IPL 2011: Law of diminishing returns?

The Indian Premier League is the new fashion statement in the game of cricket. Not only has it commercialized the sport, the IPL, has redefined businesses altogether. Since 2008, its impact on the Indian market has been colossal. Money flowing into the hands of BCCI and the B industry surviving the drought, opportunities increasing by leaps and bounds for the local companies, beating the MNCs in the run, and the TRP's snatched away from the burdened family dramas-the facts say it all. With its fourth season in progress, and an outstanding $4 billion at stake, who would have imagined that this new generation fast-track game will lose its ground to a single ODI match that created history.

India crowned as the world champions was a sempiternal moment for every Indian. I felt happy, and more than that, content. Finally, we had the trophy. It was the satisfaction of a hungry stomach fed with the most delicious food. A funny comparison though, but was justified when the full stomach was served with more food. I felt the same when the IPL started. It was difficult to take in more.

Since the first day of this year's IPL, I have not been very enthusiastic about it. My attitude towards it won't harm the game in any way, but as a cricket fan, it is disastrous. The most I know about this year's IPL is that there are 10 teams, and I support Chennai Super Kings. I never bothered to know the players playing in each team, or the schedule of the tournament (though I managed to keep a track of my team's performance). I was disappointed with myself, on being so unjust towards the one thing I am passionate about, and then I realized that it was not me but the economics that was responsible. 

IPL though has proven to be a profitable venture, has failed to hold its stand in the heart of Indian public this year. Its not the love for the game that has been lost somewhere, its just too much cricket out there. It looks like IPL has become that factor of the cricket business which might tend to reduce the profits for the owners, as well as the sponsors. An article in Cricinfo states that IPL 2011 has not been able to capture enough attention as before, and its viewer ratings are going down the slope. I have noticed people tweeting and commenting on facebook about their lack of interest in IPL. The main culprit certainly is the cricket overflow, but that is not all. There are few other reasons which I think are also responsible for the downplay of the IPL.

The New face: The reshuffling, overturning, and trading of new players in the teams has left the audience in confusion. Yuvraj, the hearthrob and the apple of the Punjab Kings XI is now the Captain of Pune Warriors. The silent storm Gambhir of Delhi is now leading Kolkata. The single personality to stir the whole of Bengal, Ganguly, is kicked out of his home team. These are just a couple to mention. The introduction of several local players, and calling in new international players have made the teams less familiar to the people. It is a good thing to try out, for the benefit of all teams perhaps, but for this season's business, might not help.

The Complex fixtures: The format of this year's IPL will kill your nerves. I read about it several times and still feel perplexed. Too many games, teams divided into two groups, groups invisible as such on the chart, and the pattern of home and away games, it has just spilled over the mess already there. 

Though the IPL has managed to prevent multiplexes from gathering audience, but it has failed to tempt either. The cricket fans have got what they wanted, and are pleased about it. But the stifling atmosphere caused by too many games stacked together is making it lose all the charm. After the World cup victory, MS Dhoni said in his interview, that it all began with the 1983 World Cup which instilled the passion for this game among people and strive so hard for winning it. Now that the Cup is ours, people would look forward to different things and other sports would probably gain attention. That day I thought, what crap. Today I think, he was right.

World Cup 2011: A moment to remember

When eleven talented, dedicated, emotional, motivated and determined people, with an opportunity at hand, decide to prove themselves, there probably could be no force powerful enough to stop them. And the outcome of this passionate effort is before us- the Cricket World Cup of 2011.

Just two days ago, the world witnessed a dream coming to life, that ended in a joyful truth. And what a dream it had been. Shared by millions, over the generations, by the most experienced to most naive, by the cream and the milk. This was the one dream that made people think about India as a nation and not as an aggregation of states. And when the dream turned into reality, it seemed that the diversity had molded into unity, all the different religions had merged into one, all the languages expressed just one emotion, and the land of a billion people had formed a country.What more could have been asked for? 

I am one of the unknowns from the crowd who were glued to their TV screens trying to capture each and every moment of the dream-come-true journey. For the first time since I left India 3 years ago, I felt so miserable not to be a part of that crowd who could cheer every ball and every run of the match.  It is then when I realized what it meant to be on the Indian soil.

