To Enjoy Cricket, Hit The Mute Button

Gone are the days when you needed commentators to spell out the game. Many serious watchers now prefer watching the game on mute

- Ravi Raj

Cricket has always been synonymous with stability and tradition, and yet, it isn't immune to the cult of growth that governs other spheres of our lives. In the last three decades or so, the game has advanced beyond recognition. The bat now comes with a thicker edge and perfect weight distribution to enhance power-hitting. The sturdier but lightweight helmet, coupled with a well-padded chest guard, allows the batter to pull and hook without much concern about safety. An improved fitness standard has prolonged the cricketer's career. But one thing that hasn't shown any semblance of improvement instead, it has worsened with time - is television commentary. Perhaps cricket, here, is trying to imitate life, where money can solve a myriad of problems, but not all of them.

If good cricket commentary is music to the ears, modern-day commentators are a band of discordantly tuned middle-aged men who think their lack of proficiency can be masked with a baritone voice and spicy lyrics. It's strange when you consider that most of them have played the game at an elite level, and still, they mess up when it comes to talking about the game. The basic explanation is: playing cricket and talking about it are two totally different things. And unfortunately, that difference is lost on many of these cricketer-turned-commentators.