T20 is so bad for ODI's - or is it?

One of the best experiences I had during the sport management course was to work on, and write, my dissertation. My fabulous and very charming guide, Terri Byers, wanted me to write on the progress of sports in emerging economies ... and I ended up producing a thesis entitled, "Barriers to Organizational Change - The Case of Professionalization of Cricket in India". 

It was the best time to research on this topic ... as the IPL was unheard of, and the cricket was riding a slowing bicycle on two dilapidated wheels - ODI's, and Tests. Of course ... the deterioration came in which too much of riding (and taking spectators for a ride), match-fixing needles ... and useless performances.

It was during this dissertation when I would sit down in a small, desolated room of the library, and interview some cricket greats from all domains (radio, players, a BCCI President, coaches) over the telephone - which was followed by transcribing every word and, then, making sense of it. I would never forget the attitude that ex-Indian national Jatin Paranjpe showered ... and refused to give me time enough to even introduce myself ... but I would also never forget Prem Panicker (of Rediff fame), who gave me all the time, and gyaan, in the world! While some people are plain ignore-worthy, some others are just awesome!

Prem had, then, opined that Indian cricket would go the same way as West Indian cricket had went after their prime - it would nosedive. Comparing Indian cricket to Indian cinema, he foresaw that test cricket (art movies) and ODI cricket (single screen theatres) will give way to T20 (multiplexes) ... where the perceived values of the cash-rich-time-poor customer/spectator (movie-goer) would be focussed more on the overall experience of watching the game (movie) rather than the technical quality of the game (direction, acting ... and stuff).

That was, to me, great judgement. After the first IPL, I actually remembered to write to Prem that his prophecies were coming true, and he remembered me and was kind enough to reply.

But where am I going with this story-telling?

Hmmm ... I have started to believe that Prem's prophecies may not be true in the long term - thanks to the vision-less way in which T20 is being treated in India. Yesterday, while surfing the Economic Times (which I buy to try my head at the crossword), I read that the TRP rating for the 1st Ind-Aus ODI was much more than most of the matches of both - the T20 World Cup, and the T20 Champions League!

This came as a huge surprise, but a nice relief as well, to me. Like most of the sport lovers, I really want the commercial aspects of the game to not take the front-seat - which is precisely what's happening with T20. But the findings of that article in ET were worth mentioning: 

The cash-rich-time-poor junta loves T20 more than the ODI's ... if it's about 3-4 games or so. Hence, on a given day, a buff would like to watch a T20 and save time, rather than sit through an ODI game. However, when it comes to many days of watching cricket, it's the ODI that takes the cake. The same cash-rich-time-poor punter would rather watch the entire constellation of Indian stars playing together (especially against a team like Australia) ... instead of watching a plethora of games that feature 2-3 stars each (in domestic T20). Afterall, India is more concerned with celebrities rather than the sport.

The ET folks failed to compare an international T20 with an ODI ... but I guess the shorter version of the game would win the contest hands down. Waiting for the time when T20 falls flat on it's nose ... and sense is directed to more beautiful things in the world! 

As an aside, some of the things that could help ODI (and Tests) retain their class could be ... 

1) Rivalries - which are drenched in the history of tests and ODI's;

2) Strategic, and more technical, nature of the game;

3) Statistics - which do not account for much in a T20, but are something that cricket fans are so mad about when it comes to ODI's and Tests; and (very importantly)

4) Poor handling of T20 by the management!

"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."

(Wonder where India features in the "Number of Laws" list)!