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 Nov 1: India Vs Australia, Mumbai match: Dull, drab and one-sided.
Attendance in college: 5 out of 75.
Nov 3: Australia Vs New Zealand, Pune match: Exciting, pulsating, last-ball decider.
Attendance in college: 70 out of 75.
Why is that people, more so youngsters, prefer to watch only Indian matches?
Why is that people prefer to watch India play, even if it is drab, rather than an Australia-New Zealand, edge-of-the-seat thriller?
 Of course, the genius of Sachin, Dravid and the likes, combined with the exuberance of Bhajji, Yuvraj make for wonderful entertainment. The Indian cricket team has, time and again, produced works of brilliant sporting display that has taken us to the heights of the Himalayas.
The World Cup in South Africa is an apt example of this.
BUT, how less significant is a champion innings by Damien Martyn in comparison to a Rahul Wall Dravids match-saving enduring knock? How less significant is a furious spell sent down by Nathan Bracken in comparison to several beauties in a tight Zaheer Khan spell?
Why again, India, India, India???
Yes, accepted, India is a great team, has budding cricketers and is home to the Incomparable Genius.
But, is this japam of India, India equivalent to patriotism? To an extent, yes, but, doesnt the very word patriotism have deeper, more significant meanings?
Frankly speaking, a true sports lover would any day prefer the nail-biting thrillers, like the Pune Australia-New Zealand match rather than a drab, one-sided affair, like the Mumbai India-Australia match (this will hold good even if India had won that match, in the same fashion).
Srinivasa Ramanujam
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