Tribute or just a BCCI gimmick??

Sachin to decide his 200th Test venue

Looking at how much he has contributed to World Cricket in general and to Indian Cricket in specific, Sachin Tendulkar deserves any tribute one pays to him. And as Cricket’s regulator in India, BCCI decision to pay a never heard before tribute to this great man shouldn’t raise many eyebrows. So why is there a storm of controversy around BCCI’s latest decision?

Sachin Tendulkar is just two match away from the milestone 200th Test match. Although Tendulkar owns almost every known batting record, playing 200 test matches is no ordinary feat and has almost no practical possibility of being achieved again. Hence it would be of great pride for India to host its champion’s landmark test match. So why is the noise all around it?

India is scheduled to tour South Africa this December and Tendulkar is all set to play his 200th Test match there. Don’t know what has happened but West Indies tour of India has come on cards all of a sudden. The Caribbeans will be playing 3 ODI and 2 Test Matches in India from 31 October to 27 November. Now Tendulkar is expected to complete his 200 tests landmark in this series.

Sachin didn’t play his 100th Test Match in India and hence it will be a great opportunity for India to host the 200th Match for the sport’s true champion. After arranging a tournament in haste for him, BCCI further decided to leave the 200th match venue to Sachin Tendulkar himself. Wankhade is competing with iconic Eden Gardens to host the landmark test match. Both Eden and Wankhade are not eligible to host this series as per BCCI rotation policy. But Wankhade, on grounds of being the master’s home pitch, is fighting for the opportunity to host the match while Eden, on grounds of being India’s iconic stadium and master’s favorite hunting ground, is pitching equally strong for the oppurtunity. Leaving venue fixture choice to a player is never heard of before in world cricket.

Although there is no doubt that Tendulkar deserves more than anyone can offer, BCCI’s latest decisions are infuriating the cricket sport lovers. No player can be put above the sport irrespective of him being one of the sport’s greats. By arranging a tournament just to allow him complete his 200th test on home soil, BCCI has put him ahead of cricket itself. And now by offering the choice of venue to him, BCCI is denying to give the sport its due. But the question here is that has BCCI crossed limits just to honor this man or for its selfish propaganda?

No denying the fact that Tendulkar has been the golden goose for BCCI. Tendulkar name itself ensures that stadiums are packed to capacity and TRPs are spiked to max. Tendulkar has played a crucial role in shaping current India’s influence on Cricket while BCCI has successfully converted the popularity he brought to sport into money. As the story goes, the farmer kills the goose in greed of more gold. Is the BCCI doing the same with Sachin?

Looking at BCCI’s never quenching thirst to fill its treasury, one suspects that the main motivation behind West Indies tour is that BCCI plans to commercialize the landmark moment. With the buzz around it, 200th test match for Sachin will open a lot of commercial opportunities for BCCI and BCCI can’t let the moment pass of with minimal money-making opportunity in SA. This also explains SA disappointment over WI tour of India; they have lost the opportunity to cash on Sachin 200th test. Some also say that BCCI desperately wants to push the limelight it has currently found itself under to someone who can handle it. BCCI is lately associated to all wrong reasons and is losing it credibility with every passing day. Analysts say this is the reason the WI tour was brought on cards; to allow the buzz of Tendulkar playing 200th test on home soil take over the news and buzz over corruption at BCCI.

Sachin Tendulkar is a man who plays his cricket with lot of devotion and reverence. He wouldn’t like himself to be put over the sport and he wouldn’t have any personal choices of where to play his cricket. Although I have no clue if BCCI truly feels it has been paying proper tribute to the legend, I sincerely feel that its more of  gimmick than a tribute.

Related articles:

• BCCI to let Sachin Tendulkar choose venue for his 200th Test (sports.ndtv.com)
• Exlusive: Sachin Tendulkar and the burden of expectation (cricketbadger.com)
• BCCI ‘using’ Sachin Tendulkar to mint money? (ibnlive.in.com)

Who will take home Pepsi IPL 2013 Trophy???