My time started here at 3.00 a.m. when the pre-match presentations began. There was not a second of the glamor I wanted to miss, and I woke up after a 2 hour sleep, fresh and full of vigor. The National Anthem was overwhelming as ever, and instilled the sense of pride to an even greater extent. I was happy, proud, and confident, just by the thought that I had believed in my team throughout the tournament, and today I was watching them play the finals. Yes, it was my team. It was every Indian's team.

The uproar in the stadium was stupendous, as expected. I, as all other people not on-site, perhaps can never feel the same energy as they do in the stadium. But today was a different day. Thrill, anxiety, and aggression was flowing through our nerves. The way Zaheer kept the Sri-Lankan batsmen inside the trap was pumping up our blood even more. Sreesanth selection was always dubious, and he did disappoint, but then, the team spirit had also turned me into a positive thinker. And I believed in my team.

The Indian batting started with a blow. But as long as Sachin is out there, the entire cricket watching nation feels safe. This was the big match for him, and everyone believed that he would be giving his best performance. And then there was the scene most uncalled for. Sachin was declared out at 18. As if a wave of shock had blown away the cheers. Not only the screen was silent, the people watching the screen would have their hands on their faces. I had them on my head. The score was 32/2 India.

The Indian team with its performance had earned the reputation of the best batting side, and I believed that. But the score on board, the target to achieve, and the pressure of the final, can have ruinous impacts. The middle and lower order batsmen had often fallen like a pack of cards, and with the situation upfront, the heart would have skipped a beat. 

Then the way the match took form was a spectacular to watch. The composure of Gambhir, the support of Kohli, and then the quiet aggression of MS and Yuvi, made it look like a cake walk. They looked like the most patient and richly experienced batsmen the cricket arena has ever seen. With every run they took, the target became more and more achievable. And the end was a classic. The six hit by Dhoni and his swinging the bat in a gladiator style, had marked not the end of a match, but the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Indian cricket. India had emerged as the World Champions the second time after 28 years.

From this stage, it is hard to express the emotions that overflowed from my heart. It was nothing different from what rest of the Indians would be feeling, but I am sure the experience is unique to its own. In the excitement and jumping and dancing on the victory, I missed seeing the ecstatic moment on the field, but I managed to see it in the replay. Dhoni had a confused expression, and I somehow understood it. Yuvi was shedding his tears of joy, and all of us could feel his heart. All eyes were looking for Sachin, to get a glimpse of happiness on his face on this long waited achievement. Expressions of joy, somewhere in the form of dancing, and somewhere in the form of tears were spread all across the stadium. The team was seen to lift Sachin and carry all around the stadium with the Indian flag waved everywhere. Sachin was rapt amidst this honor and satisfaction all coming together. He had his share of joy with his kids coming down and walking with him on the ground.

All of us knew, it was 'THE' match for Sachin and team, and all of them had fought very hard to get it. But then, Kohli made the statement of the day, which, inspite of several articles mentioning it, I can't help writing down:

"We did this for Sachin. He has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It was time that we carried him on our shoulders". 

I always had it in mind, that Sachin would give in everything this time to get the title, and the team would do their best to be with him, but put that into words, it was an amazing feeling. The entire team had played for Sachin, to make his dream come true. They had shared his dream. 

I celebrated and celebrated. I wanted to be with Indians, to share that joy. I drove with my friends in the car, with the theme song playing in full volume and waving the Indian flag. I felt so proud. I felt satisfied.

Its been several hours since that moment, but it is still so much alive. And it will always be. I feel lucky enough to have witnessed this moment in my lifetime. I miss the Indian news channels and the newspapers that keep the moment vivid. But every time I open my laptop, the first thing I want to see is a picture of the jubilant moment, a statement made by a team member on the victory, an article written on this achievement. My team has done their job, they have excelled in their play and have made their country proud. And I have learned the lesson of my life: Patriotism is all about quietly doing your work and excelling in it. If it makes you proud, your country will be proud of you.