It was 7 in the morning on October 25 and I was merrily biding my time at the hotel in Vadodara waiting for the clock to strike 8 am before leaving for the ground. Just then a colleague called to say the car was waiting for me and I needed to get out a little early to avoid the rush. It was a pleasant trudge back to reality. Finally, it was time for serious cricket, a contest that still draws packed crowds across the country and creates settings that has catapulted India to the pole position in world cricket. It is this fan frenzy that has made the BCCI the financial powerhouse it is. India versus Australia or India versus Pakistan still draws in the thousands, still creates the clamour for that elusive one pass to see 22 gladiators come at each other?s throat from ball one, throwing a strong challenge to the contention that the future of the one day game is in peril.
It is time to talk straight. Pedigreed cricket contests, it is time to accept, faces no threat whatsoever. The TRP of the India-Pakistan match at the Champions Trophy, a fantastic 6.2, or the packed houses at Vadodara, Nagpur and Delhi has put this debate to rest once and for all. Insignificant tournaments, thrown in to make fast money, are the ones that are killing the proverbial golden goose, even taking the shine of pedigreed contests with stress related injuries.
The quality of cricket already on view in the ongoing series has been of the highest standard, helping me back my claim. A near miracle run chase, innovative captaincy, spirited banter, quality batting and bowling on show, refreshing change from the growing monotony of T-20 hitting, cricket played by both India and Australia has been a fantastic advert for 50 over cricket. Consider the first game of the series. Despite an Indian loss by a meagre 4 runs, not one of the 30,000 strong crowd at the Reliance stadium in Vadodara went home dissatisfied. Cricket, for once, had been the winner and India, despite losing, had won hearts. The team played for pride and honour and played hard till the very last ball. That?s exactly what the ardent cricket fan wants to see. Not without reason has it been said that nationalist sport is nothing but war minus the shooting.
I write this on the eve of the third game in this bilateral series, a game that has already been hyped in the Indian news media as a do or die battle. Excesses apart, for once the media is right. The interest on view is refreshing and this series, it is important to note, is helping to set the stage for the 2011 World Cup in February-March 2011. For the health of the one day game, you can ask for no more. Three of the long seven one day internationals have been played, yet the interest is only just peaking. It is the ruthless competitive spirit, on view from both teams from ball one of each game, that made the 50 over game what it is during the 1980s and 90s, the lifeline that helped Test cricket retain its old school charm.
A final caveat is needed here. While we are celebrating packed houses, India?s performance, it is time to accept, holds the key to sustaining the revived interest. If India wins the series, the debate over the health of the one day 50 over game will surely be put to rest, at least for the time being. If not, the forthcoming series against Sri Lanka, already too long for my liking with three tests and five one dayers spread over 51 days, will be a damp squib. The equation is simple-a win equals nationalist frenzy, which in turn equals popularity, TRP?s and media hype. And a win in a pedigreed contest such as this will surely whip up the cricket fever once again, raking in the much wanted money for all those waiting to milk our favourite game.
The writer is a cricket historian