Its all about ads

It was getting same like Twenty-20. Misbah was full in form. 39 runs in 21 balls was Pakistan’s requirement. And then the adventurous Misbah played that same old misadventures’ shot. Though this time there wasn’t a Mallu Sreesanth to catch the ball, a flick by Misbah again proved suicidal and the ball after touching bat wrecked right through the stumps.

The following batsman played indeed well and India lost the match taking the country into mourning right before Diwali morning.

I was not moved much by the results. What actually caught me irritating throughout the match was heavy doses of advertisements that were continuously bombarded on Doordarshan while the game was on.

After almost every couple of delivery, an ad came pomping. For a moment I thought I was watching an ad-game and not cricket. As per the new system the ads bang right in the one third area of screen while a quarter space holds the game. The avaricious Doordarshan, despite being a government channel, looks like it has sold off itself to advertisers.

It was ludicrous to see a Fevicol ad being Flashed out on screen. It was last minute of the game and Pak needed 1 run in 4 balls with 4 wickets in hand. The killer Afridi hit out the delivery towards boundary and an ad pomped up “chhodana nahi India”(India, Dont leave).
Huh! There was nothing to hold and this Fevicol fellow was still saying "Chhodana nahi India"

The continuous ad-popping forced me to think how will the future matches be on DD.

I fear the unwritten code of showing ads only between the gap of two overs or a wicket falling or any break in game will thin down so much and one day there will be ads only, with games in the small break after ads flow shows slump. I am not pessimist, but I know what I have stated isnt too far to us to see.


There won’t even be tickers running down to give stats. Because there wont be a game to show.
---------------------------------------------------------
Also read Dilip D'souza's column appeared in HT on Nov. 5 or Kadambari Murli's peice in HT on Oct. 15.