Security personnel found it hard to control the euphoric fans who had collected in large numbers to see their heroes they had often seen on television
The last time Sawai Mansingh Stadium witnessed fan frenzy was when Baroda and Gujarat touched down in the Pink City to play Ranji opener on October 6, 2016. At one point of time, security personnel found it hard to control the euphoric fans who had collected in large numbers to see their heroes they had often seen on television.
“Everyone wants to see international-level players and that is why on all 4 days of this game we had spectators in a Ranji game...but, you cannot have such stars in all the teams that play domestic matches,” said Irfan Pathan referring to Baroda versus Gujarat match in which alongside Pathans also featured popular players like Hardik Pandya, his brother Krunal Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Parthiv Patel.
With Team India playing almost throughout the year, it has become almost impossible for Indian international stars to play in domestic season.
But it was not so sometime back. Reminiscing the olden days, former Ranji Trophy player and state selector Vinod Mathur recalled his debut Ranji match and said, “I played my first Ranji game in 1971 at Mayo College ground in Ajmer and spectators had turned out in huge numbers. In those days the atmosphere used to be pulsating even during domestic tournaments.” While former Ranji player and state selector Sanjay Vyas remembered playing his first match in 1979 in front of more than half-full SMS Stadium.
“At smaller venues wherever we played the stadium used to be packed,” he said. He further added that now, games are devoid of star players and that is also a cause of low spectator count. “When Sachin Tendulkar played Ranji match at Lahli in 2013, it was a houseful. Definitely stars are crowd-pullers,” he pointed out.
TELEVISION TURNED IT AROUND
Mathur pointed out the coming of television as the major factor behind dwindling fan attendance in stadiums during domestic games. “We are exposed to a steady diet of international games throughout the year on TV that cricket fans tend to show little interest in a Ranji game. Add to it the poor facilities that act as a deterrent.” Watching Tendulkar, Kohli and the likes in the comfort of home has easily elbowed out the low-on-facilities stadium experience and domestic tournaments devoid of star players. “We used to go and watch domestic matches and treasured every experience of watching our state players. I was so excited after a handshake with Salim Durrani during a match between Rajasthan and MCC, such was the craze while I was growing up,” Mathur said. Sanjay Vyas recalled how as a kid he used to rush to the stadium to watch Parthasarty Sharma play. Vyas echoed the same sentiments.
MEDIA’S COLD SHOULDER
Moreover, majority of cricket enthusiasts show little interest in their state team’s performance and even don’t know players who represent their state. Former cricketers blame local media for it. “Around 10 years back as a part of the selection panel of U-19 team we had gone to Mumbai to select the team for the Sri Lanka tour. Media was all over the airport asking about their local junior players,” lamented Mathur.
Speaking in the same vein, Vyas said that media in Rajasthan is very negative. “Press in Delhi, Mumbai present even their junior stars as heroes, but here the culture is all together non-existent,” he added.
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