Too much of cricket between the two nations, absence of star players irritate devotees
Enthusiasts in India believe the current Sri Lankan team is boring. The murmurs in the island regarding the men in blue is not different either. Photo: PTI/ File
Mumbai: Even if it is doomsday, there are many in India who would not budge from their television set broadcasting a cricket match. But not every game can stick a fanatic to his chair. Much depends on the opponent and the current mood spoiler is the India-Sri Lanka ODI series starting November 2. Fans in both countries have been complaining of saturation.
Enthusiasts in India believe the current Sri Lankan team is boring. The murmurs in the island regarding the men in blue is not different either. While some blamed new age cricket – switch shots, referrals and Dilscoop – and batting-friendly pitches, others criticised current players not being as good as their seniors.
“I would rather watch Sri Lanka play China,” said Nazly Ahmed, a web developer and cricket devotee based in Colombo.
“When the tour was announced, many tweeted ‘No, not again’ and I feel the same. Only if it is a T20 match, it is not that boring. No more ODIs please,” he added.
Between February 8, 2012 – February 28, 2014, there have been 15 ODI matches between the nations. Overall, they have played 144 matches against each other in the 50-over format.
Even against West Indies – another Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) favourite when a cricket series is needed – India played lesser matches (115).
Nonetheless, the islanders feel the present day cricketers are not upto the mark which adds to the monotony.
“The contest used to be better when Sanath Jayasuriya and Aravinda De Silva played. I still prefer watching a Rahul Dravid-Muttiah Muralitharan battle. The sport is a new ball game now. Youngsters try to master a Dilscoop before learning cover drive,” added Nazly.
Ramakrishnan M, another cricket lover, brought up in Chennai said: “Sri Lanka have become whipping boys when we are bored. Even the wickets where we play, be it here or in Sri Lanka, are dead. There is nothing for the bowlers, it is tiring to watch 300 plus chases on a concrete pitch.”
“I’d probably be more enthusiastic if we played on neutral pitches like South Africa and Australia. It is a running joke that whenever India is in danger of sliding down rankings, they call for a match against Sri Lanka,” he added.
Even senior cricketer Kumar Sangakkara tweeted about his discomfort regarding the sudden tour. “Our 6 weeks of pure fitness work ends abruptly. Have a week to do a months requirement of skill work before India. Planning ahead anyone?” it said.
The Sri Lankan cricketers were under a fitness programme, part of World Cup 2015 preparation.
Theena Kumaragurunathan, an advertising expert based in Colombo, also echoed his compatriot Nazly’s statements. “I’m not a fan of bilateral ODIs, there should be a full stop. It is a symptom of a larger malaise.”
“Each India- Sri Lanka match looks like an action replay of the previous. One is bound to get bored if made to watch brilliant matches like the Natwest final (2002) over and over again,” said Aniket Mitra, a quizzer based in Mumbai.
“But a match played outside the subcontinent will be better. The ambience matters a lot. Here, it is dull,” he added.
With so much of tirade against the series, will the BCCI reconsider? They can take out a pen and paper and jot down options for future. Afghanistan and Ireland aren’t bad choices, what do you think?
( Source : dc )
Next Story
