Talking Cricket
06-09-2007

Cricket and politics, are like heads and tails in India. Some times politics wins, some times cricket wins. Though politics wants desperately to be the same two sides of the coin, it goes to the credit of the non- playing politicos, controlling the Board of Cricket Control India, that they have been able to maintain their side of the toss up. So on any given Sunday, it's either talking cricket or playing politics.

Indians are sensitive to both. Unlike the English, from whom we inherited, these subtle sensibilities, of playing the gentle in-cutter with a straight bat and understanding the middle ground between the left of center, right of center political approach. The English in the penultimate years before the Olympics are sensitive to London becoming a terror center. Given London's multi cultural, multi racial population, the authorities must be going nuts, in covering all possible loopholes that the exporters of terror could exploit in spreading fear and mayhem.

Londoners on the other hand, I am sure would be moving about, going about their daily chores, without caring two hoots, upholding the indomitable London spirit. There is a gap between the talking cricket and playing cricket population of India, filled in by Indians talking politics and playing politics in our cities, towns, and villages. We love to choose cricketing sides, and debate, then argue, then argue with the use of expletives, that? It comes to pulling punches, which triggers a riot, that? The police has to intervene, curfew has to be imposed, to restore order. Some times it is only over the five and a half ounce leather ball.

That's the Indian spirit. To live, laugh, play, fight, and then forget. Politics for votes, in a multi ethnic, multi lingual country does corrupt sometimes that?? the living, laughing, playing, fighting, people start burning and killing, and families start moving to safer neighborhoods, but our never forgetting to forget habit, always helps in defusing politically caused social tensions. Still not a Sunday passes when Indians, can't be seen playing the game across the length and breadth of the country.

Leather and willow fighting for supremacy, as eleven, 22 hands go up together shouting howzzat! To become an international cricketer is a dream that all young Indian men nurture at some point in their life. Some ape Kapil's bowling, some perfect Sachin's front-foot drive, still others dive like Rhodes on rock hard surfaces -- bruising elbows and knees to the cheer of team mates. Cricket matches be it between city clubs, or two cricket playing nations, are keenly discussed, final word always reserved for the expert, who most of the times is a veteran of the game, much experienced, in his understanding and choice of words.

Indian politics is full of veterans -- past masters at playing one against the other, disrupting the middle order, sledging with impunity, tampering the seam, bribing the third umpire, and always aiming at the opponent's balls instead of the bails. Politics is a serious cup of tea here, caste and religion, add sugar and spice to the ever brewing cauldron. Politicians are always dressed in white. Politics is played day and night. Eyes focused as if facing an Andy Roberts in-swinger, politicians can be seen swaggering between aisles of parliament, shouting, demanding, questioning the basic amenities which are always lacking.

Every session of parliament throws in a new player, who bats, bowls and fields for the treasury benches, forward defense of the finance bill or back foot late cut of the amendment, has nothing to do with the real numbers game being played on the floor of the house. Politicians by virtue of their stamina to play politics have steam-rolled into cricketing boards. These boards have become grooming grounds for budding politicians; their knowledge of the game is limited to endorsement cuts, and cable television rights. Players become nine pins, favorites rule the roost. Talking cricket and playing politics pays. Wish it was the other way round. Who cares? It's just another manic Monday. Wish it was Sunday. Playing cricket and having a fun day.

The views expressed here are those of the writer and not necessarily of expressindia.com
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