Too much cricket...

Is way too much cricket being played currently? Is the ICC Future Tours Programme a disastrous overdose?

Well, players are complaining, ex-cricketers are warning, and cricket writers are crying over it. But nothing seems to be happening. The powers that be are still charting out calendars that are outrageously overbooked.

Complaining about too much cricket started in various quarters quite some time back. But inspite of all that, recently the ICC sat down and charted the FTP, a glance at which, makes it pretty clear (atleast to me) that the top cricketing nations have an almost filled-to-the-brim calendar. 10 to 15 tests and 30 odd one-dayers each. Isn't that a lot? Is there any expectation that they have to play domestic cricket too? Is there going to be something called domestic cricket?

Unless the board resolves to rotate the playing 11 in a highly planned manner, it is unlikely that a top player will sustain such a load for years together. And which board is going to do that? Which board has done it before? The only other option is for players to choose to rest themselves - which might be very tricky for their careers. But then again, the Boards might interfere and restrict their choice. For instance, if Yuvraj decides to play Australia and rest against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, will the board be okay?

However, R. Mohan, thinks they are all kidding when they complain about too much cricket. Reason being - the number of days of basketball/baseball in a calendar year - is way more than the number of days of international cricket a player is expected to play. And yes, the players are free to take a break if they think they need one.

I am wondering if this is the same writer whose great analysis I adored, when he wrote for The Hindu long back (before he was fired?).

Small/Less is always beautiful. Is that so hard to realize? Its so sad when all that matters is commerce and we still call it sport/art etc.