The Big Three Era Starts
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151 editions of the world’s most famous sports book WisdenEXTRA No. 12, July 2014 England v India Test series The Big Three era starts now Given that you can bet on almost anything these most recent book was a lovely biography of Bishan days, it would have been interesting to know the odds Bedi – a stylist who played all his international cricket on the first Test series under N. Srinivasan’s ICC before India’s 1983 World Cup win and the country’s chairmanship running to five matches. (Actually, on wider liberalisation. Since then, the IPL has moved the reflection, let’s steer clear of the betting issue.) But goalposts once again. Menon is in an ideal position to certainly, until this summer, many assumed that – examine what Test cricket means to Indians across the barring the Ashes – the five-Test series was extinct. Yet, social spectrum. here we are, embarking on the first since 2004-05 – The Ranji Trophy has withstood all this to remain when England clung on to win 2–1 in South Africa. the breeding ground for Indian Test cricketers. Although Not so long ago, five- or even six-match series it has never commanded quite the same affection as between the leading Test nations were the core of the the County Championship, it can still produce its fair calendar. Sometimes, when it rained in England or share of romance. We delve into the Wisden archives someone took an early lead in the subcontinent, the to reproduce Siddhartha Vaidyanathan’s account of cricket could be dreary in the extreme. But, at its best, a Railways’ fairytale run to the 2004-05 title. series of five still takes some beating. Rob Smyth selects This is the first England–India five-Test series for his favourites from the pantheon; and this time, England nigh on 30 years, so we thought we’d mark it with a v Australia is not eligible. competition, courtesy of our sponsors, Hardys Wine. Had the famous West Indies “grovel” tour of 1976 We’ll announce the winner early next year. Plus, for been lopped off at four Tests, there would have been the first time, we’re running a Wisden news page. no fabulous finale at The Oval, where Viv Richards Although Wisden EXTRA has allowed us to bridge the slammed 291 and Michael Holding produced the most annual cycle between Almanacks, and Twitter and beautiful fast bowling. Robert Winder, though, was Facebook keep our online followers informed, some lucky enough to be there, and relives his memories in Wisden-related news has sometimes flown under the My First Test. radar. Hopefully you’ll discover something of interest. Suresh Menon, the editor of Wisden India Almanack, Either way – gem or blooper, please continue to let us notes in our leading article that we may be in line for know what you think about Wisden EXTRA. more encounters between the Big Three, the nations that led the ICC revamp back in January. Menon’s James Coyne Eagar’s Eye p13 Patrick Eagar, the doyen of cricket photographers, has taken his camera to cricket for more than 45 years. For much of that time, his lens has been trained on the international stage, but in this issue he turns his focus away from the fray and towards the spectators, or the recreational cricketers. And as always, he casts an erudite and entertaining eye on what he sees. © John Wisden & Company Limited 2014 Wisden is a trademark of John Wisden & Company Limited WisdenEXTRA • England v India Test series 1 The Big Hit As England and India prepare to do battle in an intriguing series, Suresh Menon examines India’s complex relationship with Test cricket A five-day wonder Testing times: despite having his jaw broken earlier in the match, Anil Kumble dismissed Brian Lara at Antigua, May 2002. Pic: Timothy A. Clary, AFP/Getty Images 2 WisdenEXTRA • England v India Test series In 2007, India won the inaugural World Twenty20. A Cowdrey or Tiger Pataudi bat – to get excited over year later the IPL arrived, accompanied by music as the development that the Big Three are keen to funereal as it was vibrant: Test cricket, some believed, play five-Test series against each other. But what was set to die. And the villain – characterised by fake- if the fans aren’t equally enthused? The crucial scary Bollywood laugh and dollar bills thrown wantonly ones, in this context, are of course the Indian into the air – was India. The IPL was seen as a game- supporters, those who watch television and attract changer fit to rank with overarm bowling. It generated lucrative advertising deals. International cricket its own hyperbole, much of it paid for by the BCCI. – even Srinivasan himself, though he might not Yet, six years on, with India embarking