How will the WBBL impact the world?

Will the WBBL inspire girls across the world to take up sport? (photo courtesy cricket.com.au)

When Cricket Australia announced in February that their women’s domestic T20 competition would be replaced by the new Women’s Big Bash League, they could not have timed the decision more perfectly. Little did they know it, but 2015 was about to become a groundbreaking year for Australian women’s sport. The Diamonds, their female netball team secured the World Championship, and the Opals, their women’s basketball team clinched their spot for the 2016 Rio Olympics. And then their women’s cricket team, the Southern Stars, emphatically won back the Ashes on English soil, with some ruthless, one-sided wins.

It meant that Cricket Australia could ride a wave of interest in women’s sport going in to the 2015-16 domestic season, as they launched the WBBL last weekend. And they made all the right moves to make sure that they cashed in. Arguably the biggest, was to align the WBBL teams with existing BBL teams, and thus raising the profile of their brand even before the product had started to take shape.

To do a quick number dance, the WBBL will encompass 59 matches, featuring eight teams, spread over 51 days, with games mostly organised around weekends. Each team can recruit five internationals, including not more than three overseas players. 21 international stars will be participating in the competition, from four countries: England, New Zealand, South Africa, and the West Indes. All players will be paid to play, with retainers in the range of AUD 3000 to 10000 (INR 1,46,000 to 4,86,000). Eight matches will be played as double headers with the BBL, and will be televised.

By ensuring that eight of the 59 games –including the final - will be televised on free-to-air television, Cricket Australia have secured mass viewership for their flagship domestic competition. The televised games will offer the players an exceptional opportunity to showcase their skills on the biggest stage, and could potentially be a game changing advertisement for women’s cricket world wide.

"There's no doubt Australia knows what it's doing when it comes to women's cricket," said England opening bowler Kate Cross according to the Cricket Australia website..

"We've got a stage to showcase our product and as you know we don't get a lot of airtime," she added. "I think it's something that's been needed, I think it's something that's been a long time coming and Australia's put it all together... it's going to be a great competition."

 However, the WBBL has meant that the best of Aussie talent would be divided into eight teams, as opposed to the seven that play in their usual domestic competition. There were fears that this would dilute the talent pool further, and thus lower the standard of cricket played. This could also have been why some retired internationals have been coaxed into making returns to the WBBL, notably prominent commentator Lisa Sthalekar and star all-rounder Shelly Nitschke.  But going by the first round of WBBL games, these fears seem to have been allayed. The influx of more than 20 of the best players from around the world has helped too.

One addition that could have made the WBBL even more attractive is the participation of Indian players. It was reported that the WBBL powers-that-be were keen on securing Indian participation, but like in the BBL, the BCCI seems to have given their financial bedfellows the cold shoulder. Especially with India women also due to tour Australia immediately after the WBBL concludes, it smacks of a golden opportunity missed.  As England’s captain and Scorchers recruit Charlotte Edwards put it, "As an international cricketer you want to play in the best competitions in the world and I believe that is (one of those).”

If the first few games were anything to go by, the tournament promises some mouth-watering contests. Both Australian and overseas talent has shone through, and there have already been high scoring games, and a last ball cliff hanger. The scores have been at par with average scores in women’s T20 internationals. Crowd attendance at the matches has been healthy, and is likely to increase for the double headers. But the litmus test will be the viewership of the televised games. Yet, Cricket Australia’s Big Bash League boss Mike McKenna said, “To be perfectly honest, we're not that concerned about attendance figures.” He insists that the prime objective of the WBBL is to inspire more girls and young women to take up the game.

“Ever since the IPL started, people kept saying we should have a similar league for women,” said N. Niranjana, India women’s pace bowler . “Great that Australia have gone ahead with the WBBL after the BBL. It will inspire so many girls to take up the sport, not just in Australia, but around the world because of the presence of overseas players.”

“It’s also a great opportunity for the grass root talent to impress the selectors and the world, just like so many lesser known Indian players stood out in the IPL,” she added.

For many in India and the world, even the biggest stars of women’s cricket are lesser known than the least famous IPL player. Perhaps one reason, was because women’s cricket hitherto did not have a vehicle that was attractive enough –in substance and appearance- to drive into the imagination of viewers around the world. Thanks to the WBBL, that may soon change. When (not if) Meg Lanning and Stafanie Taylor do become household names, it is very likely that the WBBL will have played a big role in that happening.

