Monday, December 17, 2012

Greying of the Indian Test Followers

Steve Waugh tried to breach the final frontier and failed.Australia was able to win the series in 2004 in India but the series was won only because rain ruined India's chance of winning in Chennai. And after the series normal business was restored in Indian conditions.The team looks so ragged at present and bowling options so limited that it is really good that the BCCI does not invite Bangladesh to tour India because the Bangladesh spinners are way better than ours and we do not have the pace of Roach and Best.

The Indian team needs to rebuild but the problem is of the entire cricketing world.With Hockey, Badminton and football competing for Indian eyeballs, it is difficult to imagine that the IPL alone will be able to keep cricket a major TV draw in India for long if the Indian Test team becomes weak.The elderly and the retired are premium TV audience and with growing prosperity, they are also likely to attract advertisers.However the next few decades will see the generation who grew following  Tests retiring.In sheer terms these numbers will match potential viewers anywhere in the world.They will need a strong Indian test team rather than any IPL franchise.Cricket needs a strong Indian team to remain afloat in the world amidst Basketball, baseball, American football besides football itself.

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