MxMIndia

Tag: cricket coverage

  • We have finally found a real match-winner in the cricket team, a player who doesn't get intimidated by huge targets, and it's in the nation's interest that we carefully nurture this rare talent. Hold the mega praises and the fat endorsement contracts for a bit, people. Let's not kill the golden goose.

    Anil Thakraney: Don’t kill Kohli

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Young Virat Kohli must be pleased as punch. Not only did he manage to do the unthinkable – eclipse Sachin’s 100th 100 – the hot, new sensation is sitting on a goldmine. Imagine the excitement inside corporate boardrooms, as brand managers salivate at the prospect of signing multi million dollar contracts with the lucky dude. And also inside the buzzing rooms of editors and programming heads, as they plan huge spreads for the new found hero. What works even more for Kohli is that he looks reasonably good, unlike most desi cricketers. This makes him a huge media and ad property.

     

    I must quickly add here that I personally have very little respect for brand managers who piggyback on celebrities. This is their way of acknowledging that they are idea-less and want someone else to save their skin. But that’s a debate for another day. I have a larger worry at this point of time.

     

    Not every cricketer is mentally as strong and sorted as Tendulkar. Too much adulation and quick riches could easily go to Kohli’s head; he’s still very young, a 23-year-old lad. We have finally found a real match-winner in the cricket team, a player who doesn’t get intimidated by huge targets, and it’s in the nation’s interest that we carefully nurture this rare talent. We need to give the guy some space and time to mature (he’s got a long way to go), and both, the media and the marketers, must go easy on the young man. Hold the mega praises and the fat endorsement contracts for a bit, people. Let’s not kill the golden goose. We must think India first.

     

    Having said all of the above, I am equally aware that I am wasting my time out here. Our celeb-obsessed media and our idea-starved brand managers will pay no attention to this. They will go for the kill. What to do, we are like this only. All I can say is, one hopes Virat Kohli stays grounded. And keeps his head screwed on. Else, he’s finished. Like one Vinod Kambli.

     

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    PS: Must read. An interesting profile of Imran Khan. From his playboy days to his new avatar as a devout Muslim. From captaining a difficult cricket team to the burning ambition to lead a ravaged nation. And of course, his recent bonhomie with dodgy mullahs and terror groups.

     

    Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/04/imran-khan-pakistan-cricketer-politician

     

  • Each time Sachin reaches a milestone, the media (both, print and electronic) regurgitates the same old childhood pictures and the same old tired clichés about the man. Surely there’s an innovative way to celebrate the hero’s achievements. Surely there are untold incidents from the man’s life that can be dug out if one cares to do the hard work.

    Anil Thakraney: Sachin coverage sucks

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    As expected, the entire Indian media went orgasmic as soon as ‘God’ hit that very elusive 100th hundred. Quite understandable. This man is a national hero and he needs to be celebrated.

     

    However, there were two aspects of the mad coverage I found quite annoying. One, each time Sachin reaches a milestone, the media (both, print and electronic) regurgitates the same old childhood pictures and the same old tired cliches about the man. And the same old ex-cricketers sing the same old praises. even in a euphoric state of mind, it becomes difficult to handle all this recycled stuff. Surely there’s an innovative way to celebrate the hero’s achievements. Surely there are untold incidents from the man’s life that can be dug out if one cares to do the hard work. Something to ponder on for editors and programming heads. Because, unwilling to retire, Tendlya will reach even bigger landmarks, and we need some freshness going.

     

    Having said that, I must point out that cricket expert Ayaz Memon was the only one who told us something refreshing about the cricketer. This was in his column for the Hindustan Times. Memon mentioned how, as a young lad, he (Sachin) would jump over the wall of a cricket ground rather than use the main entry door. The master’s reason? Why wait for something you enjoy so much in life. Superb. It gave you a powerful insight into the passion the player feels for the game, the reason he’s reluctant to retire even after two decades. We need more such gems in the media.

     

    Secondly, I was rather upset by the behaviour of the young TV reporters who were ‘granted’ quick interviews by the great man, soon after the mega ton. They were grovelling at his feet, like crazed fans. Guys and girls, that’s NOT the way the media is expected to conduct itself. Sure, the man enjoys a godly status, but a couple of tricky questions badly needed to be put to him. Like, did his search for the Big 100 bring the scoring rate down, which ultimately cost the team the match with Bangladesh? Does he agree with that?  Like, he claims personal landmarks are never on his mind. So then how come he closes his shop while batting in the nineties? Not one reporter would ask him these things. They were busy fawning. Repeat: That’s not the job of the media.

     

    Net net: Sachin Tendulkar is our biggest contemporary hero. No doubt about that. Now let’s pay him tributes that befit his own stature.

     

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    PS: You should never, never piss her off. It’s worse than hell when she’s scorned. Here’s an American lady who passed on a sweet message to her philandering hubby through a hoarding. Wish Indian ladies did ditto. Tired of watching all those ugly thopdas of our politicians. 🙂