on their acknowledge it – survives on their patronage. World first five-Test series for 12 years, there is a grudging Cups in both 50- and 20-over format have been admission that rumours of Test cricket’s death were successful because they are bankrolled by companies perhaps exaggerated. India haven’t played a five-Test selling products to a largely Indian middle class. series in England since 1959 and, while the calibre of Cricket stopped being a game played over 22 yards their players has undoubtedly improved over 55 years, long ago; the real pitch now is the television screen – the length of the current series is thanks not so much to or the smaller one on the phone. the quality of the national team as to the board. A recent Bangladesh–India one-day series almost The idea of a five-Test series – the most financially went ahead without any live coverage: the $US1m beneficial arrangement for the hosts – was mooted by offered by the Star network to Gazi TV, the rights ECB chairman Giles Clarke and agreed by N. Srinivasan, holders, was apparently deemed too low. As it turned the (currently suspended) president of the BCCI. “Srini out, a last-minute deal was struck, and the matches were felt that we ought to return to the days of the old- telecast, but it was a pointer to what could happen if fashioned five-match series,” said an Indian official. interest waned. An India series isn’t automatically the And if Srini hadn’t felt so, it’s highly unlikely it would hottest buy for television. Not for Indians, anyway. The have happened. Despite accusations that he has brought lack of interest was partly due to the absence of the big the game into disrepute, and with epithets such as names from the Indian side and partly to the country- “nauseating” being used by the Supreme Court of India wide interest in a different World Cup, being played in to describe him, Srinivasan is nevertheless due some front of vast audiences in Brazil. thanks from the cricketing world. Thanks to the live broadcast of English and European In recent years the game has contributed to the leagues in India, viewership for football has been mangling of the English language by its insistence that increasing. According to one estimate, while cricket a two-Test encounter constitutes a “series”. India have drew 209m viewers in 2013, football was not far behind, played eight such “series” – including their last three – with 155m. The 2014 IPL generated a viewership of since May 2008. Yet in that period they have played 60 185m; Sony Six, the official broadcasters of the football Tests, fewer, admittedly, than England (77) or Australia World Cup, suggest the viewership for this event will be (74), but more than the others. And their 42 Twenty20 upwards of 100m. internationals are significantly fewer than those played Key to understanding all this is the youth of the by England (60), Australia (59) and South Africa (57). Indian population. Nearly 65% of Indians are under 35, (Pakistan, incidentally, have played 72 T20Is.) A high- born no more than a decade before Sachin Tendulkar profile domestic tournament played in April and May made his international debut. It is dangerous to jump might have something to do with this. to conclusions about what younger people like – my Two-Test “series” can discourage even the best from 75-year-old mother is a diehard IPL fan while my taking chances (oddly, a one-off Test is preferable since 25-year-old son is a Test match nut – but marketing teams can throw everything into it). Take India’s recent managers are most comfortable dealing in clichés. That tour of South Africa, for example: in the First Test, the is the safe way to do it, the greatest good for the greatest hosts pulled down the shutters with 16 needed from 19 number. The alternative, the greatest good for the game, balls and with three wickets in hand. This negativity was is not a priority. encouraged by India’s tactic of bowling well outside off In November last year, when Tendulkar retired, 1.7m stump to quell any last-minute bravado. The two just- tuned in to watch his final Test. Compare that with the concluded England–Sri Lanka Tests kept people on the 133m (cumulative) audience for the World T20. Where edge of their seats but, that exception aside, it’s often a the shorter formats score is in their more aggressive case – as George Orwell almost said – of “Two matches marketing, the guarantee of a result and in the bad; five matches good.” unambiguous nature of black or white. A six is “great”, But there is promising news: It is proposed that regardless of whether it was struck off the meat of the future India–England and India–Australia series will bat or a flailing edge.