Wicked Cricket

With the recent victory of the Indian team , everyone is jumping ,dancing in their bedrooms, verandahs ,bathrooms and where not I some how had this selfish thought, what I have I gained as a matter of fact from worshipping these apotheosized demi-gods, what reward have I received, or what accolade has BCCI bestowed on me, and all of us billions and zillions of Indians who have cricket transfused in their veins….the answer is nothing. zilch ....aanda. Yet somehow every time this team comes on the field with their stylish azure attires , we feel a sense of belonging, that sense is a bit dumbfounded.

What is the connection between the performance of those eleven players and us, what (good or bad ) effects does it have on us, our economy, our society, does their win reduces our poverty, inflation ,lack of infrastructure, that constant struggle with red tape which has almost become second nature to all of us, does it increase education in the country, reduce farmer suicides, increase our monthly denouement, NO, then why, do we guys get transported in an Elysium , where we forget all these problems which at the next instant come back to haunt us. Do we watch cricket, pray day and night for that elusive win just to have that temporal pleasure of distancing ourselves from the real bad world, assure ourselves yes we are winning, we are living in that utopian universe , which we envisaged ? Well, the answer to this is yes!!!!!

Cricket then is nothing more than a shot of cocaine, speed (whatever you may call it) as it has the effects as well as side-effects, of a drug overdose,we feel a bit dejected, a bit sad, that the whole euphoria, the joy of win has vanished, and so we eagerly for that next shot(next match) where we could get intoxicated!

As a matter of fact, if we if analyze, cricket has been to our society more of a nemesis, than a blessing, children right from class 7th ,8th are hooked onto those live telecast neglecting their school home work, exams(I am talking for myself!!!), they become more lethargic watching those highlights, hearing sherry and party articulate each and every split second reaction of the players, people close their shops, take leave from office if they don’t get it, fake one medical , distant relative died ,marriage of nth cousin etc. The most deleterious is the enticing dream , they present to every Indian, of becoming a cricketer, having name, fame , money(and actresses ) in abundance, and then shattering it with the reality that it doesn’t matter if one or two Irfan Pathans ,Dhonis, Parveen Kumars can make a mark from small cities, with meager infrastructure that it is still a game where politics rules, people like Sharad Pawar are first to hog limelight whenever the team does well, and one has to keep at stake everything, career, financial security, relationships ,parents aspirations, to get to some respectable standing in the Byzantine world of cricket, it is very easy to say now that everything is hunky-dory, but sadly it isn’t, although it’s starting to change.

(With the entry of IPL and ICL)So many youngsters, will once again revive their dream(of being a cricket super star) strangulated under the debris of societal pressure. New kits will be purchased, clubs will be joined , practice sessions will stretch from dawn to dusk. Yes, yes, I know it’s great, great for the country’s infrastructure, revival(or rather arrival) of sporting spirit. But what will happen to those millions of youngsters who will feel dejected, frustrated at not making to their Ranji, u-19,u-12, IPL,ICL teams.

Now, for the average spectator who is only interested in watching , The Indian team has soared the hopes of so many innocent( foolish) Indians(like me) who will watch each and every match , every ball , hoping them to repeat the performance , if they do this will become a vicious circle which will engulf the productivity of the entire nation, make us , fat, chai slurping, parantha ,udupi, dhokla(whatever is your fav.) gorging couch potatoes, who won’t be able to walk a few meters, let alone take a quick single :p.

And if they don’t , we will snatch the money ,accolades we have given them, stone their houses, burn effigies, in that case too, there will be dharnas, protests ,traffic jams. So, guys, always keep in mind whenever you watch cricket match, keeping your commitments at bay, you are costing the country 0.0000000000000000000000001 % of the GDP, which would have helped in reducing the fiscal deficit, and be given to farmers, who are in dire needs. For them wickets are their lives and the opposition is the usurious money-lender.