Champions League - Success or Failure

A recent report in one of the business newspapers suggested that the much hyped Champions league has not been a success, and organizers have blamed Diwali for the lack of interest in the fans towards the tournament. To me this looks like barking down the wrong tree. What BCCI and the organizers need to realize is that there are some fundamental issues, which need to be addressed, and unless those are done - success in such league formats is going to be difficult.

The first and foremost issue, which everyone in the cricketing setup seems to be blind about and everyone outside it seems to understand is that there is just too much 20-20 cricket, which in my opinion is the primary reason for the tournament to be a flop - with virtually no crowds (interestingly the commentators were trying to fool everyone by saying that the stadiums are packed when half the seats were clearly empty in matches involving non Indian clubs). What Mr Lalit Modi needs to understand is that it is virtually impossible for an average cricket fan to distinguish or remember any specific 20-20 match when compared to another one - because they are all the same. Team A scores 160-170, and Team B chases it. The script is so similar - that there will certainly be lack of interest. How they fail to see just amazes me. And think of it - they kept the Champions trophy such a small affair in order to accomodate the Champions League - when priorities should clearly have been different.

Secondly, we need to have some sporting pitches - else the script will become even more predictable, like it has become in one dayers in India.

Thirdly, international matches still take precendence for an average cricket fan, since it is easier to figure out loyalties there - League cricket still has a long way to go - before people bet big on it. How ESPN managed to pay USD 975 million for 10 year rights is beyond me!

This is not to say that the tournament cannot be a success in future. However, for that to
happen, two things are needed. One, the tournament should seem exclusive, which unfortunately it does not seem, given the amount of cricket we see. BCCI seems to have found a hen that lays golden eggs, and they are hell bent on cashing everything today - which is simply not possible. Secondly, there needs to be some time given to league cricket to develop, before betting all your resources on it. ESPN will probably learn this the hard way - and it will be unfortunate if they end up losing big time here, since they are the most competent channel around.

In a way it was good that the tournament ends up in a failure, because a reality check is necessary. When I watch cricket, I need to get completely involved in it, and I need to feel the pain when my team loses and feel the joy when it wins. I think it is the same with all Indian cricket fans -which is what makes cricket a success in India. However, we were all indifferent in this tournament. And that was the biggest problem. The only thing good about this tournament was Trinidad and Tobago.

The aftermath of the Champions trophy

We have already seen enough India and Dhoni bashing – after basically one loss of the Indian team. Maybe more than the loss, it was the manner of the loss, where India’s bowling looked awfully short of what world’s number 1 team should boast of. However, a few things to remember here – firstly, we only lost 1 match, and it is the ridiculous format (yet again) of another ICC event which has more contribution to this rather than the woeful form of Indian bowlers itself. God only know why does ICC have to have a 2 month long World Cup in 2007, which just refused to end once it started, and such a short ICC Cahmpions Trophy, which does not even have a reserve day for the Final. Obviously the monetary implications of the upcoming Champions League and the power of the Indian Board has something to do with it, which in a way serves us right by eliminating our team courtesy a rain wash out. I am not indicating that we have played well in that match, but the fact is, India has successfully chased higher and tougher targets in the past, and had the match been completed, atleast we would not have been in a world of could-have-been.

Anyway, that’s that – and the more important issue is that we as fans and cricket analysts need to understand that the team is not bad. It was short of 3 key players, and you remove 3 key players from any team in the world and see the impact. I understand some changes need to happen, and there is no justification for short pitch bowling, but let the team learn from its mistakes rather than branding 20 year old players as liabilities.

Lastly, the team management also needs to take a good hard look at the bowling. Why on earth would you want a guy like Ishant Sharma to bowl slower balls is beyond my imagination. The alarming frequency with which he has started the use of the slower ball has definitely got something to do with the bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad. I think someone needs to tell him to just bowl fast, and aim the toe (The batsmen’s – that is) for a few years. He has his entire life to try bowling slower balls after that. Harbhajan needs to learn to flight the bowl. I know it sounds sarcastic, but honestly after all these years, I would not be wrong in saying that Harbhajan is far from being a consistent match winner that a bowler of his class should be. He is just too inconsistent, and his record is nowhere close to fellow spinners. Amit Mishra should play more, even in the one day version. Finally, it is high time we try developing some bowling allrounders - along with some sporting pitches. World cup is not very far, and with this bowling attack on our kind of pitches, we will more or less be chasing 300 in each match.