Unsung Heroes

As the much hyped and invested Indian Premier League comes to an end it brings many issues to the forefront, on-field and off-field. The culture vultures have been training their guns at cheerleaders and their ‘deplorable’ flesh show. And, arm-chair critics are in fumes over the brazenness with which Indian Board conducts its operations. On filed, pugnacious Bhajji slapping no, hitting, yes that’s the correct word, Sree Santh in true WWF style, then the latter downplaying the incident by saying shake-hand at a wrong place, yes you’re right Sree Santh in front of cameras!!!

Nobody knows, culture vultures or arm-chair critics, the difference between fine-leg and long-leg. So they talk nuisance, that’s trivia, it’s not cricket. Let’s talk cricket, what’s interesting about the game is, have a look at the points table. The Rajasthan Roayals, which was dubbed as the underdog, won the much coveted trophy. The Chennai Kings and Punjab XI stand second and third. Let’s go further down, in fact all the way down to the bottom, we find the Deccan Chargers (my home team!!), just above them the Royal Challengers and then the Mumbai Indians. Interestingly these three teams are the priciest of all, the Mumbai Indians price was $120 million, the Royal Challengers, 116 and the Deccan Chargers, 114. That’s not all. These teams went for broke at the players’ auction, but still languishing at the bottom of the table unable to get their horses out of paddock.

Is there any correlation between the big bucks and performance? Negative, yes, that’s what statistics say. And Deepthi Nandan, a freelance sports writer, agrees, “Many of those costliest players failed to perform but unknown players like Shaun Marsh, Asnodkar did really well, that’s been the highlight of the tournament.” The Rajasthan Royals was fined for spending too low at the auction table; two months later they happily stand at the top, and the other low-budget teams Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata Knightriders stand way above the costliest of the lot.

Individual Performances
Scratch further, look at individual performances, Andrew Symonds, Dhoni and Sachin fetched about $1.5 million each but their cupboards sport a bare look without any player of the match trophies. On the other hand Sohail Tanvir, Goni and Watson, sold at $150,000 each, have won matches single handedly. Here too, negative correlation between price and performance. According to Hindustan Times each run came off from Dhoni’s, costliest player of the lot, bat was worth $3500 whereas the highest rungetter in the tournament, Shaun Marsh’s each run was valued at just below $50. In bowlers category, Sohail Tanvir’s, the most successful bowler, each wicket fetched him just above $4000 but Ishanth Sharma’s each wicket earned him a whopping $135,714. That’s what still amuses Vishal,a PR professional and an avid fan “I was surprised nobody was ready to buy Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir at their base prices.” None of the franchises was ready to buy these players not even at their base prices. Over a course of month they proved everybody—so called analysts, strategists, punters and money-minded owners-- wrong.

In true Bollywood filmi style Hum kisise kum nahin (we are inferior to none), these motley group of players proved it is the fire in the belly, passion filled hearts that drive performances in arena, not big bucks and glam sham. They needed a window to showcase their skills to the outside world. The IPL has been just that. Sports serve society by providing vivid examples of excellence, the IPL is just about that, it proved all are equal, at least in sports arena. It’s the single-minded determination and zeal to excel that separates champions from the mediocre, not renting each limb to endorse a different product.

Barter System
But with bartering system coming into effect from the next season all this is going to change, those who fail to perform will be exchanged for another player. But, Srinivas, a cricket coach based out of Hyderbad, sees no logic in it, “Who will be ready to take a non performer, even if they do it will be for another non performer. It doesn’t make a big difference.” Of course, who would exchange Marsh,Watson and Pathan? None, sure.
Come next season, it’ll be the time to sit and cherish the on-field exploits of thses unheralded heroes, once again. Three cheers!