Harsha Bhogale in an article on the ESPNcricinfo website, on the topic of Smaller contingent for home ODIs has wandered on a subject that is illogical to say the least.He feels that India has too many first class teams playing and that is the reason why the Ranji Trophy standards are poor.He reaches that conclusion based on Amol Mazumdar's ability at age 38 to score century on demand.( He scored five this season playing for Andhra Pradesh.) Chemical Engineering and PGDM at IIMs are hardly the training required to inculcate critical reasoning and Harsha Bhogale may be excused for reaching a conclusion based on context which is not logical.
That Amol Mazumdar can at this age score runs at will is no indication that he has lost his ability to bat well. Sitanshu Kotak,Jacque Kallis, Shivnaaine Chanderpaul amongst others are scoring runs pretty much with a similar average against different bowling.For a country with more than 1200 million people, Mr.Bhogale , 27 first class teams are not more but less.What Harsha Bhogale fails to see is that the teams don't represent the country's demographics. Bihar and Chaatisgarh between them have a population bigger than all Test Match playing nations.Cricket is played and followed everywhere from Baccheli to Raipur and Gopalganj to Araria.Yet, the BCCI does not find it odd that such large states are unrepresented in First Class cricket.At the same time a combined Gujarat or Maharashtra team will be stronger and have a bigger catchment area.Having 27 teams perse only means that the game is thriving and not limited to a select few.Cricket will grow and more first class teams will find a place under the Indian skies.A country with 28 states and seven Union Territories can have possibly 35 teams.Players from bigger states could move to smaller states.Players from Maharashtra representing Arunachal pradesh or from Bihar representing Manipur or lakshdweep will only add to a feeling of a large but united country.
That Amol Mazumdar can at this age score runs at will is no indication that he has lost his ability to bat well. Sitanshu Kotak,Jacque Kallis, Shivnaaine Chanderpaul amongst others are scoring runs pretty much with a similar average against different bowling.For a country with more than 1200 million people, Mr.Bhogale , 27 first class teams are not more but less.What Harsha Bhogale fails to see is that the teams don't represent the country's demographics. Bihar and Chaatisgarh between them have a population bigger than all Test Match playing nations.Cricket is played and followed everywhere from Baccheli to Raipur and Gopalganj to Araria.Yet, the BCCI does not find it odd that such large states are unrepresented in First Class cricket.At the same time a combined Gujarat or Maharashtra team will be stronger and have a bigger catchment area.Having 27 teams perse only means that the game is thriving and not limited to a select few.Cricket will grow and more first class teams will find a place under the Indian skies.A country with 28 states and seven Union Territories can have possibly 35 teams.Players from bigger states could move to smaller states.Players from Maharashtra representing Arunachal pradesh or from Bihar representing Manipur or lakshdweep will only add to a feeling of a large but united country.
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