Fading Skill

I still remember the days when I was reprimanded as a kid for watching cricket test matches on TV, the reason being the predominant lack of a sure unilateral result. Most games would leave bowlers and the viewers brain dead for it would take all 5 days of the test match to go through just the first innings of each side. I would not dare to say that there was a dearth of quality in games of yesteryears for it was then that the ball and the bat spoke more than the players did. It took more than just effort, strength of body and mind and lots of skill to survive a good bowling attack or get a good batsman out. The purist in me yearns for a repeat of this sweet reminiscence in the game of cricket. Wicketkeepers were devoted to their primary skill and displayed elegance of the highest order on the cricketing field with their unsurpassed glovework. They were part time batsmen not expected to play for long but still cause damage with cameos and some unorthodox batting. Spin bowlers gave the ball some air and foxed batsmen with flight. Unless there was sound footwork, earning a run was a distant dream. The game was played in its best form for most part of the year interspersed by the shorter long one day format. Extreme talent with utmost simplicity was the name of this game. The good alone survived and the weak perished...

And now, this day, cricket seems to have become interesting for sure, but upon introspection, alarmingly reveals the lack of basic talent in the game that I saw growing up. Tests don't last till the fourth day in most cases. I haven't seen a drawn test in ages. Bowlers lack the command the geniuses of the previous generation had and batsmen fail even against these jokers. Wicketkeeping has naturally declined and the main focus is on batsmen who can also wield wider gloves behind the stumps. Tom, Dick and Harry are heroes from a single good day on the field and are surprisingly blown out of proportion by the actual stalwarts from the past.

Money... money.... you have made many a name, but totally killed the game!!!

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