‘Watched by none’ is the state of India’s domestic cricket. From the Irani Cup and the Duleep Trophy to the Ranji Trophy, the audience support is negligible.
Players have, over the years, grown accustomed to performing in front of vacant galleries, which mock the efforts of the cricketers striving to give their best. It is true that batsmen look to the dressing room for acknowledgement on reaching a landmark – a fifty or a century. Bowlers, too, have teammates who appreciate them, and this has been the trend for more than a decade.
But domestic cricket continues to look for and, indeed, needs recognition from the fans, who are key stakeholders in the game.
One remembers travelling with the North Zone team to Bhilwara for a Duleep Trophy match in the 1990s. The team, with a few Test stars, was mobbed at the railway station where more than 3,000 fans had turned up. You wouldn’t get that number at any ground for a domestic fixture in these times. Not even for a T20 contest.
This is not to say that domestic cricket is not worthy of fan-following. On the contrary, it is because of its robust structure that the national team has come to be known as one of the strongest forces in international cricket in all formats. Indian cricket has grown enormously in stature, and a key component of this rise is the excellent conduct of the Ranji Trophy, the country’s premier domestic event.
The structure of the tournament has undergone many changes from the original format of a knockout competition where a team would get just one match to showcase its credentials. It graduated to a league at the zonal level and then a knockout to pick the champion before the Elite and Plate divisions gave it a new dimension. The home-and-away system was done away with for one season, 2016-17, before it was restored but, again, in a new format – with the teams divided into four groups.
“The neutral venue concept was never going to work,” says Amol Muzumdar, a veteran of 171 First Class matches.
“The core issue was always going to be the quality of pitches,” he says, alluding to the menace of doctored wickets. “Having neutral venues was like running away from the problem. You can’t deny your home fans a look at their team and the neutral venue idea was doing precisely that. There have been too many experiments with the Ranji Trophy, including the points system. It is time we had a consistent system.”
In the opinion of K. P. Bhaskar, the Delhi coach known for his superb cricket acumen, the Ranji Trophy has contributed immensely towards developing the game. “You have to travel the circuit to discover the awesome talent the tournament produces. The fact that the teams get to play an ample number of matches, in different conditions which highlight talent, makes Ranji such a fascinating competition. It is as good as international cricket. I remember the super league concept where your first match could be Delhi v Bombay.”
Even as some old-timers find today’s domestic cricket far less competitive due to the absence of stars, there are others who disagree.
Devendra Bundela, the 40-year-old Madhya Pradesh batsman with a career worth 157 matches since his debut in 1995, argues, “I don’t think the standards have fallen. If you ask me, personally, the tournament has become far more meaningful and competitive. The fast-bowling standards are as good as in Australia, England or South Africa. The pitches are more bowler-friendly and the fielding standards uniformly top class. Runs have to be earned and the wickets can be hard to come by. I have enjoyed playing against some of the youngsters who can readily walk into any international team. That is the beauty of the Ranji Trophy.”
It is due to the quality of domestic cricket that the selectors and the team management insist on an injured player testing his fitness in a First Class match before being reinstated in the squad. Regardless of the popularity of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Ranji Trophy remains the best platform to identify talent.
As chairman of selectors M.S.K. Prasad observes, “India has the best domestic structure in the world and it is reflected in the way the Indian team, junior or senior, has been performing so consistently. The Board conducts 960 matches (in all age groups of men and women) and that ensures we don’t miss out on any fresh talent. The grind the player experiences also makes him strong mentally and physically when he traverses the international circuit.”
Most players and coaches concur that cricket in India is conducted professionally, making it the envy of the region. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh suffer in comparison since India offers three-day cricket even to its under-16 teams. “We wouldn’t be in the world’s top-three unless we had a decent cricket structure to back our plans,” emphasises Prasad, who adds that Andhra alone has 18 grounds fit to conduct a First Class match.
His view is supported by Hrishikesh Kanitkar, who has played 146 First Class matches. “Our Ranji Trophy circuit is of international standard. The quality of pitches, grounds, dressing rooms, the travel, accommodation and the allowances are elite class. The matches are top quality too. The days of cricket are more now. It is the reason why we are good in all formats. The grind of our domestic circuit grooms you adequately for international cricket,” insists Kanitkar.
Despite the quality on view, attracting spectators remains a huge challenge. “Matches at smaller venues can be a remedy,” says veteran Tamil Nadu administrator K. Viswanathan. “With so much of cricket available on TV, I don’t blame people for not coming to the grounds. You have to take Ranji Trophy to district venues if you want spectators. I think the home-and-away system will also bring back spectators. I have conducted league matches in Chennai where we would have 1,000-odd spectators. Today, not even 100 come for Ranji Trophy,” he laments.
As the new season beckons, the players, and the administrators, too, look forward to a hassle-free Ranji Trophy. “I am sure the home matches will ensure there is a decent turnout. The players deserve appreciation from the galleries,” avers Viswanathan.