 The teams and players to watch:

ADELAIDE STRIKERS :

SOPHI DEVINE (NEW ZEALAND), SARAH TAYLOR (ENGLAND), SARAH COYTE.

BRISBANE HEAT :

HOLLY FERLING, JESS JONASSEN, GRACE HARRIS

HOBART HURRICANES :

HEATHER KNIGHT (ENGLAND), HALEY MATTHEWS (WEST INDES), AMY SATTERTHWAITE (NEW ZEALAND)

MELBOURNE RENEGADES :

DANNI WYATT (ENGLAND), RACHAEL PRIEST (NEW ZEALAND)

MELBOURNE STARS :

MEG LANNING, MIGNON DUPREEZ (SOUTH AFRICA), NATALIE SCIVER (ENGLAND)

PERTH SCORCHERS :

CHARLOTTE EDWARDS (ENGLAND), SUZIE BATES (NEW ZEALAND), NICOLE BOLTON.

SYDNEY SIXERS :

ELLYSE PERRY, LISA STHALEKAR, ALYSSA HEALY.

SYDNEY THUNDER :

ALEX BLACKWELL, STAFANIE TAYLOR.

This article first appeared on Firstpost.com       

WBBL 2015 Preview

This article first appeared in my column ''Seamstress" for Wisden India

Come 5th December, all eyes in the women’s cricket community and beyond will turn to the southern hemisphere. The first ever Women’s Big bash League, or WBBL, will blast off, taking domestic women’s cricket into a new dimension. Cricket Australia can already take a bow, even before a ball is bowled. Judging by the buzz the tournament has  generated on social media platforms, they seem to have laid the foundations to create the world’s most lucrative, most followed and most competitive female T20 domestic league. 

The tournament will feature the same eight teams as the BBL, as CA has aligned the women’s teams with the existing men’s clubs. Players from Australia’s women’s cricket team, the Southern Stars have been spread out across the eight teams, to ensure a well balanced competition. With teams allowed to sign up to three foreign recruits and a maximum of five internationals, a number of the biggest names in women’s cricket have jumped on board. Here’s a quick look at some of the high profile players in each team:

· Adelaide Strikers :

Sarah Coyte, Sophie Devine (New Zealand), Shelley Nitschke, Megan Schutt, Sarah Taylor (England)

The strikers broke new ground when they lured former southern stars all rounder Shelly Nitschke out of retirement. With more than 100 international caps under her belt, her experience will be invaluable to the likes of in-form wicket keeper Sarah Taylor. 

· Brisbane Heat:

Jessica Jonassen,  Jodie Fields, Holly Ferling, Delissa Kimmince, Kate Cross (England), Lauren Winfield (England).

The Heat will feature former Southern Stars captain Jodie Fields, along with current internationals Ferling and Kimmince. Englishwoman Kate Cross is likely to lead their strong pace bowling unit. 

· Hobart Hurricanes:

Julie Hunter, Heather Knight (England), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand)

The hurricanes will have serious strength to their batting unit, with all three internationals likely to feature in the top four.  With mostly home grown Tasmanian talent forming the rest of their squad, the expectations from the international stars will be high. 

· Melbourne Renegades: 

Sarah Elliott, Dane Van Niekerk (South Africa), Danielle Wyatt (England), Rachel Priest (New Zealand)

Their two international all-rounders are both spinners, and they will be relying on Priest’s experience behind the wickets to make a serious mark. The Renegades will be led by super mom and Aussie Test opener Sarah Elliot.

· Melbourne Stars:

 Meg Lanning, Mignon DuPreez (South Africa), Morna Nielsen (New Zealand), Natalie Sciver (England).

The stars snagged the big fish, Aussie skipper and precocious batter Meg Lanning. At just 23, she has already stamped her authority on the world game by claiming a number of batting records. Leading the stars, she will have the services of South Africa skipper DuPreez, and a host of local talent from a strong Victoria Spirit side. 

· Perth Scorchers:

 Nicole Bolton, Suzie Bates (New Zealand), Katherine Brunt (England), Deandra Dottin (West Indies), Charlotte Edwards (England), Elyse Villani. 

