- The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not only the richest cricket organization in the world, but it is also one of the top five in the world in terms of other sporting disciplines. The vast size of the country, where cricket is considered no less than a religion, ensures massive popularity and following, with hundreds of millions of fans supporting the sport. Why only India? Cricket has a sizable diaspora all over the world, and whenever Team India travels abroad, thousands flock to the stadiums to cheer on their favorite team. No surprise, Indian cricketers are treated as superstars, with millions of adoring fans elevating them to demi-god status.
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- To be sure, if the game’s popularity is to continue to grow and spread its wings, the performances of cricketers play an unmistakable role. Some of the biggest names in cricket have emerged from India, as connoisseurs of the game attest. Tiger Pataudi, Ajit Wadekar, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag, Saurav Ganguly, and Harbhajan Singh, to name a few from a galaxy of stalwarts, have adorned this beautiful game and entertained fans for decades. The game’s popularity could skyrocket if these cricketers continue to perform consistently over the years. And not all of these cricketers’ careers ended happily ever after.
- As new talent emerges, the old must make way to ensure the game’s legacy is preserved. No one person is bigger than the game is an undisputed and accepted norm. Of course, not every famous cricketer gracefully passes the baton to emerging talent. Many acrimonious exits demonstrate that asking an established stalwart to make way for a rising star does not always result in harmony and smiles. Nonetheless, officials must make difficult decisions in the sport’s best interests without allowing emotions to override common sense. The recent mauling of Team India in the World Test Championship final against Australia qualifies as one such instance, compelling the board mandarins to make difficult decisions sooner rather than later.
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- Consistent cricketers such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, and Virat Kohli have served Indian cricket with distinction, contributing to some of the sport’s historic achievements and firmly establishing our current credentials as the sport’s prima donna. Remember that any professional sport necessitates consistent high-level performance. Failure to do so will only invite criticism from various quarters while also lowering the team’s standing within the fraternity. The time has come for the BCCI and selectors to make difficult decisions by removing some of the stalwart cricketers who are nearing the end of their careers. Preparing new talent now will help ensure a smooth transition later.
