Cricket & ICC: The next century

Vineet Sharma The International Cricket Council has had a glorious centenary to boast about, and why not? It has managed to give the sport a mass following of billions, made its presence felt in the world arena and has maintained dignity in handling all the matters that have erupted in the past century. Whether it was the discontinuation of South Africa as a full time member in 1961 due to the practice of apartheid that was followed in the nation, (the country was taken back once the evil was removed from the fabric of the society), to the just distribution of officials based on equality and not on race. The gentleman’s sport has adapted itself over the 100 years and given the audience everything that they demanded, from shorter formats, coloured clothing, cheerleaders et all, to the incorporation of latest technologies and promoting itself to new shores.With all that done in the first leg of its journey, the ICC has to take notes and act fast if the next century has to be anything near the last one. Here is a look at all the major concerns that will need to be addressed, the challenges that need to be dealt with: Test-ing Cricket The most pristine format of the game, the 5-day Test cricket, has taken a beating of sorts in the recent times, with spectator interest dwindling constantly and even the new crop of players not having the same passion as the previous greats. The longest format is in dire need of a revival at the earliest. It is definitely not a hyperbole if one says that Test cricket is the pinnacle of cricketing excellence as it is the true playground of champions. The skills and techniques that make players successful in this format is what detach the on-the-spur cricketers and the eternal greats. Anyone can be lucky with a few agricultural shots in short, slam-bang format but the true beauty of the sport comes alive when the artists of cricket battle it out for days at end to give the best that can be deliver with the willow and cherry. It is true that the changing lifestyles have made the longer version a bit monotonous and people don’t have time as their predecessors. It is in this regard that the ICC has to come up with new notions that will get the viewers interest back in the game. From coloured balls, day-nighters to impart a livelier feel, to pitches which offer something to both the bowlers as well as the batsmen. It is about time that out-of-the-box thinking was incorporated in the scheme of things or we’ll see Test cricket breathing its last in less than a decade. Efforts must be made to revive the curiosity of this format, especially in all the Test playing nations, laying an emphasis on the Indian sub-continent as it is in this region that maximum masses can be pulled, but are not doing so owing to the prevalence of the pro-T20 marketing strategies of the boards. Puritans Vs Technology Another debate that the ICC will have to address is the growing voices over the use of technology. Many puritans of the game claim that the sport must have a human element to it, especially on the field; they want re-instating the powers of the umpire as supreme. A greater number would like the precision of the camera and the computer to call the shots. Given the fact that the technologies would only evolve over the coming decades and viewers will get the clearest picture in even the marginal nicks and drops, it is vital that the officials are equipped with the best of the tools to give a fair shot to the efforts of the gladiators on the field. It is true that more of science takes away the human touch from the game but witnessing senior officials like Rudy Koertzen and Steve Bucknor commit mistake after mistake, altering the entire course of the matches is no help at all.Globalisation, here we come! The world is a global village now, with all the satellites bringing action live into homes all across the globe, it is about time that the sport moved out of its established territories and spread to other parts. Countries like China, USA, Canada and Brazil are established centres for mass sporting action and steps must be taken to ensure that the markets are tapped on a priority basis. Smaller partners and the so called ‘minnows’ of the game must be given aid to proliferate the game on a bigger level. This will only promote the game and add to its global appeal. Who knows, maybe cricket can get an Olympics entry if more nations are playing it. T20 overdose & domestic leagues Yes, T20 cricket is here to stay. However, it must not be forgotten that an overdose of this format will simply be its end, as it does not have the appeal to grasp the audience for long time-periods (ironically). A recent flurry of T20 has in fact, led to a debate over the decreasing quality of the shots of the batsmen, who can get away with a wild shot and get runs for it, to the wayward deliveries of the bowlers that get them wickets as runs have to be scored at a blistering pace. Adding to the woes is the advent of cash-laden domestic leagues like the Indian Premier League (IPL) that have made cricketers retire from their national duties early, so that more money can be made. There are talks of similar leagues sprouting all over the world and this is a double edged sword that the ICC will have to handle. It is good that the sport bourgeons all across the globe, but it must also not lose its sheen in terms of quality and overkill. Moreover, the attitude of financially behemoth league like the IPL has to be kept in check. The brainchild of Lalit Modi, the league has been trying to suppress any other competition that comes in its way and the BCCI has time and again used its power in the ICC annals to deliver judgements in their favour. This is a hara-kiri as far as the global scene goes as the fabric of the spirit of the game gets torn apart in these purely capitalist pursuits. Long Road- Tempting Challenges Another key aspect that must be on the urgent agenda of the ICC is to re-incarnate its image, as it is quite evident that they have not been able to do full justice in keeping the interests of all the nations while they execute the whims and fancies of the ‘bigger’ players in the scheme of things. There indeed are a number of challenges for the International Cricket Council and this very predicament can become their saviour. With so much happening around, there is always room for improvement and one can make great progress in taking the sport forward. It is a time when an overhaul is required and since there is no time for stagnancy, one can hope for some great innovations from cricket’s apex body so that the sport that has become more of a religion for billions, gets its due in the coming years too.