The Scorchers will unleash some serious firepower in their both departments, with White Fern skipper Suzie Bates likely to open the innings with the bat, and fast bowler Brunt with the ball. Bates will be replaced by Deandra Dottin when she will be unavailable due to international duties. They will also benefit from the vast experience of England skipper Edwards, although Nicole Bolton will lead the side. 

· Sydney Sixers:

Alyssa Healy, Ellyse Perry, Lisa Sthalekar, Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Sara McGlashan (New Zealand), Laura Marsh (England)

The sixers will feature the services of the world’s best all-rounder and dual international Perry. They have also coaxed out of retirement Lisa Sthalekar, a legend in the women’s game, and now a prominent commentator.  Joining them is White Fern McGlashan, who recently collected her 200th international cap. Alyssa Healy , now the first choice keeper for Australia, will don the gloves. 

· Sydney Thunder:

 Alex Blackwell, Stafanie Taylor( West Indes), Rene Farrell, Erin Osborne.

With one international signing yet to be disclosed, the Thunder squad already looks good. Led by veteran batter Alex Blackwell, who is also the Australian vice captain, they feature many members of the New South Wales Breakers squad who won the WNCL title for 10 consecutive years. And now joined by Windes captain Taylor, one of the best all-rounders in world cricket, they are set to make a big impression.

The WBBL will last for a month and a half, with games to be played on some of the most historic venues across Australia, including the SCG, the Adelaide Oval, and the WACA.  In her column for the Brisbane times, Southern Stars and Brisbane Heat fast bowler Holly Ferling  said, ”2015 has been the year of female athletes with many successes coming from female sporting teams and taking over the media coverage. In terms of women's sport, this is arguably the biggest step forward to commercialising and professionalising a women's domestic competition.

You definitely do not want to miss this.’’

By taking the decision to align the teams with the existing BBL, CA have given the women’s competition access to existing set ups, fan bases and rivalries. In turn, having been handed a new team to bring up from scratch, the franchises have all responded with a slew of initiatives, which are likely to amplify the effect of the WBBL. Here’s a look at some of them:

· The two Melbourne based franchises have gone a step further to raise the tempo of the rivalry between the two clubs. When the Renegades and Stars face off in January, they will be vying for the Lanning-Elliot Cup, christened after the two captains of the Melbourne based teams. 

· Most franchises have signed on dedicated sponsors for their women’s teams. In fact, both Sydney teams have the same sponsor (XVenture), and both Melbourne teams will also sport the same name on their shirts (VicHealth). 

· WBBL franchises have created their own pathways into their female squads. For instance, the Brisbane Heat launched the Heat Girls Cricket League to get more young girls involved in cricket, and thus nurture the grass root level talent. Coaching clinics in local clubs conducted by the franchises’ star players, have given young children a chance to connect with their role models, and deepen the fan-star bond.

· Former Australia all-rounder Lisa Sthalekar will appear in all the televised games of the WBBL, albeit behind the microphone. When not playing and training with the Sydney Sixers, she will be calling the BBL games as well. 

· The WBBL clubs will offer eight talented cricketers from associate and affiliate countries an opportunity to train for two weeks with the WBBL squads, as part of their rookie program.  They could even debut in the competition, if a contracted player is ruled out due to injury. 

Arguably the biggest takeaway that women’s cricket will gain from the WBBL is creating a high profile domestic cricket centrepiece, which will provide a clear pathway for young women in cricket. The Southern Stars have already established themselves among the best female sports teams in the country, and have provided young girls some fine role models. The WBBL will provide a platform where young girls can aspire to rub shoulders with their heroes, as well as a galaxy of other international stars. According to the CA website, Big Bash league boss Mike Mckenna said, "We're pretty keen to see how the broadcast goes and what it looks like on television but the most important thing is that it's inspiring girls to play cricket." "If we see recruitment numbers going up at clubs and school or girls playing at the park or the beach, that's what we're looking to see and that's what would constitute a successful first season," he goes on to add.  

 With eight of the 59 games being televised live as double headers with the respective BBL games, the WBBL promises to provide a wonderful exhibition of the women’s game. We must now wait till the 24th of January next year, to see who grabs the rights to call themselves the first, ever, WBBL champions. 

A TALE OF TWO CITIES : Adelaide vs Nagpur

Adelaide grabbed all the eyeballs, while Nagpur, the headlines.

