They are the two most anticipated Test Matches in the recent
history but with such contrasting values. So far are they distant from each
other that it seems only the cricketing conventions bring them together. India vs West Indies Test series has been
scheduled to farewell a champion, a commodity which will only happen in India.
On the contrary, the first Ashes Test is a continuance of cricket rivalry that
date back over 100 years.
Both Test matches will be played in front of record crowds,
the interest and the hype are parallel but for diverse reasons. While the crowd
at the GABBA, Brisbane eagerly await the contest between both teams in Mumbai
it is all about an individual. The GABBA
will be packed for all five days cheering on the home team. In Mumbai, the
duration of Tendulkar’s innings will dictate the crowd numbers. Objective of an Australian fan in Brisbane is
to witness an Australian win, a fan in Mumbai will still be satisfied with
Tendulkar century or even a half century even if it comes at the cost of their
nation losing the Test.
Not only are the motives dissimilar the administrators and
governance in Australia have always ensured fans are given the priority over
VIP’s. The ticketing saga only three
days out from the Test match probably sums up the chaos in Mumbai. Firstly, only 10% of the tickets in Mumbai are
available to general public. Secondly, they are sold on third party website
that cannot handle the huge burden of traffic (20million requests) and there
are simply no alternatives. To put it in
perspective the ticket for the Brisbane Test match were sold through event
ticketing company almost three months before the Test match.
Secondly only 5000 tickets were available to the public in a
ground which has a capacity of 32,000, the rest are distributed amongst
afflicted clubs. So, for an average fan
has to pray for a miracle or know someone associated with one of the 350 clubs
and hope they can purchase a ticket from them. The most passionate of the fans
will rarely get a chance to witness their hero.
In the meantime more than 30,000 tickets are available to the public for
the GABBA Test match.
No doubting the passion of Australian cricket supporters but
when it comes to fan following, India is streaks ahead despite such
mismanagement. It will sad to witness
the spectacle in Mumbai without the ardent fans.
Apart from the ticketing saga, the talking point of Ashes
Test match has been around cricket itself. Selection, tactics, strategies and
the build up are the stories are font page stories. Past cricketing greats have
expressed their opinions and game of cricket has been used to promote the
event.
In India, the news has tended to also focus on the
celebrities that will attend the match and the farewell planned for Tendulkar by
various politicians in India. The Mumbai
Test match has been promoted by sponsors, advertisements and companies seeking financial
benefits forgetting the game of cricket and using Tendulkar as a brand rather
than a cherished cricketer.
Unquestionably the two Test matches will provide spectacles
that will be relished by the cricketing public of the world. One will be all about national hero and the
other is a truly sporting war played in front of genuine spectators. At the end of the day the only person to be
able to survive in both worlds is Tendulkar himself and deep down the little
master will always want the cricket to be a winner, not only in India but also
in the land down under.
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