article, your business model depends on the subcontinent fans too. These are the your core customers. I think this article is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

I've no problems with the Indian team. I blame Indian media about this hype. They have gone over board on analysis. Its shame to see TV reporters who have no clue about cricket trying to create sensation. Eg Star News have hired Nikita Anand from Obscurity to present Cricket analysis. What for? This has gone completely wrong and should be stopped.

Sambit bal's views are very well presented, Icc or Bcci should control players endorsements and advertisement so their wealth and values doesn't go out of proportion and concentrate more on game itself.

Good article. Thank you Sambit Bal. I hope many Indians and Pakistanis read this. With 1 billion population how many individual Olympic gold medals have India won? one in what last 55 years? India is obsessed with cricket, I think its time Indians start looking at other sports so the cricket can be only a game.

Great Article. It was spot on. However, the problem of fanatical fans is not isolated to cricket and the sub-continent. Passions of soccer fans in UK, Mexico Brazil and Argentina seems to be just as bad. This seems to be the side effect of the sports being commercially exploited.

This article is a masterclass in cricket appreciation.Incidentally, ESPN-star which has come in for some stick in this article is the most moderate unpartisan voice in the indian media. You need to look no further than Harsha bhogle's articles in the ESPN-star site to realize this. Although most instances of fanaticsm in the subcontinent are real and ugly (eden gardens 96), I get the feeling that all of the recent events are fixed by the media. Lets go through a few : Kaif's house gets attacked after his performance in SA; a few weeks later demonstrations are held in the very same place for Kaif's ouster in the one day squad.
Do they need to report every i ncident of some idiot burning posters and effigies? cant they say this is beaneath us?

I think this was one of the best articles I have read in recent times especially since it looked at a point of view that lot of asians, Indians in particular tend to overlook. One thing though worthwhile mentioning is that Indian fans are more or less peaceful except for the stray incidences of bottle throwing and reasonably polite with the visiting teams unlike those from some nations who regularly toment them with racial slurs especially if you believe a certain G. Smith.

If India looses to Sri Lanka, most of the fans in India would not criticize the players or selectors. Nothing like the ones you said in your article will happen. It won’t be discussed in the parliament and newspapers won’t go harsh on players. However, when Indians could not go to second round just because of their reckless game against Bangladeshis, fans will get upset. Cricket is just a game. But, when players are getting lucrative monies they are also expected to play a responsible game every time. Millions of people are watching them. They should play to their full potential every time. That is what missed in the India’s and Pakistan’s lost games.

Great article as usual!An excellent analysis of today's system!Cricketers should be banned from endorsing sponsors,bookies...India will win tomorrow's match, we all know why...thanks once again for echoing the sentiments of passionate fans and showstealers in india who are very busy burning effigies and resorting to violence on the families of afterall a average cricketing side compared to the aussies... may your article motivate readers to take up other games and sports like swimming,hockey and may sponsors and bookies and the cricket fans move to these neglected fields...all the best for you and your website...btw dravid spoke about media in his last pressconference and wonder why it was not covered in this website...take gui

We should not forget that it is commercialization which drives cricket and cricket related events, and also a portal like cricinfo. If people just take it as just another game, then we I do not think cricket would have survived ( I mean in comparison to today as opposed to in early years) for such a long time coz there would be no financial input and would be like other sports as is the case in India. We can look at any sports, if its doing good then its because of the fans who live that sport. Why would we react if India were to win like 70% of the games, in fact since its a case where we lose most of the games and finally when people expect the team to win against a reasonably fresh team like Bangladesh again Indian cricketers fail and this triggers the emotion. I think if the Indian cricketer were a bit more consistent the crowd would also understand. If we look at India's record they win a few and lose a lot. In case of Australia, I am sure they are also die-hard fans but since their team performs very consistently they can understand when their team loses. It is a game yes, but its also a passion, we expect something good from our cricketers and they being professionals should at least deliver against teams like Bangladesh if not Australia, SouthAfrica.

Very well said boss. cant agree more.. i would like to see the situation if india goes out crashing in the first round... first time want india to loose to check the reality.

Touche. You know there is something rotten in the game when even the pitch curators in West Indies say that the pitches have been made to suit the Indians.

Its the most sensible article in recent times, and its never too late for this reality check. Only if the ICC and the boards were as concerned. I have been a cricket fan for over 30 years now. No one grudges players making money, but has it gone too far? I remember waiting for a test series to start, there would be only a couple in a year and full five test series. It was exciting and lasting. I still remember the Kapil-Vengasarkar magic that they delivered in the middle overs over and over again, but can faintly remember the Sachin onslaught against the Assuies in Sharjah. The volume is the key. The more volume is available, the more routine the game becomes. Only the last result is remembered, and two games on, everything is forgotten. Its the same that happened to music, its the same as with movies, you have to really search for performances that can capture the imagination and more importantly carry the longevity in fans minds. If only one could turn the clock back about 20 years

The article brings an interesting investigative thinking. At the same time to blame every fault on media or fans or organizers would not be appropriate. In some sense Indian players also cling to it. I don’t remember many cases when an Indian cricketer announced his retirement gracefully like McGrath and Shane Warne. It is just a game not life. We all need a reality check.