Two three-day test matches unfolded over the last weekend, but it seemed that was about all the similarity they had. While one set the stage for the longest format of the game to enter a new era, the other was a throwback to times when spinners wreaked havoc in the subcontinent.  Both elicited different reactions: one mostly adoration, and the other, largely condemnation. The centre of attention in the first was the ball, and in the second, the pitch.

I’m talking of course, about the pink ball vs. the dust bowl. Adelaide vs. Nagpur. Both very different test matches.

Or were they?

Runs were hard to come by in both games. The 200 mark resisted achievement, like it had a magnet there that repelled teams under it, and pulled back teams that went passed it.  Only two half centuries punctuated the eight completed innings, both in the pink ball test. Strike rates languished sluggishly around the fifty-mark, rare for four teams filled with high quality batters. Bowlers had the upper hand in both games from ball one. Wickets were thrown away thanks to some poor decision making on both sides of the world. The side that bowled better won, on both occasions, as almost always is in test cricket.

Both were played on result oriented wickets. Both ended in three days.

Then why the public flaying of the Nagpur wicket on social media? Because it was too one sided, they said. Because it was not an even contest between bat and ball. Because it was un-entertaining.    

By that reasoning, the test at Perth, preceding the pink ball test, should have received an equal amount of flak. A venue that is considered to be a fast bowlers dream to served up a pitch that ended a fast bowler’s career. It was like turning up expecting to see Smaug, only to find oneself confronted by an imitation, a paper dragon. Runs were piled on in a seemingly facile manner. Records tumbled, and the turnstiles clicked over for all five days. For the most part, people were happy. With a draw. One that was so interesting it was compared to the rained out second test in Bangalore. Sure, a few people made some noises about the pitch. But no one was really complaining. After all, this is a batter’s game.

This is a rant. By a bowler, against the batter’s game. And more so against the ‘batter’s game mindset’. And here’s why:

Both Adelaide and Nagpur served up pitches that challenged the batters, irrespective of the condition of the ball. In Adelaide, a smattering of grass lay on the wicket, to make sure the pink ball felt comfortable on its debut. In Nagpur, the track reflected the water shortage in the region that has sadly driven so many farmers to suicide.

Admittedly, the Nagpur track had a great deal more to offer the consistent bowler than the Adelaide pitch. But is that to say it gave any one team an advantage? I feel it did not. Both teams could avail use of the same conditions on day one, and on day two.  Therefore it was a more sporting wicket than a green top that gives the team bowling first a huge head start as it gradually but inevitably flattens out every day.

It did challenge the batters from ball one. But does the community deplore the many ‘roads’ test matches across the world are played on, which give the bowlers nothing? Let’s not even get started about the condition of wickets in ODI cricket.  Aren’t those challenges, for the bowlers, and if they are, why is the international cricket community in outcry only against wickets that challenge batters? Can we not gain entertainment from such wickets too? Can we not say to ourselves, “Alright, this isn’t a 400 wicket, it’s a 150 one’’ and stand and applaud the team that gets 200?

Another attack made against the Nagpur track was that it produced a one sided match. It did, but was that the fault of the pitch?

India are infamous for being bad travellers. It is usually because the batters can’t cope with the foreign conditions and the bowlers aren’t as good as their counterparts at exploiting them.  That is exactly what happened to South Africa in Nagpur, in a more dramatic fashion than anyone could have imagined, making them the cynosure of the cricket world, and making the Nagpur pitch the villain. 

The fact of the matter was that the South African spinners weren’t consistent enough to take advantage of the purchase that the wicket offered, allowing the Indian batters to look better than they were. That Morne Morkel was their second highest wicket taker in the first innings is testament to that fact. Their batters on the other hand, were undone by a combination of brilliant spin bowling and bad shot selection. Murali Vijay, Wriddhiman Saha and JP Duminy  showed that one could bat on that track, one where getting to 40 was equal to scoring a hundred.

Adelaide on the other hand, was a game featuring two very evenly matched batting departments, and two bowling attacks equally adept at exploiting conditions that suited them. Bowlers on both sides picked up five-fors, and there too, bowling spells provided the defining moments of the match. Thus the audience there witnessed an even contest; a game that ebbed and flowed either way, in which both teams stood a chance of winning.