Who will take this home? CSK or MI??

As I have predicted in my previous post, Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have reached the Pepsi IPL 2013 finals. First, let me pat myself on the back for being 75% accurate in play-off qualifying teams prediction and 100% accurate in final qualifying teams prediction. Next, let me predict the winner of IPL 2013 final.

Although the ongoing BCCI political game is likely to have more twists than the grand IPL 2013 finale, let us still go ahead and make a prediction on IPL 2013 champions. In a game as uncertain as a T20 cricket, it is very hard to make definite predictions. But we can make calculated predictions by looking at team morale, team strength, latest form, team X factor, team experience, pressure handling capability and team’s adaptability to pitch conditions.

In normal conditions, CSK is the team you can safely bet on in nerve cracking situations like IPL finals. But conditions aren’t at all normal for CSK. Their top executive has been arrested for IPL betting and leaking team info to bookies. If rumors are to be believed, Police have info that three CSK players also have links to bookies. Photographs of Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay with a bookie daughter have been published all over media. There have been whispers all over that conspiracy in CSK is so deep that even its Captain stinks. Even if a fraction of the rumors are true, one can easily say that the focus of players would be less on cricket and more on saving their faces. Not an ideal situation for team competing with the strongest club for a IPL trophy!

Although Mumbai Indians name hasn’t yet appeared in spot-fixing scam, there are again rumors on offspinner Harbhajan Singh. In a team mentored by Cricket’s finest ambassador Sachin Tendulkar, one generally don’t expect to find fixing links. But none suspected legend Rahul Dravid‘s team either! For now, Mumbai are well placed in team morale than Chennai.

On paper, MI and CSK look equally strong. MI have an edge over CSK bowling attack while CSK has deeper batting strength than MI. Although MI are still unsure about Tendulkar’s fitness, they have found a formidable opening attack in pair of Aditya Tare and Dwayne Smith. Its middle order woes that is worrying Mumbai Indians. If Sachin is unavailable, one can expect same MI squad to appear in finals. Ambati Rayadu had a very quiet IPL this year and he must shoulder lower middle order responsibilities better. Captain Rohit too had buckled under pressure in play-offs matches. CSK bowling looks very weak to stop the heavy Mumbai batting lineup but they can boast of batting order that can challenge the bowling might of MI.

CSK have thrashed MI in the first qualifier to make it to IPL 2013 final. Although Mumbai faltered in last few games, they made a spirited come back against Rajasthan in second eliminator. There isn’t much to separate the teams as per team form. However, CSK boasts of highest wicket taker and run maker in their ranks while Mumbai has largely depended on team effort rather than individual performances.

There isn’t much to differentiate the teams in terms of XP either! MI has loads of experience with decorated players like Sachin, Ponting, Anil Kumble, John Wright and Harbhajan Singh constituting the think-tank. CSK also has veteran players like Mike Hussey, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Bravo in its ranks. Both teams have enough experience to tackle the pressures involved in final matches.

Mumbai have been exceptional all through the league stage this season. But one must remember that this is not the first season where Mumbai have done well, they have done that in few previous seasons too. But they have never won the trophy because of their habit of underperforming in pressure matches. On the contrary, CSK bring out their best under pressure which is quite evident in their first qualifier against Mumbai in Delhi.

Mumbai and Chennai have good spinners who can play an important role in Eden Gardens. They both have big hitters who can hit the ball hard and reach the distant stands. Although CSK have better record playing in neutral venues than MI, if MI would be asked to pick a neutral venue, they would have chosen Eden Gardens only! Such is Mumbai’s record at Eden!! With Tendulkar in ranks, obviously Mumbai would be the crowds darling team.

With his explosive starts, Dwayne Smith is the X-factor of MI and with his consistency Mike Hussey is the X-factor of CSK. Both teams value the wickets of these batsmen, so whoever fires today might as well win the cup for their team.

Finally, although both teams are fairly balanced I would pick MI as my winner. On any other normal day, I would have picked CSK but today is not an ordinary day. The Chennai Super Kings know it better!!