Commentators' antics.

With the IPL gate looming large, the antics of our commentators are really amusing.

Instead of describing the activities happening on the ground, they drawl on extraneous issues. Take for instance the constant reminding the viewers about the MRF Blimp, as if nobody has seen it before. Probably they are getting paid to mention the MRF blimp several times, so that they can mint money. It is really sickening to note that such stalwarts like Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri repeating it several times, every day. I though that, they are a big draw for their incisive comments and for their knowledge of the game. They have been chosen only because of this.

Of late, these people show their parochial attitudes also. Take for example, Gavaskar was commenting on the Sachin catching Rahul Dravid. Mind you, the decision has not been given by the umpire and Rahul Dravid was standing his ground. Gavaskar was saying that, Dravid should have walked and went on to say that Sachin's credentials cannot be questioned as he knows whether he has taken the catch cleanly. Also he said that, having shared the Dressing Rooms with Sachin, Dravid should know better. I think, this is uncalled for remarks. As Sachin is a gentleman, so is Dravid. Just he was a Mumbaite doesn't mean that they are infallible. For that matter, nobody is infallible. It so happened that the catch was disallowed, as the replays showed that the ball has bounced before lodging into Sachin's hands. Gavaskar couldn't digest that, and after keeping silent for sometime, he lamely says that the replay is inconclusive and there is an element of doubt about it. The other commentator, needless to say that he was not an Indian Commentator, immediately said that Dravid is not out.

I don't know why our people over elaborate such an event. He could have chosen to remain silent till the event unfolded. The umpire and the players who were in the middle are not confident about the catch, and Gavaskar who was faraway in the commentators box was confident about it. It is really funny to see such stalwarts committing such blunders. It only shows that he has not come out of his Mumbai Fanaticism. He was always promoting Mumbai talent, I can't forget how he took Suru Nayak, who was not even in the regulars at West Zone. Also how he promoted others like Vengsarkar, Shastri, Sandeep Patil, Mankad and Ghulam Parkar. No doubt some of them like Vengsarkar, Shastri and Patil prospered other didn't nothing to Indian Cricket. If the same number of chances were given to other players like, Patil, Malhotra, K.R.Rajagopal, they would have shown much brighter. And there was the case of Rajinder Goel and Padmakar Shivalkar who didn't get a chance to play at all.

It is just isn't Cricket. Parochialism should be avoided by the selectors. Even now, for Sehwag, they've chosen Vijay. Though he is a good bat, and even though I hail from Tamilnadu, I think it would have better to have chosen Robin Uthappa or Naman Ojha or Manish Pandey, who are in the same mould as Sehwag.