Amrit Mathur

New Delhi:

We know cricket in India extends beyond the boundary, it has demonstrated a powerful ability to move governments, open all kinds of doors, erase differences and unite people across the country. Still, as another series unfolds, one is amazed at cricket’s enormous hold and the deep impact it has. Forget for a moment lofty notions of cricket being a religion, a passion, poison or whatever, what’s interesting is it occupies the mindspace of most Indians and plays a large role in our lives. Cricket drives the country like nothing else, it inspires schoo-lkids, distracts women from TV serials and sells a variety of products ranging from cars to hair oil.

The staggering extent and depth of cricket’s power is visible in many small ways: When team bus leaves the ground, streets are lined with delirious fans among whom are the elderly and the educated, busy housewives and unbusy hulks. At the team hotel, the lobby is packed with fans armed with mobiles to catch their heroes on camera.

For some difficult to explain reason cricket retains its draw at the box office, the appeal does not fade and its run is unthreatened by competition. Other forms of entertainment have limited shelf life, films release on Friday and disappear by Monday, but cricket has silently stretched its share by invading our homes through television. Just as crafty batsmen use the pace of the ball to hit shots, cricket exploited media’s growth to consolidate its position. To such an extent that the media can’t do without cricket and while earlier news was restricted to sedate match reports, now there is pressure from demanding readers for spicy, sensational news. This maddening hunger occasionally results in over-the-top articles and generates accounts of cricket wives visiting beauty parlours where even the services availed (facial/hair layering/streaking/ foot massage!) are detailed. Hotel chefs are hounded for interviews to know which player ordered room service for what stuff.

Players are chased relentlessly, people look into their shopping bags, keep track of where they go and which function they attend. In a previous era such attention was reserved for royal visits but in contemporary society cricketers are royalty and high powered celebrities so everything surrounding them is newsworthy. But behind all this attention, glare and glitz is the reality that cricket draws power because of its marriage to commerce, this a convenient alliance crafted in board rooms. Cricket TV deals, sponsorships, player endorsements are all governed by economics, it is money that makes the cricket world spinning. Which is hardly surprising considering Indian cricket is part of an economy that is growing at a pace similar to Sehwag’s strike rate. In India’s huge market, cricket is uniquely positioned to connect corporates with customers and marketing experts realise cricket is a medium and a modem. Companies part with crores not because they love cricket but because they know it is loved by people.

But will this relation last? Optimists point to surging business activity and safely predict another long innings for cricket. In their opinion this cricket-cash partnership is not under any threat and are certain cricket prices will move up like real estate in Gurgaon. Non believers notice a slowdown, they say the momentum can’t sustain. They look at unsold advertising boards at matches and vacant seats at Test matches and shoot down theories of a further upsurge. According to them the boom is gone, financial fatigue has set in and disinterest is round the corner. This could be an alarmist reading, similar to a captains knee-jerk reaction condemning a track just because two deliveries jumped off a length. Whatever people, say cricket is unlikely to slip off the radar, this because of two compelling reasons. One, cricket is a deadly virus which runs deep in our blood. Secondly, Sehwag/Sachin are there, they will ensure we don’t get bored.