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Opening More Avenues

The interest levels for coverage and for advertising are at the usual high levels for a clash that sees two nations trying to prove a point or two.

The millions of dollars that pour in for a series in India are only to be expected from the way the game has established itself as the quickest money-spinner after the movie industry in India.

The talking point for the hosts is about their ageing players who have been blocking new faces from coming into the side for the past three years.

Australia as we know have a relatively younger side, with their frontline bowlers, not having played a Test in India.

Ganguly’s announcement to quit the game after the series just goes to prove that retirement is all about quitting at the right time before being asked to move out.

The endorsements — which the Indian board is directly and indirectly involved in, are the revolving factors here.

Money is made without much investment in the sport and no one wants to lose out on that count.

Everything is about money and nothing but money, even for those who have lost count of the millions stacked in their banks and elsewhere in investments.

We cannot call this greed. Money earned, even if it is at the cost of budding talent, takes the centre-stage in one’s career.

Grooming is almost absent, especially when it comes to the future of sports in India.

Australia is one that benefits from an evolved and proven system while India manages with short-term thinking and virtually no sustained planning.

India has been lucky here and has been able to put up good shows especially in the shorter versions of the sport due to the unending flow of natural talent that is available at any given time.

Whatever is the case, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has all the necessary ingredients to make the current one a thriller right to the last match, unless of course drab, meaningless draws creep in.