Take cricket. There's one batsman and
one bowler. Rest all are others. Their position may strategically
have value but socially, in the structure of cricket, they are not as
valuable as the role of a batsman, followed by the bowler. This is
more apparent in gully cricket, where there's no team as such.
Rather children take turns for batting. You ask a child who plays
cricket, and 99% times you will hear that he prefers being a batsman.
In fact I have seen insances where children cheat – they play their
part of batting and then go home excusing themselves with “mummy is
calling”. Everyone on the ground wishes to bowl the batsman, so
that they can take his position. We know so many good batsmen or
bowlers. Barring few exceptions, how many good fielders are
remembered (and given a chance to endorse products)? Doesn't it in a
way reflect the society where certain hierarchy is DNA-fied in the
its structure? And where else this sport could have originated other
the Great Britain, which has a history of hierarchical social setup? And where
else could it gain such popularity other than India (and its
neighbouring countries), which is so profoundly fixated with its love
for class, caste and creed?
Well this is not about discussing how
good or bad cricket is. The sport may have its own merits. However, I
am more concerned about the lessons we are planning for our children
on the field. All I am asking is, if we are really looking for
solutions to such problems of social stratification, shall we not relook
into what's going on in the schools (and not just classrooms) and streets and sports grounds? It has
long been established that what's going on in the classrooms is not
the most right thing that can happen to our children. Shall we also
give a thought to what's going on with them on the field? And more so
when The Great Britain itself has successfully shifted it's focus
from cricket to football? Isn't it time we change or transform the
sports we play?
P.S.: I am just thinking aloud. I may
not be right in what I am proposing. It's just a point of view. I invite
all the readers to post their views and have a good discussion here.
And would really appreciate the cricket-lovers to give it an
objective thought before presenting their views :)
