Cricket is considered the game of gentlemen and has ruled the hearts of fans all over the world. Since the appearance of this popular sport, it has been an exceptional source of income. In the bygone era, when cricket was confined to only Western countries or the royal families of India, it involved huge amounts of money. The sport was played with passion, splendor and as a symbol to define one’s status. The emphasis was on the glory and pride of the nation rather than the rewards. Such was the glory of this game that it thrilled players and spectators alike.
But today, values and priorities have changed. Cricket is profiting a lot from the money and the new age cricketers are more interested in the Cricket league than playing for their country. Leagues like the IPL or the upcoming EPL are a storehouse of huge numbers and this simply means the divergence of raw talent from the real track. From organizing a cricket match to distributing prizes, the flow of money is seamless and second to none. The cricket business is so prosperous that while the money keeps coming in, the disasters keep happening. India’s early exit from the world cup is a mere glimpse of this epidemic and no doubt this chaos has a lot to offer in the near future.
The real problem lies in the structural governance of sport. At both the national and state levels, politicians and businessmen dominate BCCI’s administration. How can you digest the fact that the president of India’s most exciting game is the minister of agriculture? Are we short of cricketing geniuses or efficient captains? What is the point of believing that a person who absorbs the tremendous pressure of the fans on the field and still comes out on par with them, is unfit to rule the cricketing body? Above all, a basic fact prevails that how can a businessman or a politician select the players to represent the country?
The rush of celebrities and business professionals in the world of cricket has brought with it many plagues. Advertisers are hastily reworking expensive campaigns that were previously based around cricket. TV channels that paid big bucks for broadcast rights are having trouble unloading their inventory of ad slots. Officials sometimes make more news than cricketers as it is run by industrialists and politicians. Official money in cricket is big. The recent controversy involving the Income Tax in IPL is a clear example of this fact. The effect of glamor is not far behind. Prolonged IPL parties late at night took a toll on cricketers and they began to catch air on the pitch instead of crucial catches. Batsmen were caught napping in their crease and bowlers seemed to be engaging in salsa dancing. Such is the devastating result of the rise in interference in cricket.
The time has come to set aside the interests of media rights and sponsorships. Stupid topics like the presidency and website owners should be ignored. You need to spend money to nurture new talent the right way. It is high time vested interests were kept away from the cricket fraternity, otherwise money will rule the game.
