20-20: decimating the GAME or the Spirit....?

Cricket is nothing short of being considered another 'religion' in india and pakistan. Fanatics throng a ninety thousand seating capacity eden garden's stadium to cheer the 'Bengal Tiger' (a.k.a Sourav.G), and even a greater number scream for the demi-god; 'Sachin...Sachin' at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The irony of it all, he returns back to the dressing room after edging the very first ball to the keeper.
Over the past year and half, cricket has increasingly been converted into a business than a game. Right from its unveiling in UK (2003) to the advent of the Twenty Twenty World Cup in 2007, the games have ensured investment of billions of dollars and exchange of millions. The spectators 'may' have been benefitted having had to spend only three hours in comparison to eight hours in a typical one-day game. Limited Overs - Limited Time, but More Money to jazz up the environment! Bring on the cheer leaders....bring on the actors...and the game has been turned on its head into a 'ballroom tango' with disco lights and a rock band in play!! Is anyone complaining?? Why should they....there isnt any calculation of cost v/s benefit in such a scenario.

But in essence, the game has suffered. Textbooks of 'cricket' need to be re written and so do the averages....It is still a contest between nations, but reduced to a mockery between the batsmen and and the bowlers. When the money starts flowing, the aspirations become bigger and hence the 'selection process' has been tarnished by giving it a new lingo : the IPL (Indian Premier League). Auctioning Cricketers...??Are we recreating a roman empire? If so...the cricketers are being sold as slaves. If, having states fight for their boundaries was not enough, this particular event has built the foundation for establishing supremacy of one state over the other through cricket. Instead of 'Indian supporters', now we have region based supporters!!......Its Dawn! The writing is as clear as water across the skies. Cricket is now nothing, but a money spindling machine. Gone are the days of strokes! A 'stroke' is more likely if one happens to see the balance sheets.