Painful collapse

So, India has lost the second Test match also, against New Zealand. In both the two Tests, the performance of the Indian team has been miserable and indifferent.

The spectators buy very expensive tickets, to see their players score 50s and 100s or pick up wickets. Test matches, scheduled for five days, get abbreviated to three to four days. Is this fair to the fans?

The issue is that most of the top cricketers have become celebrities like movie and music stars. They make their money, and huge amounts of it, through endorsements of products, restaurants and via Twitter postings. Many cricketers own restaurants or fashion labels, etc. They do not depend on playing good cricket, to earn a living, as was the case a few decades ago. Hence, many cricketers are becoming indifferent to their performance on the field.

Moreover, most cricketers earn impressive money through the IPL auctions. They are picked up, in some case, for over millions of US dollars. So, playing for the country, in Test-matches becomes just a duty, not a passion. The heart is in the IPL matches.

Rajendra Aneja,

Mumbai, India