After spending an eternity of watching cricket, today I had an epiphany: Why do I watch cricket? Why does anyone watch cricket at all? Why waste the precious time of our lives on some silly game? The game where someone keeps on hitting a piece of leather with a stick. I mean what kind of game is that? Hitting things with a piece of wood, two players playing and rest others watching, a guy in funny hat making strange gestures. No. No. We need to stop this madness. This doesn't make any sense.
All sports are absurd in some sense. Take Football for example. 22 guys are crazy for one ball to go into some rectangular net. They could have been doing million other things at that time. Like reading and writing letters to their loved ones, taking a world-tour, eating pizzas etc. But, they would rather spend those hours of life kicking a round thing. what is the fun in that?
Take another example. Tennis. Two guys are hitting a ball back and forth across a netted-wall till one guy dozes off to sleep or decides to sneak a peek to surroundings. Why can't they do something else with their time? Why can't they stop the madness and be sane like rest of us?
Sports has an enormous wide spectrum in things-to-do. In some sports, animals race for their masters, in some sports, people actually run on animals, in some sports, people run for no reason, in some sports, you have to do some stunts. Some sports are played with hands, some with legs, some with both. Some sports are played on land, some in water, some in air. There is no fixed standard. It seems like Sports is idiotic after all.
But, cricket has got to be the oddest of all sports. It involves ridiculous number of rules, idiosyncrasies, inexplicable rules, inconsistent and weirdly long hours and worst of all, two players having fun and rest of them thinking about dinner. So, why do we watch this mindless game at all? Why? Do we choose cricket? Or Does cricket choose us? Let us investigate a little further.
Every time I ask any fellow, "Why do they watch cricket?" They call me a "buffoon". They love the game, but they don't seem to have the answer. But, I reckon there are at least 42 reasons to watch cricket. I can't list them all down here. Nevertheless I will provide a glimpse of possible rationale:
Is it because of excellence?: There is no doubt that cricket admires and appreciates excellence. Some sportspersons are freakishly good at what they do. Same is true in cricket. Batsmen like Bradman, Tendulkar, DeVilliers, Ponting, Lara, Sobers etc. inspire millions and people are often in awe of them. There is nothing more motivational to human soul than watching a fellow being excel at something. When people watch their heroes shine, it stirs them up to be the best in their respective fields. Cricket helps in this.
Because of an outlet from real life?: There is no denying that normal life can be boring and dull as hell sometimes. The ennui and despair of life can be daunting at times, that's for sure. Cricket provides a perfect outlet. People watch cricket to refresh themselves. Adolescent people are often so worried about the future and they succumb to weltschmerz of life. Cricket comes as a perfect rescue. It nourishes the spirit and tells that it ain't all that bad and gloomy.
Is it because it is simulation of real life?: Cricket is as close as it gets to a simulation of real life. Someone once said, "The way you bat, reflects your character as a person". I hardly agreed with any other surmise more than that. Batsman come, play, entertain and leave the field like we do in life. Someone out there is always there to get you out. You have to take calculated risks and keep the scoreboard ticking along. Isn't it a lot like real life? Cricket, however is often better than life. Life often is cruel and unfair. It demands us to take perfect decisions based on incomplete and imperfect information. Cricket will let you decide for yourself and you alone are responsible for the consequences. There is no hiding in cricket. Transparent.
Is it because it is sacred, unadulterated version of things?: Cricket is holy. Cricket is sacred. Cricket is pure. It is gentleman's game for no other reason. Things are so crisp and absolute in cricket. Whatever is out there against you, you just swallow. It irks me a lot that there are corruption, match-fixing etc. cases coming up in cricket. It breaks my heart. But, I am sure things will turn out to be okay in grand scheme. To me, There is no better sight in the world than someone using his feet, coming down the track and flicking the ball off his legs. MAGIC. Silence. Purity. There you go.
Is it because of drama and uncertainty, or Is it because of fun?: Might it be possible that we watch cricket because of enormous drama and uncertainly it provides? Things are not done till they are done. It ain't over, till it is over. I have been riled by a number of teams losing unlosable games and what has pleased me on a number of occasions when some team snatches a win against astronomical odds. Who can forget the drama of 1999 world cup when South Africa couldn't get a run in 4 balls and crashed out of tournament after a tie or when India defeated the mighty Australians after coming back from a follow-on? What about Botham's magic at Headingley, 81? What about T20, 2016 world cup cup final over? Or those heart-stopper super-overs? Very recently, IPL 10 finale?