Every country has a right to prepare pitches that offer them advantage. I’m positive Kohli and co will not be complaining about pace and bounce when India tours Australia next year. And spare a thought for the curators. I know next to nothing about the art of pitch making, but I am certain it is an art, not an exact science. After the furore over CEO pitches in England, this recent recrudescence of result oriented wickets is a breath of fresh air.

So I venture that we abandon the ‘batter’s game mindset’ while rushing to judge these three day tests. With all the recent rule changes in ODI cricket, bowlers have had to learn to swim in the deep end for far too long. It’s good to see some smiles on their faces.

And let’s celebrate, not denigrate home advantage. In the Hunger Games, the Gamemakers created different environments each time the tributes entered the arena. But it was the tributes who were able to adapt, and outlast the competition that survived, even if the environment was a far cry from that of their own districts. So too it is in the sacrosanct arena of test cricket and so should it remain.  

             

Lets talk about contracts

                    This post first appeared in my column ''Seamstress'' for Wisden India.

Jhulan Goswami will be one of the old guard of players who finally benefit through women's contracts.

With the BCCI's announcement that central contracts will be introduced for the Indian women's cricket team, a collective exhalation could be heard from those who were holding their breath for the last few months. Ever since the BCCI announced their intention to do so, there had been unbridled excitement, loud scepticism, and a quiet optimism that women's cricket will see better days.

As it stands, credit must be given to the current BCCI administration for walking the talk. By introducing graded central contracts, they have shown as concrete their intention to develop women's cricket.

As per the BCCI announcement, eleven players have been contracted to start with. The four players who find themselves in Grade 'A' will earn Rs. 15 lakhs per year, while the remaining seven in grade 'B' will be paid Rs. 10 lakhs a year.

The move will come as a boon to all female players who have been included in the list, who will now be free from financial insecurity. Currently, the vast majority of female players were dependent on jobs with the Railways, who are almost the sole recruiters of female cricketers across India. (To give you an idea, ten of the 15 players in India' most recent ODI squad are employed with Railways.) However, this means that railway duties would take up a certain amount of the athlete’s time, which meant that India's players always remained semi- professional at best. By introducing central contracts, the eleven players now have the financial freedom to train full time as professionals.

Also, by stipulating that those players who play at least three international games will be include in the Grade 'B' list, the BCCI has created an environment of healthy competition amongst the players in the fringes, and left the door open for deserving candidates to join the club.

But were contracts necessary as a motivating factor in the first place? Certainly not. Female cricketers have been playing for nothing but the love of the game until the early 2000's. The reason senior players in the Indian team had been pushing for contracts to be implemented, is that India were lagging behind.

England were the first to introduce a contract-like system in 2008, by appointing some players as ambassadors in the now hugely successful 'Chance To Shine' program. Australia followed suit soon after, linking their national team contracts to ambassadorial roles in their Females In Cricket  strategy. Sri Lanka, the West Indes, South Africa, Pakistan and New Zealand also joined the contract bandwagon –with different levels of financial assistance - which meant that India was the only major team left out.

This offered a huge competitive advantage to the other sides, whose progress have left India eating their dust on a number of occasions. In the last four years alone, India have conceded series losses -some on home soil- against Sri Lanka, South Africa and the West Indes. From being a top four team, India have slipped to the bottom half of the pecking order in the ICC women’s championship, despite having no shortage of talent. With the central contracts in place, the core members of the Indian squad can now afford to train as professionals, like many of their opposing numbers already do.

However with professional contracts come the expectations of results. It is pertinent to note that most other national teams were handed contracts on the back of consistent improvements in international performances. While the England women became fully professional after retaining the Ashes in Australia, the Southern Stars received a huge pay hike after their hat-trick of world T20 titles. The Indian women on the other hand, have blown hot and cold over the last year and a half, putting in some good performances in the test format, but struggling in the shorter formats. India are receiving contracts more out of necessity than reward. The BCCI has awarded contracts lest it be left behind, not that it may forge ahead. 

Also, the build up to awarding contracts to their women's teams differed with most other countries. Contracts, particularly with the English and Australian women's teams, were a natural progression of the increase of the standard of cricket in the domestic and national sides, which led to more revenue through better viewership and more sponsors. The more money the boards invested developing their national and domestic women’s setups, the better the performances, and the more money they attracted. The goal of the boards involved was to grow women's cricket from a game that needed financial assistance to one that could ''stand on its own two feet commercially through ticket sales and attracting commercial partners'' according to Clare Connor, revolutionary head of women's cricket at the ECB. Whether the BCCI holds such plans for its team remains to be seen.  

