I'm surprised that with the series only a fortnight away now, there is still no sense of excitement or anticipation anywhere. If India vs Pakistan does not spring people to life, it is really a very sorry state of affairs. The BBC has already started a countdown to the Ashes which is like 5 months away. Come On India - get cracking. We are the most cricket-crazy nation in the World and we need to demonstrate it - not only by top-class performances on the field but intense passion off it. I would like to ask my friends in India have the Harshas and Shastris got going with their specials on ESPN yet ?? Yeah, I know the television rights dispute is still to be sorted out but they should get going with their previews nevetherless. Have the new ads made by LG and others specifically for this series begun hammering themselves upon you ?? Has every other person you meet in office, in school, in college, in the park, at the gym been bitten by the bug and talking about what would be India's best new ball pair and who would be the danger man from Pakistan ?? Or are they still revelling in the grand successes of Sania and Narain to give a thought to this series ??
Well, the BCCI (often lambasted unfairly) has really done a pathetic job this time. I wonder why this new trend of delaying all matters to the eleventh hour has started - not only have the venues not been finalised; they haven't announced the date for the team declaration, they haven't even announced the team for the side game. Of course, the whole mess about the TV rights continues - but one would have thought at least they would get these other issues in order. The players are also surprisingly restrained about the whole thing on either side - no grand proclamations from Ganguly - or no hollow threats from Shaoib Akhtar - no everyday update and gossip about Sachin's fitness ... COME ON ... HAS EVERYONE FALLEN ASLEEP ??
Finally I hope that India will be just as gracious and hospitable to Pakistan off the field as they were last year though very different on it. Here is an article on Cricinfo on this issue. I find it pretty interesting - particularly the part where he explains how the grand welcome the Indians received from the common Pakistani was a sudden unexpected and unplanned outpour of emotion. He goes on to say that this phenomenon can be explained scientifically - in fact it has been in the book The Tipping Point where a series of small uncoordinated events culminates in a widespread outpouring - very interesting I must read this once !!! What we would like is a repeat of Delhi 1999 or even Chennai 1999 but certainly not Kolkata 1999.
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No, there is hardly any build up here in any media. Sadly, most of the fourth estate is occupied by happenings off the field... Shoaib Akhtar's antics, BCCI's self-dug hole, the TV rights issue, pitch digging effort and what not. And as usual, the media is harping upon the return of a certain S.R.Tendulkar. I wonder what difference that is gonna make.
Contradictions. You say BCCI is often lambasted unfairly and in the same sentence you go on to say BCCI have done a pathetic job.! When was the last time they did anything particularly well. ?
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Rather than a contradiction Im trying to bring out a contrast. I mean to say that routinely they are lambasted unfairly but on this particular occasion they have really done a poor job.
Well, if we look at the BCCI against almost any other institutions in India particulary sport bodies, they have done fairly well. With respect to most international cricket boards too, they are not too bad - the ECB, PCB, WICB, UCBSA - none of them are really good.
Some of the good things that the BCCI have accomplished in recent times the NCA first and foremost, restructuring of the domestic championships to raise the level of the game and the continuity shown over 5 years in the captain and coach - just to name a few
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