Cricket: We choose you. No questions asked. Men may come and men may go, but cricket goes on forever. Endlessly. Full of joy. Full of spirit. Come. Join. Rejoice. Celebrate.
To Cricket,
Yours....
Apparently forever,
Pawan.
All sports are absurd in some sense. Take Football for example. 22 guys are crazy for one ball to go into some rectangular net. They could have been doing million other things at that time. Like reading and writing letters to their loved ones, taking a world-tour, eating pizzas etc. But, they would rather spend those hours of life kicking a round thing. what is the fun in that?
Take another example. Tennis. Two guys are hitting a ball back and forth across a netted-wall till one guy dozes off to sleep or decides to sneak a peek to surroundings. Why can't they do something else with their time? Why can't they stop the madness and be sane like rest of us?
Sports has an enormous wide spectrum in things-to-do. In some sports, animals race for their masters, in some sports, people actually run on animals, in some sports, people run for no reason, in some sports, you have to do some stunts. Some sports are played with hands, some with legs, some with both. Some sports are played on land, some in water, some in air. There is no fixed standard. It seems like Sports is idiotic after all.
But, cricket has got to be the oddest of all sports. It involves ridiculous number of rules, idiosyncrasies, inexplicable rules, inconsistent and weirdly long hours and worst of all, two players having fun and rest of them thinking about dinner. So, why do we watch this mindless game at all? Why? Do we choose cricket? Or Does cricket choose us? Let us investigate a little further.
Every time I ask any fellow, "Why do they watch cricket?" They call me a "buffoon". They love the game, but they don't seem to have the answer. But, I reckon there are at least 42 reasons to watch cricket. I can't list them all down here. Nevertheless I will provide a glimpse of possible rationale:
Is it because of excellence?: There is no doubt that cricket admires and appreciates excellence. Some sportspersons are freakishly good at what they do. Same is true in cricket. Batsmen like Bradman, Tendulkar, DeVilliers, Ponting, Lara, Sobers etc. inspire millions and people are often in awe of them. There is nothing more motivational to human soul than watching a fellow being excel at something. When people watch their heroes shine, it stirs them up to be the best in their respective fields. Cricket helps in this.
Because of an outlet from real life?: There is no denying that normal life can be boring and dull as hell sometimes. The ennui and despair of life can be daunting at times, that's for sure. Cricket provides a perfect outlet. People watch cricket to refresh themselves. Adolescent people are often so worried about the future and they succumb to weltschmerz of life. Cricket comes as a perfect rescue. It nourishes the spirit and tells that it ain't all that bad and gloomy.
Is it because it is simulation of real life?: Cricket is as close as it gets to a simulation of real life. Someone once said, "The way you bat, reflects your character as a person". I hardly agreed with any other surmise more than that. Batsman come, play, entertain and leave the field like we do in life. Someone out there is always there to get you out. You have to take calculated risks and keep the scoreboard ticking along. Isn't it a lot like real life? Cricket, however is often better than life. Life often is cruel and unfair. It demands us to take perfect decisions based on incomplete and imperfect information. Cricket will let you decide for yourself and you alone are responsible for the consequences. There is no hiding in cricket. Transparent.
Is it because it is sacred, unadulterated version of things?: Cricket is holy. Cricket is sacred. Cricket is pure. It is gentleman's game for no other reason. Things are so crisp and absolute in cricket. Whatever is out there against you, you just swallow. It irks me a lot that there are corruption, match-fixing etc. cases coming up in cricket. It breaks my heart. But, I am sure things will turn out to be okay in grand scheme. To me, There is no better sight in the world than someone using his feet, coming down the track and flicking the ball off his legs. MAGIC. Silence. Purity. There you go.
Is it because of drama and uncertainty, or Is it because of fun?: Might it be possible that we watch cricket because of enormous drama and uncertainly it provides? Things are not done till they are done. It ain't over, till it is over. I have been riled by a number of teams losing unlosable games and what has pleased me on a number of occasions when some team snatches a win against astronomical odds. Who can forget the drama of 1999 world cup when South Africa couldn't get a run in 4 balls and crashed out of tournament after a tie or when India defeated the mighty Australians after coming back from a follow-on? What about Botham's magic at Headingley, 81? What about T20, 2016 world cup cup final over? Or those heart-stopper super-overs? Very recently, IPL 10 finale?
Cricket: We choose you. No questions asked. Men may come and men may go, but cricket goes on forever. Endlessly. Full of joy. Full of spirit. Come. Join. Rejoice. Celebrate.
To Cricket,
Yours....
Apparently forever,
Pawan.
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