`Go global' mantra hurting lower layer of Indian cricketIn the times of instant, quick-fix solutions, India's obsession with one-day internationals and reluctant flirtation with Tests, the statement from the Board president where he made a reference to domestic cricket came as a pleasant surprise. No one expects a Board official, that too its president, to hold a press conference and talk about the neglected rung of India's cricket structure, the Ranji Trophy Championship. These days such platforms are used to announce mega deals with sponsors or an announcement of a new international tournament. The venues of these money-spinners are spreading across the globe in a ``serious effort to globalise the game.''These days the balance has shifted so much towards internationalising the game that most of us have probably forgotten that there exists a lower layer at home without which India won't be able to field a national side. After all international cricket is not played in a vacuum. It needs aregular `supply' of fresh talent so that the quality of contest `provided' to a `consumer' is worthy of his time and money spent.As the reality dawns on the television-hooked fan that his team is dishing out mediocrity in the name of `thrilling' contests and more the same set of players play, the more listless and jaded they appear, he is likely to change the channel. And once the consumer gets dissatisfied with the product it is bound to lose its brand equity. There are all indications that Indian cricket is showing signs of getting affected by the laws of diminishing returns.Who would know this better than those at the helm of the Board? After all the de facto chief of the Board, Jagmohan Dalmiya, is a very successful businessman and its elected president, A C Muthiah, is heading a multi-crore empire. And to stem this rot, fire-fighting measures are needed immediately, but if things are allowed to drift and the status quo is maintained, the future won't be all that rosy. Keeping all these factors inmind, it is time to have a serious look at the domestic structure and find ways and means to inject a new life into its dying edifice. When the nourishment provided to a child is poor, his growth is bound to get stunted. That is what has happened to Indian cricket, the reason behind why we are struggling to find quality new talent.At the Jaipur Board meeting last month, where Kapil Dev was appointed the coach of the team, Muthiah replaced Rajsingh Dungarpur as its president. Among the first few words he spoke to the press he did make a mention of domestic cricket and how ``everything will be done to improve the game in the country.'' And a month later he holds a press conference where domestic cricket is on his agenda.So far so good. But what should come as a disappointment is that it touches the issue of fitness, which no doubt is very important, but not the beginning and end of all that ails Indian cricket. It is fine to have physios attached to all the state teams so that ``their fitness levels areimproved.'' But how is this step going to improve the quality of cricket and provide stiff competition is difficult to comprehend. The whole cricketing world has been time and again pointing at the flaws which need to be corrected so that first-class cricket in India becomes meaningful. The quality of pitches needs to be improved; top teams need to play each other more often rather than play teams like Himachal, Goa or Tripura; international calendar has to be framed in a manner which gives time to top players play in the competition and so on.To make these structural changes, Mr Muthiah and the Board will require professional services of past and present players, administrators and even sponsors to arrive at a proper solution to this problem, before it gets too late.- Pradeep Magazine can be reached at pradeepmagazine@express2.indexp.co.in
