Jhakas | Sanjay Jha
Nothing typified the reality show character of juvenile excess of the IPL T20 marketing machine better than Yusuf Pathan's cave-man gesture after he thumped the winning runs against the Kolkota Knight Riders at Eden Gardens this week. He jumped up like a WWF wrestler, a big burly muscle man, holding his bat aloft ( which resembled a hammered victim lying limp after relentless chess pounding) between his arms, awaiting a royal crowning, like a jubilant gladiator amidst blood-thirsty spectators. It manifested brute force. A wrestling spectacle, where the victor was one who simply cold-bloodedly destroyed another equally wily, treacherous opponent, similarly merciless in intent. Cricket, under IPL, is not a sport. It is a mad, mob, mafia story, where the winner takes it all. With ruthless extermination. And the loser goes home vanquished, awaiting some divine retribution. And a reincarnation. Waiting for his moment, for his pound of flesh.
What has IPL done to the best of us? Sachin Tendulkar, considered one of the game's great brand ambassadors, who has been at the receiving end of several dubious decisions in his international cricketing career, and like a perfect gentleman accepted the hurting verdict with mature professionalism, never once complaining, made unprecedented remarks the other day after his team lost by a run to Yuvraj Singh's Kings Punjab. Tendulkar was quoted as vehemently complaining against the umpire and the third umpire, and childishly sulking, going on to say that had two umpiring decisions gone in the favour of Mumbai Indians, they would have won. Apparently, it was "for the world to see for themselves". It was ridiculous! Churlish stuff, to say the least and in pedestrian taste, coming from the great man himself! And a sad commentary on how IPL and big bucks is making even a man of Sachin's impeccable reputation to stoop to such low sub-zero levels. I thought it is just a game. And aren't we supposed to display grace and dignity even in defeat? Does Sachin imply incompetence or a deliberate bias on the part of Mr Shastri? Promptly, the cash-flushed owners, the Reliance Group, known for mighty formidable powers of a universal kind, lodged an official complaint against the poor officials. Any other Indian player, particularly a certain Mr Ganguly or Mr Dravid would have been hauled up before burning charcoal embers had they publicly protested; but Sachin? No way! The Indian media chose to be as conspicuously muted or shall we say consciously dumb as it usually is, because taking on Sachin is considered a dereliction of professional duties. Oh, the times we live in! Continue reading below
Not surprisingly, Mr Tendulkar completely circumvented his counterpart skipper Yuvraj Singh's anguished plea to the boorish, badly behaved and blatantly biased Mumbai crowd to realize that "some of the Punjab players also represent India along with their beloved Tendulkar". The Mumbai crowd is undoubtedly the country's worst. Remember, what they did to Merv Dillon, Andrew Symonds, and several others? I expected Sachin to at least have sufficient courage to stand up for his team-mate and the visiting team, Mohali boys, as it is a horrible feeling to allow loutish conduct to prevail anytime and anywhere. A few words to tell the Mumbai crowd to calm down would have been a perfect antidote; but obviously there were other compelling distractions. One columnist even had the audacity to approve the Mumbai crowd's disparaging behaviour by saying that "IPL is achieving it's main goal; creating city-centric loyalties". What a monumental shame! It is almost like providing a license for verbal abuse to establish your local patriotism. But then, I can understand Sachin's dilemma here somewhat. After all, hadn't the greatly revered crowd of the Garware pavilion in the Mecca of Indian cricket booed the Little Master himself not so long ago?
Amidst the mindless controversies and inane pyrotechnics, it was great to see the Royal Challengers under Rahul Dravid win back their self-respect and team honour, led by a man who has humbly weathered several storms, eschewed personal barbs, and suffered unnecessary abuse during the IPL, but has maintained a stoic dignified silence throughout. And in fact, he has batted in the new format with ferocious intensity and dogged determination, to let the world know, that the flesh may not be what it was in Lord's 1996, but the spirit is not just willing. It is soaring.
Anyone else in Dravid's place would have asked his celebrity owner. "Sir, did your Force India team even finish its Formula 1 Race, Sir? And Sir, we know where you got your diamond ear-studs from, but that doctoral degree?".
Thank you, Lalit Modi, currently the cynosure of all blinded folks mesmerized by the laser flashlights, swinging cheerleaders, Slapgate, failed floodlights, Bollywood integration and post-match Page 3 parties covered on national newspapers Page 1 day in and day out. Hats off to you, Sir!
But the world will soon know that Modi did not just auction players. He has sold the soul of cricket itself.
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