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| 2009-05-07 16:39 |
| Confessions of a Confused FAN |
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| cric mania |
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And now there is IPL season 2, and frankly speaking I am totally confused.
There was this Indian cricket team who used to win and lose and unsettle me for a complete day if not more, with its trysts in the field. And then there is IPL2 which ceases to catch my imagination, attention and enthusiasm.
Here I was discussing with my colleagues in office about which team might/shall win the IPL this time, and I realised I did not care at all.
I sought out the reason for this. Found out that IPL does not generate an identity within me.
So, ok, I live in Bangalore and I should support Royal Challengers. So, when Jacques Kallis bowls to Sachin Tendulkar, I really should hope that Tendulkar plays a bad shot and gets out. I should really enjoy when MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh walk out in the middle of the ground not playing in the same team, but to toss out a coin and decide who bats first.
I should be happy that it is the Kolkata Knight Riders is out of contention for the semifinals and not the Royal Challengers, when I know that Saurav Ganguly is not going to play in the semifinals.
And you might ask, but doesn't that happen in Football (Soccer) with their Premier Leagues, doesn't that happen in other sports at all, and why shouldn't it happen in cricket? Well, for me the Indian team as a contingent is as dear as the game itself.
With the Ranji trophy, atleast it is the battle between the states. I do not follow England's county cricket.
Probably I am fading away to a past generation, as I like ODI's more than T20s. Probably similarly as my ancestors liked a test match more than an ODI.
Makes me feel old. And whoa, I hope I am not the 'past' yet. ;)
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![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) ashwinne |
| 2009-05-07 12:07 (UTC) |
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The only time I watch cricket is during World Cup, period. The only time IPL touched my world is when I was out shopping for a pair of Reebok floaters and saw that a lot of them are branded as Royal Challengers now.
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| varshaac |
| 2009-05-08 03:29 (UTC) |
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:) You better get geared up for the T20 World Cup coming in shortly and the 2011 ODI World cup as well.
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| ashwinne |
| 2009-05-08 03:46 (UTC) |
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T20 is a bit too fast and stressful for my taste. I almost feel that it's not in the nature of the game of cricket to be stuffed and bottled into a fast 20 overs. ODI World Cup will be fine thank you :-)
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| vaidya |
| 2009-05-08 00:27 (UTC) |
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You don't have to go ancestral levels, there are still people like me who watch test cricket more avidly than ODIs and T20s.
For me, supporting RCB comes more naturally, although I love watching Sachin play, am not among the countless who go silent when he gets out :)...
Of course, being a big fan of Dravid and Kumble helps...
And I have negatives for every other team:
Mumbai's got Harbhajan whom I really despise, Punjab Yuvraj Singh whom I generally consider a flat wicket bully, Delhi is a 2-horse show, but nothing to make me root for them big-time over Bangalore, Kolkata same thing, plus they have their own worries...
I am against Hyderabad simply because they are/were competitors for Bangalore over everything, but otherwise I like that team, and well they usually win on most fronts, even on having a good airport (our politicians suck)...Chennai, well its Chennai, and no self-respecting Bangalorean will ever support Chennai :P
See, made it easy for me to support RCB even if they suck as a team...
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| varshaac |
| 2009-05-08 03:42 (UTC) |
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I do watch Test cricket as well, but probably not every ball. The 'White' cricket is ranked right up there when compared to 'Coloured' cricket.
For me, an Indian cricketer is somehow ranked higher than a non-Indian cricketer. And to see them getting split up into different teams and play for different sides puts me in a fix. I do admire Kumble (ex-RVCEite on top of that) and Dravid. That criterion fades a little with the likes of Boucher, Kallis and others in the team. If there was a match between Karnataka and Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy, I would definitely go all out for Karnataka, like a true Kannadiga. :D
And now, what if, Dravid and Kumble play for 'say' Chennai Super Kings in the next IPL. Wouldn't you be confused? ;) :D
That might also happen since Zaheer is now playing for Mumbai and Robin Utthappa is playing for Bangalore when they were in different teams last time.
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| ashwinne |
| 2009-05-08 03:49 (UTC) |
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I don't see why they aren't backing the Ranji with the kind of money and image that IPL is getting! It will be nice to support Ranji teams made of players from one's own state and only Indians.
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| vaidya |
| 2009-05-08 05:17 (UTC) |
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Well they are supposed to be pumping all this money into domestic cricket...
But in a way IPL is good...many domestic players are coming to the forefront and getting recognized...
But yes, there is definitely a lack of interest in the domestic games among most people...
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| vaidya |
| 2009-05-08 04:06 (UTC) |
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Which self respecting Bangalorean would play for Chennai?! If they do, they are no longer self-respecting Bangaloreans and hence I don't have to support them :)
Zaheer plays for Mumbai in Ranji and Uthappa is from Coorg, so it makes sense, although it doesn't make any cricketing sense as Uthappa is a nonsense player while Zaheer's a good bowler...
So the move pretty much left me flabbergasted!
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| varshaac |
| 2009-05-11 03:23 (UTC) |
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I just gave an example of Chennai, it could be any other team. :). And frankly speaking, I like the Chennai team. Dhoni, Hayden, Murali and the lot.
Anyways, I am still the confused fan. And RC seems to be going out of contention anyways, so I need not care at all now.
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| ashwinne |
| 2009-05-08 03:44 (UTC) |
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You don't have to go ancestral levels, there are still people like me who watch test cricket more avidly than ODIs and T20s.
Actually, we've never seen you as a person the same age as us! If we are like hobbits (ignorant and with finite lifespans) we've always seen you as Gandalf the wizard (wise, experienced and a lifespan of centuries). No wonder you like test cricket. Heck, cricket must've been invented when you were in school or something isn't it? ;-)
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| ashwinne |
| 2009-05-08 03:51 (UTC) |
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Vaidya, the wise Wizard of India ... has a nice Amar Chitra Katha ring to it! Someone could make a superhero or ACK comic series on that! :-)
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| varshaac |
| 2009-05-11 03:25 (UTC) |
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ROTFL :D. But I agree with Ashwin, you do have a wizardly look and thought.
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