Rajat Subhra Chatterje
0060
I am not biased neither obsessed with cricket. But surely a lover of the game and most certainly a keen watcher.
Watching the game over last 60 years, my thoughtful submission is that cricket’s most spectacular show must be the Ashes series. The very high standard of cricket in the current 2023 series in England notwithstanding, Ashes is fought between two teams for supremacy in cricket unlike India Pakistan series where two warring nations fight with personal vendetta at stake for false national pride where cricket takes the back seat often.
Watching Ashes series is pleasing for cricket connoisseurs because cricket is always in the forefront. It is played in pleasing climate, on excellent wickets ( first and primary condition for good cricket ) and in right spirit. There is no ugly on- field antics or uncalled for aggression, no star value expressed ( though very many stars take part in Ashes fights ), though acute cricket rivalry exists. The very spectacle of any Ashes series means superb batting and bowling, brilliant fielding all through and the ambiance that are so much lacking else where. Whether Lords or MCG, The Oval or Adelaide, it is tradition all over. Only Eden Gardens and may be Brabourne can match with these venues in terms of tradition and spectacle. A huge stadium does not give you anything except the hollow feeling of ” empty vessel sounds much”. Can Rolland Garros or Flushing Meadows ever match in tradition with Wimbledon? Never. Though same professionals play in all those arena.
It is not that occasional outbursts don’t take place from cricketers in Ashes Tests. But that remains minimum and short lived. It is not that aggression is not expressed, rather very aggressive approach is often seen, both in batting and fast bowling, and even in field placements, yet that never crosses the line. It is not that teams involving in Ashes have never taken dubious methods to out wit opponent. Body Line bowling or Under-arm bowling ( 1981 against New Zealand ) by Trevor Chappell are testimonies. It is not that rash strokes are not played in Ashes Tests, but always it is remembered that this was being watched by puritans of cricket. An example. In the ongoing Lords Test, Harry Brook of England was going great gun in the first innings and completed his well earned half century, before he was unnerved by Aussie fast bowlers with few nasty blows. Then Brook, lost his cool and slashed one bouncer from Starc to be easily caught at cover by Cummins. It was a horrible shot. Now one puritan amongst many, named Geoff Boycott was seating in the stands and he immediately hide his face with his hand presumably in shame by seeing the horrendous shot from Brook. Means – not approved. That is a cricket watcher’s bonus indeed.
Indo Pak series was not like what we see now, if at all happens in near future. When Fazal Mahmood brought the Pakistan cricket team in 1960 with Hanif, Mustaq, Saeed Ahmed, Intekhab Alam, Javed Burki, Imtiaz Ahmed, Nasim ul Ghani et all to play a 5 Tests series against Nari Contractor led India with Abbas Ali Baig, Umrigar, Borde, Nadkarni, Manjrekar, Desai, Gupte, things were different and cricket was played at the highest spirit. But wanning of relationship between the two countries over the years, has taken a heavy toll on their cricketing rivalry as well. Today it is anything but cricket. Let’s not forget at the same breadth, that some fabulous cricketers, even during these warring years from both these countries have glorified the game only. They have gone down in the history of the game as Greats like many that take part in Ashes fights.
Both England and Australia are India’s arch cricket rivals and matches against them are played by Indians very hard with eye ball to eye ball situation. No ground given for any complacency. Yet, over the last decade or so, the game is de-reputed through some unnecessary, unsavouring, infantile disorder on field by a few on both sides which has not helped the game in any case.
Ashes or Indo Pak series, whatever takes place, the stakeholders must not forget that the game is far bigger than any individual and egoism or uglyism has no place in Cricket which emphatically underlines the word etiquette.