Looking forward, there are a few more financial consolidations that the BCCI still could make to crystallise the initiative it has taken to make cricket a more inviting career option for young women. One of these is an increase in match fees at domestic level. Such a move has been proposed in the BCCI annual report. While contracts will benefit only a score of players, an increase in match fees will benefit the hundreds who play in the domestic circuit. This will also help bridge the gap between the standards of cricket of domestic cricketers and international cricketers.

 And within the Indian setup, the BCCI would do well to introduce higher match fees for those who play in the playing XI, as opposed to the current system of equal payment for all squad members. It will only increase fairness in selection, competition within the team for places, and accountability.  

The game of catch up now begins. At the risk of sounding ungrateful, the awarding of contracts is a trifle for an organisation with pockets as deep as the BCCI’s. Will the women’s team be awarded a long term vision of progress, and the people and commitment required to achieve it? The new BCCI administration must take the famous riddle of the sphinx one step further. They must take women’s cricket from being a creature that walks on three legs in the evening, to two the next dawn. 

Calling Time

In action.

This is a bittersweet post. After almost 15 years in which cricket has been the central theme of my life, I have decided to retire from BCCI domestic cricket.  

At the outset, I would like to use this post to sincerely thank everyone who has been a part of my journey. From coaches, trainers, physios, fellow teammates, captains I have played under, administrators and selectors, thank you all. To my employers and sponsors BAS, thank you for the continued support.

Representing India and Maharashtra has been an honour, and looking back, I cherish every occasion I got to wear my country and state cap. The experience has helped make me the person I am, and for this and much else, I am sincerely grateful. 

Drained after one of the many Maharashtra training sessions.  

My first India Blazer

We try to play cricket like it is life-or death. We try to prepare like there's nothing else. We leave our homes, families, friends, comfort zones all behind, and chase leather like there's no tomorrow. But at the end of the day, we are taught to maintain perspective, be grateful, and remember that it is just a game. At the end of the spectrum, looking back, I can see how that statement stands true and false at the same time. 

True, because it is just a game. there are always more important things in life. A country at war, a relative fighting disease, a friend struggling with the loss of a loved one . We cricketers are incredibly fortunate to get to spend our days playing the game we love, often earning our livelihoods from it. As a player who has just lost a close emotionally draining game, its important to reflect on such things, and not let yourself be bogged down by the weight of defeat. It is just a game after all. 


False, because it is so much more. It is a family, within a dormitory, or a team bus, or a hotel terrace. It is a place we explore ourselves, often find ourselves, and even more often lose ourselves again. It is rivalry and friendship existing seamlessly in the same relationship. It is the ultimate learning process. It is said when the student is ready, the teacher shall appear. Thus cricket teaches so little to some people, and so much to others.  

With my inspiration, Jhulan Goswami, on my first tour. 

At the Chinnaswamy, a ground that housed many a camp and many a memory. 

It is this that I will leave behind. It weighs on my heart, but hey, it's just a game remember?

One of my favourite memories, beating the Railways in a Super Over in Pune.

Life offers few such experiences  that give us so much, and I will always be on the look out for new ones. There are a number of things that I want to devote my time to in this second innings of sorts. Who knows. Perhaps 15 years later, I will write about something else that has given me so much. Perhaps not.

Cricket has given me a chance to see some tremendous beauty.

At the SCG. After India, Australia is my favourite country.

Looking forward to where life takes me. 

The Big Barabati Bottle Theory : The Bollywood Infection

Salman as Prem, the quintessential hero the Indian  public wants to see.

Dont worry Cuttack!

So you screwed up. So you threw a few bottles. So you will probably not see any international cricket again in the foreseeable future. So what?!

In just a few weeks you will get to see Salman Khan returning to the iconic Rajshri Productions banner! Prem Ratan Dhan Payo will release in Diwali, and watching a magnum opus like that is so much better than those annoyingly unpredictable cricket matches! Right?

Right.

You see, for Indians, cricket is not just a sport.

It’s a movie.

Recently, I’ve been watching a lot of Salman Khan films. He’s our family favourite you see. Not just movies which have released recently, but even his hits from years gone by (currently we’re on Maine Pyar Kiya)! And the trailers too. All this overdose of a shirtless Prem serenading his helpless heroines makes me tend to see Bollywood in everything, and blame it for the country’s woes. And so I think i'll blame the Barabati bottle storm on Bolllywood as well. 

