A Gentleman's Game

I was one of the happiest persons when the Indian Premier League drew to a close. I was relieved and heaved a deep sigh of relief since I was fed up of the chaos and pandemonium surrounding it. I would like to put my bits into the miles of media that have emerged in the aftermath. My sympathies lie principally lie with the wonderful sport of cricket. And then of course, with the fabulous performers who have been completely overshadowed by all the mud-slinging. What has it's origins in history as a gentleman's sport doesn't deserve such levels of controversy. The sooner the air is cleared, the better.

I speak primarily as a fellow sportswoman when I say that the sport field is a pure space and that's how it should remain. Personally, I have nothing against the IPL. In fact, I feel it gives people an opportunity to make sport a regular family outing. This is a huge step forward in wholesome entertainment since it gives an alternative to cinema, which has been the only option for the longest time. The amalgamation of sports and entertainment is good but perhaps some moderation would help in the long run. The Indian Premier League to an extent has lost it's balance. To my mind, the game and the players must always be the key stakeholders in any sport event but in this case, the commercial aspect seems to be at the forefront. Perhaps, it's the nature of the beast.

Anyway, coming back to the game and to the real heroes, my favourite team is the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The reasons are because I was born in Bangalore and now, I'm again in Bangalore this time for work. Secondly, I happened to meet Anil Kumble at the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. I sincerely hoped that they go all the way and emerge as the champions of the league but they too showed their fighting spirit. In the meantime, I wish all of them concerned with the IPL peace and success. The next few weeks will certainly be challenging between real bomb scares and other bombs in general, being dropped behind the scenes. By the looks of it, it's going to get more murkier and more rough. One can only hope that the show goes on.