Two sports pages for cricket, one page for UK football and for The Indian Express no other sports exists even if Rio Olympics is only 5 months away. No problem, cricket to an Indian is the Eleventh Avatar of Vishnu; the God comes with bat, ball, stumps, pads, gloves, helmets with Tricolour embossed and slangs. The Indian Express has to sell, to get ads and readers; also exist; journalists need to be paid, even if underpaid. Cricket is critical to the balance sheet of The Indian Express. So, the sports editor leads today with a T20 Asia Cup opener: India versus Sri Lanka. Me may see it. Cricket writers, commentators and players will turn patriotic bullfrogs; sports is all about patriotism, pet hates, pet loves; for an Indian, Sachin is always better than Lara. In these times of 2016, every Indian will be measured by his oomph for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, more a businessman, less a cricketer and captain. But India you better cheer; when India plays Pakistan, India has to applaud India and Pakistan, Pakistan; there cannot be any cross connections. In Meerut long ago, a few students backed Pakistan to lose their scholarships, reports The Indian Express in its Anchor story. Admit to being scared; never a comfortable feeling. Me has always backed West Indies in cricket, Brasil in football; in 1983, World Cup, me bet on West Indies and lost with Kapil Dev touching the World Cup; hockey and athletics, India, though not being the best. None bothered me, 20 years ago; none bothered any 20 years ago; Imran Khan is the best, said many and lived free. When Laxman and Dravid knocked out Steve Waugh in Calcutta, me cheered for Laxman and Dravid. When Ricky Ponting cheated and abused Anil Kumble in Australia, me was for Kumble. Me can be an inconsistent Indian; not a Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar (there were hours when me walked away when Sachin Tendulkar lost his wicket) with national flags on their mast heads. One thing, readers (if any), may watch Asia Cup and World Cup, alone in me room; sure to be beaten up if accidentally appreciates a Pakistani cover drive against Ravichandran Ashwin. Till perhaps March-end cricket writers and cricket commentators will start the day: Good morning, India waving the Tricolour. To avoid unpleasantness, BCCI may ban the flags of other nations when the World Cup starts. Can India play Pakistan in Wankhede? Will there be Pakistani umpires? What happens if India loses Asia Cup and World Cup? Will Mahendra Singh Dhoni be dubbed unpatriotic, Kohli and Ashwin, seditionists? Sad for the poor fellows. Or, it could be best, switch off sports and watch Room. Perhaps, there is one sport with minimum of thumping and that could be tennis. Roger Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, .... they play under no flags, play for cash, play for wins. Ramanathan Krishnan and Vijay Amritraj were gentlemen playing for themselves and they continue to be so. Hope am not charged with sedition and put behind bars; have no cash to fund lawyers. In the family, Rama, Ganesh, Shreya are patriotic, Maybe, will not watch T20. Delight in Atul Gawande's book, Better.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
T20s and 420s
Two sports pages for cricket, one page for UK football and for The Indian Express no other sports exists even if Rio Olympics is only 5 months away. No problem, cricket to an Indian is the Eleventh Avatar of Vishnu; the God comes with bat, ball, stumps, pads, gloves, helmets with Tricolour embossed and slangs. The Indian Express has to sell, to get ads and readers; also exist; journalists need to be paid, even if underpaid. Cricket is critical to the balance sheet of The Indian Express. So, the sports editor leads today with a T20 Asia Cup opener: India versus Sri Lanka. Me may see it. Cricket writers, commentators and players will turn patriotic bullfrogs; sports is all about patriotism, pet hates, pet loves; for an Indian, Sachin is always better than Lara. In these times of 2016, every Indian will be measured by his oomph for Mahendra Singh Dhoni, more a businessman, less a cricketer and captain. But India you better cheer; when India plays Pakistan, India has to applaud India and Pakistan, Pakistan; there cannot be any cross connections. In Meerut long ago, a few students backed Pakistan to lose their scholarships, reports The Indian Express in its Anchor story. Admit to being scared; never a comfortable feeling. Me has always backed West Indies in cricket, Brasil in football; in 1983, World Cup, me bet on West Indies and lost with Kapil Dev touching the World Cup; hockey and athletics, India, though not being the best. None bothered me, 20 years ago; none bothered any 20 years ago; Imran Khan is the best, said many and lived free. When Laxman and Dravid knocked out Steve Waugh in Calcutta, me cheered for Laxman and Dravid. When Ricky Ponting cheated and abused Anil Kumble in Australia, me was for Kumble. Me can be an inconsistent Indian; not a Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar (there were hours when me walked away when Sachin Tendulkar lost his wicket) with national flags on their mast heads. One thing, readers (if any), may watch Asia Cup and World Cup, alone in me room; sure to be beaten up if accidentally appreciates a Pakistani cover drive against Ravichandran Ashwin. Till perhaps March-end cricket writers and cricket commentators will start the day: Good morning, India waving the Tricolour. To avoid unpleasantness, BCCI may ban the flags of other nations when the World Cup starts. Can India play Pakistan in Wankhede? Will there be Pakistani umpires? What happens if India loses Asia Cup and World Cup? Will Mahendra Singh Dhoni be dubbed unpatriotic, Kohli and Ashwin, seditionists? Sad for the poor fellows. Or, it could be best, switch off sports and watch Room. Perhaps, there is one sport with minimum of thumping and that could be tennis. Roger Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, .... they play under no flags, play for cash, play for wins. Ramanathan Krishnan and Vijay Amritraj were gentlemen playing for themselves and they continue to be so. Hope am not charged with sedition and put behind bars; have no cash to fund lawyers. In the family, Rama, Ganesh, Shreya are patriotic, Maybe, will not watch T20. Delight in Atul Gawande's book, Better.
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