Except we all should. It makes perfect sense.

Like I said, In India, cricket isn’t a sport. We don’t go to the cricket to watch one team win and one lose. We don’t go to watch amazing skills on display (when mishits are going for six, I start to question how skills matter anymore.)

We go for the entertainment. We go to the stadiums to watch our heroes. Not watch our heroes play, but just watch our heroes, period. Even if the match were to be washed out, a glimpse of our stars strolling around the field would be enough to make it worth the while. A few autographs and selfies would be icing on the cake! It doesn’t matter how they play the cover drive. It matters whether they are fielding in a spot where we can scream at them to grant us a hint of a look, a shy smile, maybe even a wink.

Isn’t this like going for a movie? We go for the sake of our stars, not the scripts. We will watch Akshay Kumar no matter what, even if it’s in a debacle such as Tees Maar Khan.  We will wolf whistle Salman Khan, no matter how hollow the acting and the storyline, and no matter how terrible his haircut (Tere Naam). We will even watch a movie with an overused regurgitated story featuring a couple of debutants, just because our Hero has sung a song in it!

Even if the more evolved part of our brains demands that we walk out at the interval, the reptilian part of the brain will take over and make us wait until the item song at the end credits!

And that is why the bottles were thrown.

You see, in our movies, our heroes always win. Always. No matter what the odds, no matter how many thugs and goons stand in the way, the hero always wins. All he has to do is switch to anti-gravity combat mode.  The goons get beaten up, and the damsel in distress is rescued. Job done and good has prevailed.  Always.

Everyone knows that cricket doesn’t work the same way.

 Everybody except everybody that is.

Everybody had been waiting for the match to come to Cuttack for more than two months. Since the music was released, the premiere was all everybody could talk about. Everybody wanted to catch the first day first show, as there was no other. Everybody took leave from work. Everybody stood in line in the baking heat for hours to buy their tickets. Everybody paid good money for them. Everybody lined up at the stadium three hours in advance, just so they could glimpse their stars getting out of the bus, and walk the proverbial red carpet into the theatre.

The stage was set. The stars descended. Everybody greeted the hero’s entry at the toss with a raucous roar. The villain’s decision to field was even more welcome. The popcorn began flying. The theatre was packed. Everybody was on their feet! Everybody was already dancing in the aisles. India was batting, and everything was going according to script! Everybody was enjoying the movie so far!

But when the Indian batting order began its slide into the abyss at Cuttack, everybody got confused. “This wasn’t how things are supposed to happen!”” Something’s wrong!” ‘’This isn’t what I paid for! How can the villain be winning?’’ said everybody. ‘’How can the heroine not be saved?

 And worst of all, how can the hero die???’’

Finally, somebody among everybody couldn’t take it. 

So somebody decided to save the day. Inspired by the numerous comebacks his hero had made on screen, somebody decided to rise above his ordinary existence. Somebody decided that he would become a hero!

 Even better, he would step in and save his heroes from an ignoble defeat and certain death!  Somebody would thwart the villain, and ensure justice! The cheerleaders would be charmed by his courage and daring, and swoon in his arms! The portly policemen manning the boundary would genuflect before him in gratitude, Gandhi topi tucked under their armpits, hands folded in reverence. They would even insist that their rescuer receive the Man of the Match award for his services to heroism.

And thus, the first bottle flew.

And as a new hero was born, the masses followed in blissful blind adoration.

To Bash or not to Bash

This article first appeared in '' Seamstress '', my column for Wisden India

These are exciting times for the women’s cricket community. The inaugural Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) is set to begin in December this year, and England will launch the Women’s Cricket Super League in the English summer next year. The women’s game is about to pass through the alchemy that transformed the men’s game eight years ago, and enter the radical sphere of T20 leagues.

While the ECB’s Women’s Cricket Super League is still in its cocoon stages, the WBBL is already recruiting players for its eight teams, aligned to the BBL teams.  As the Kings XI Punjab showed in the previous edition of the IPL, recruiting the right team is the first step to success. To quote Ed Smith,’’ Once the players are out on the pitch, they are on their own- which makes it important to get the right ones out there in the first place’’. 

