| South Africa fought tooth and nail to save the | | | | onslaught in the first test at Nagpur, India, in a quite |
| second cricket test match at Kolkata, India. Team | | | | predictably obliging manner the BCCI came under |
| India finally won it with just 9 balls to spare. A test | | | | scathing criticism. Like tiring Team India with too |
| match that was more of a contest for the No. 1 | | | | much of money spinning cricket; not preparing young |
| position than for the glory of test cricket. | | | | players for the long classic variety and thus failing to |
| Test cricket is spread over five days with four | | | | maintain a potent reserve; having a flawed selection |
| innings-two a side. For the Board of Control for | | | | strategy; carrying on with a step motherly treatment |
| Cricket in India (BCCI) the marketing strategy was | | | | to test cricket; and, so on. |
| definitely not inspired by test matches. There had | | | | Immediately, few scapegoats were identified in |
| been lots of brain storming sessions on the deemed | | | | Team India and dropped peremptorily. To the |
| loss of popularity of test cricket in terms of less | | | | confused dismay of BCCI, the second test at |
| crowds and less money. Shorter forms came to the | | | | Kolkata became the focal point of keenest interest |
| fore. The T20 Indian Premier League (IPL) | | | | and overwhelming media attention. A key tussle to |
| tournament became such a revelation that cricket | | | | decide the top team of the world. |
| was likened to movies-both giving instant gratifying | | | | That Team India batted superbly, managed to win |
| entertainment in about the same time. If one can | | | | finally and successfully retained the top position came |
| entertain the most and earn the maximum revenues | | | | as the most sought after rescue for the cricket |
| in the quickest possible time then why go for | | | | Board. The nail biting finish was the silver lining. More |
| prolonged varieties. Marketing priorities were very | | | | significantly, the point of 'marketability' was not lost |
| clear and loud. | | | | entirely on them. |
| The dilemma came when India made it to the top | | | | What do all these lead to? Well, as long as good |
| position in International Cricket Council (ICC) test | | | | cricket is being played nobody bothers if this is the |
| rankings. Suddenly that was a viable marketing | | | | longest or shorter or shortest variety of the game. |
| proposition. The two-match test cricket series | | | | Coming to India, as long as Team India keeps on |
| between India and South Africa got instantly hyped | | | | doing well the forms hardly matter. Of course, one |
| with media and cricket lovers getting glued over it, | | | | cannot expect jam-packed stadiums in test cricket |
| because that series was to decide if India could | | | | like you do not get hysterical revelers for classical |
| retain the No. 1 spot or lose it to South Africa. | | | | forms of music or art performances. But one does |
| When Team India caved in to South African | | | | continue to earn huge television advertising revenues. |