Why Was India Not On The Ball?

While watching the recent cricket series between England and India, it made me think how sporting heroes are the new Rock Stars and with their bevy of stunning WAGs- Wives and Girlfriends. Women have always loved men in uniforms.

They lead extremely posh and spoilt lives and are paid millions of dollars for what they do even if it’s “just” kicking a ball around. It reminded me of the time when sports was a competition to see who was the best in a friendly competition to do with skill.

Today, however, whether football/soccer, basketball, wrestling, boxing, even golf, and cricket, it’s all about the money. As English pummeled India into submission- going into the series, India was the Number One team in the world and which they are no longer- and won the Test series, one had to wonder if big money has now taken over that “gentlemen’s game” known as cricket.

Let’s face it, many of those Indian cricketers get paid stacks for, especially, playing in the Twenty/20 league as do a number of other Big Name International cricketers who are no longer playing Test cricket. Instead, they are paid small fortunes to play for various teams in the Indian Twenty/20 League and where, as many know, many huge bets are played.

Remember the pretty recent case involving three Pakistani players found guilty for being paid for information in a sting operation to know exactly when they would be bowling no balls etc?

When one can have a bet on every ball bowled, well, that adds up to some huge betting opportunities.

As in all sports, conspiracy theorist abound when talking about this series and how a team with such great batsmen could not score over 300 runs in six innings.

Also, why there were so many “injuries” and questions are still being asked as to why the team looked bored, cold and made such elementary mistakes where “dolly” catches were, somehow, put down.

Was this a team that was so tired after a grueling touring schedule or was it ‘cos several members were “saving” themselves for the start of the new Twenty/20 Season?

After all, how much money is their in playing Test cricket? What’s the prize? Pride in winning? Surely, that’s an old-fashioned concept?

If so, perhaps it needs to be brought back in order for sports fans to truly believe that the teams and players they are supporting, are not simply “doing it”- and losing it- for the money.