With teams allowed to recruit up to three overseas players each, a possible total of 24 overseas players may find themselves playing down under this Aussie summer.  As teams look to recruit the best possible international talent, five teams have already announced the signing of a total of 12 overseas players so far. Conspicuously absent from the list so far though, are any Indian female players, although Cricket Australia has expressed an interest in recruiting them.

It is a well known but little mentioned fact that the BCCI does not encourage Indian male players to participate in foreign domestic T20 leagues. While overseas players from all countries flock to the Indian Premier League, how many Indians have you seen in the BBL? Or the Caribbean Premier League? None.

All players require an NOC from their home boards before participating in any foreign competition, irrespective of format. The BCCI seems to reserve Indian players for the IPL however, and no male player has played in a foreign T20 league in recent times.

But with no domestic league to reserve their female players for, the BCCI stands to gain in a number of ways by setting a new precedent and allowing its female players to participate in foreign leagues:

1.       Higher standard of cricket:

Indian players will gain infinitely by the experience of playing in Australia, widely considered to have the strongest domestic competition in women’s cricket. And the WBBL will be an extension of that competition. With the influx of international players, the standard is likely to rise even higher.

2.       Exposure to foreign conditions:

The players would spend more than a month travelling the length and breadth of Australia, acclimatise to the foreign conditions, speed of the quicker, bouncier Aussie pitches and the nuances of various venues. They could gain crucial insights into the adaptations that are required to succeed down under. And all such experience will only be useful as and when India tour Australia. (Incidentally, India will tour Australia for a bilateral series immediately after the WBBL in January 2016.  An acclimatisation period could not be more perfectly timed. )

3.       Financial benefits :

Domestic female players in Australia have recently benefitted from a significant pay raise, and WBBL contracts are likely to add to their windfall.  Such opportunities will be few and far between for Indian domestic players. While the BCCI can offer male players high financial rewards through its home league, the lack of any such league for women in India means that the board would be doing a considerable disservice to the women if they are not allowed to participate in foreign leagues.

Although the WBBL overlaps with India’s senior domestic women’s calendar, the absence of some Indian stars is a small price to pay in the bigger scheme of things. If the advantages gained by playing in the WBBL translate into an away series win, then the absence of the players during the domestic season will be worth it. Players can always be selected by the weight of their performances in the WBBL itself. And there is no preparation like match practice. As for the ECB’s Women’s Cricket Super League, it is unlikely to coincide with any domestic tournaments.

These leagues could open up uncharted opportunities for the world’s most talented players. Here are some Indian cricketers who teams in foreign domestic leagues might be keen on recruiting:

·         Jhulan Goswami :

The spearhead of the Indian attack for almost a decade, Jhulan’s pace and accuracy have been an asset to the Indian team. Ubiquitously known as a fighter, she has single handedly bowled her team to victory on many occasions. More than useful with the bat down the order, she adds value to a team through sheer experience and fighting spirit. On the fast, pacy pitches in Australia, a number of teams would have on their radar the ICC’s top ranked ODI bowler.

·         Mithali Raj:

The undisputed queen of Indian batting. She is the archetype of class. The Indian captain is known for her silken touch and effortless timing, both while playing the ball in the air and along the turf. With more than 15 years of international experience behind her, buoyed by truckloads of runs, she would be extremely sought after by team scouts. She opens the batting for India in the T20 format, and will lend stability to any team she may be a part of.

·         Harmanpreet Kaur :

Her batswing clearly tells a keen observer that Harmanpreet idolises Virender Sehwag. And like him, she is known for her ability to clear the ropes. In addition, she has recently added accurate off spin bowling to her skill set, and gained a reputation as a genuine all-rounder.  Combined with the fact that she is an exceptional fielder,  Harmanpreet is a captain’s delight, particularly for the T20 format.

With the BCCI  having announced that contracts will be implemented for the women’s team as well, the participation in such tournaments is likely to be addressed in those contracts.  The new BCCI administration has already taken positive steps towards the development of women’s cricket. For instance : the announcement of an intention to contract players, addition of an U-23 tournament and a three day tournament in the domestic calendar. Will the BCCI break down the wall it has built around itself for the greater good of Indian women’s cricket? I am hopeful. 

All boundaries are conventions, waiting to be transcended. One may transcend any convention, if only one may first conceive of doing so. – From the movie ’Cloud Atlas’