Question of the week: What does the term BCCI mean?
a) Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry?
b) Botswana Cement & Clinkers Industry?
c) Board of Control for Cricket in India? or
d) Bored of Cricket Control in India?
Another clue: It is the same body which does not know itself why actually it is opposed to DRS (Decision Review System) !
Well, the answer can be found at the bottom of the post, but let's start with what one Mr N Srinivasan had to say.
Question to Mr. N Srinivasan: What is your reaction after Indian cricket team's defeat in Australia?
Mr N Srinivasan: Nothing unusual. Nothing to worry about. They were playing in home condition, so they were expected to win. When they come to India, we will beat them and then we will be happy. IPL will start in April and then we will forget it.
Well, if Mr N Srinivasan had been an ordinary Indian expressing his opinion, no one would have cared to notice it.
But, because he heads the cricket body in India (without ever actually playing a cricket match of any value), his comments are worth pondering.
Some points to consider:
1) Indian cricket team was whitewashed in England, and no one from the BCCI considered it to be alarming. They counted on everyone to shut up eventually and forget.
2) Indian cricket team is being whitewashed in Australia, and again no one from the BCCI considers it to be alarming. They still count on everyone to shut up and forget.
3) The three senior most players in the team are to retire in the next 1-2 years, but there does not appear to be any available plan for their replacement.
4) Obsession with money (read IPL) continues to ail BCCI. BCCI's objective does not seem to make the team the best in the world, but rather to make itself the richest and most powerful sporting organization in the world.
5) The World Cup ended in April, and within a week we had IPL. IPL got over, and then the team departed for West Indies. It is important to consider that some players gave priority to participating in IPL than representing the national cricket team. Once the team lost in England, the Champions Trophy started in India, followed by England team's tour. This was again followed by West Indies tour, and immediately after that the team flew to Australia. Where is the time to rest for players? for fans? Anyone complaining of too much cricket?
6) Mr N Srinivasan is also the owner of Chennai Super Kings, the IPL team. So one can 'understand' that he will give priority to his team/IPL and ensure in his capacity as BCCI chief that IPL continues to 'flourish'.
7) When the IPL started in 2008, BCCI tried to compare and model it along the lines of English Premier League (EPL). But, they overlooked the differences in the manner in which cricket and football are played.
Football is a 90 minutes game; one format game, and is primarily played among clubs. Events like World Cup, Euro Cup, & Olympics are held every 4 years. In football, one also does not have a country visiting other country to play in a 2 or 3 team event (it happens some time though, but those are exceptions rather than a matter of norm).
Cricket is a 3 format game, ranging from 4 hours to 5 days. International cricket is primarily played among national cricket teams. Different countries have different domestic set ups which involves domestic state teams competing against each other. Events like World Cup, World Cup T20, Champions trophy are held every 2/4 years. But, unlike football, national cricket teams keep visiting other countries to play in a 2/3 team events.
Amidst this backdrop, if one tries to import EPL culture in cricket without remodeling it, the expected results are easy to forecast. Cases of cricketers' burnouts/injury will start becoming more common (numerous examples to consider). Even cases of a cricketer giving or being asked to give priority to private clubs (IPL teams) over national teams will start becoming a regular event (case in point: Chris Gayle). Cricketers will also start giving up international cricketing careers for the lure of money offered by private clubs (e.g. Lasith Malinga).
One wonders how would BCCI react if Virat Kohli decides to play in Australia'n club cricket instead of representing national teams? Or if Umesh Yadav gives up international career to 'prolong' his T20 career?
8) The sheer lust of money, the complete anarchy in the functioning of the board, the utter lack of professionalism in the set up, and the contradicting objectives of BCCI will ensure that cricket in India continues to be run like a rudder-less ship.
No one has ever accused BCCI of being a 'professional' body, or a body which works according to some sort of 'plan'.
But, it pains those who follow Indian cricket team, and amuses those who observe BCCI & Indian cricket.
PS: The answer to the question: Officially it is (c), but even if you had answered (d), you would not have been off-target. (a) is a real body, while (b) is a figment of my idiotic imagination !
No comments:
Post a Comment