Why blame just India for Bob Woolmer's death or for commericalisation. It is not as if other countries and organisations are not profiting from it. Who created one-day cricket? What is the reason for creating 20/20? Which league attracts the most foreign players? Which country's players will not stop using any kind of language on the pitch to win ant any cost and then claim winning is more improtant than sportsmanship? Who were the players caught accepting money for pictch report and which late-captain took money from bookies.

It seems it is fashionable to blame the sub-continent for all malice in cricket. Ask ICC why it has moved it's headquarters? Why it introduced extensive ambush-marketing clauses? Why ICC championship was added to the international tournaments?

One of the sane articles i have read recently. I agree with you, India and Pakistan are the biggest markets of ICC. The media should become more responsible.

The Passion of fans cannot be called as weakness.
It is the passion of fans which make the game more popular and interesting. Sometimes they go overboard. But that happens in all the popular team sports like football.

When the game grows especially when you are talking about expanding the game globally, such things as capitalisation,commercialisation and every other thing happens.

Only that Cricket will not be gentleman's game anymore which is the price we pay for globalisation.

Wonderful article ... Applaud u Sambit Bal!!! U echo my thoughts exactly ... The Indian media have become like British tabloids ... the first time Dhoni scored a 100, he was called the sub-continental Gilchrist and when he fails, they villify him. This kinda frenzy doesnt at all guarantee an improvement in the quality of cricket because how bad our cricketers play, people will always come to watch as there is no other sport where we can call ourselves genuinely world class.

Cricket, more than any other sport, tends to reflect life. Sadly, the system of thinking which currently dominates the whole world, namely capitalism, is a peculiarly corrosive one, as one notes from the ferocity with which its advocates leap to its defence and the blindness of those same advocates to the fact that capitalism is eating them, too, alive. It may well be that the money motive will now rot the cricket "industry" from within. However, the game itself will survive, to take whatever form the world takes in the future. If there are any lessons from this, they are (1) that in spite of what the free marketeers say, capitalism is not the be-all and end-all, any more than any other system. And (2), the values for which Bob Woolmer stood, those of love for the game, its techniques and subtleties, and the process of drawing young players into full maturity as men, must be guarded and honoured. This is cricket's unique gift to the world, not the mere money that can be made from slashing and burning the very men who play it to the highest levels of grace and skill.

It is sad that cricket has degenerated into this mess. I just want to add my voice to this. As some one who grew up playing cricket it is sad to let a wonderful game being exploited. It is high time BCCI is nationalized and regulation brought in to limit sponsorships. Cricket has been and should be a laid back game enjoyed by one and all including the players. It is not enough for people like Sunil gavaskar to comment on Aussie behavior, if he has the spine and moral integrity he should stand up and lead a catharsis of cricket and corruption. I am sure the masses will support him.

I fully agree that cricket has lost it's soul long ago. the day it was exposed that matches are fixed and players are involved , that was the day Cricket lost it soul. Today every match is being viewed by spectators with suspicion . The matches lost by india and pakistan last saturday is also viewed with suspicion and there is every possiblity of some foul play there . Today cricket lovers from their heart are not at peace . Those involved in Match fixing should be ounished heavily . Instead , i was surprised to see Azharudin Indian Exed captain was invited to Hand over Filmfare award. Why such person should be given importance even though they are exposed in match fixing ? Lot needs to be done if Cricket has to get back it's past glory.

It is a real tragedy that Indian cricket fans are more Indian fans and less cricket fans - all the more since cricket is truly a fascinating and entertaining sport.

While being born in Latin America predisposes you to a soccer obsession, it does not mean Brazilians cant enjoy a good game of soccer for its pure value. Similarly, an Indian birth gets you started on cricket. But why do we colour our sports-watching glasses with feudal nationalism.

I cannot help but want the Indian cricket team to win in any game. But running the whole game in a manner that enables India to win, so that the Indian fans can be satiated and made to pay for it stinks!

I would gladly go to reality TV if my wanting it so badly can determine the result of the event thanks to a perverted commercial angle. All I need is to vote for the winner.

It is said that the 2003 WC pitches were tailor-made for Indian batsmen to thrive. I have a feeling that the West Indian organisers may have missed a couple of tricks when they made the pitches slow and low (to suit sub-continental teams) and that explains the Irish and Bangladeshi successes.

If cricket solely thrives because of sub-continental interest, we must just follow the American football or English soccer model for the sport. Have the entire game played in the sub-continent with regional or club teams facing off each other. Get the Aussie and S African superstarts to sign-up for these teams if the indigenous talent is unimpressive.