Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Why I Choose Not To Watch IPL 2016

After watching a few IPLs, I have now decided to give this tournament, IPL 2016, a complete miss. It feels good to have made this decision because it suddenly opens up about 180 hours of my time that I could use in some other way. My friend Suri who visited me last night said - 'I can't believe you're not watching cricket.' But that's how it is now. Even World Cups are now relegated to the sidelines. I prefer watching the amateur games - Afghanistan, Ireland etc or even the eves cricket. They certainly brought me more joy than watching some of the regular games.

But why would I want to miss this tournament? For starters its just too loud and garish and I cannot stand such loudness anymore. I guess I'd leave it to the young fans who can shout, scream, bare chests and wave flags. The loud commentators and their loud sense of humor is another put off.

I find the faces at the tournament increasingly repetitive. Players, franchisees, commentators, the special elite flag waving fans who come to promote their movies - I am up to my gills with these people. Enough.

I don't find the quality of cricket too high either. A World Cup perhaps might interest me still but a team that's a hotch potch of international talent, local talent and U19 talent is just not up there. It's surprising to see that the stars here don't perform too well in Ranji Trophy. Are we missing something here? Also the young stars of two seasons ago are nowhere to be seen.

I find the administrators boxes also rather nauseating. I don't know why. Maybe their smug look. Maybe the fact that I can't see anything that recognises good cricket in their faces. I cannot really associate the cricket that I played and enjoyed with these faces so I'd rather go and enjoy watching the kids in the gully.

What does this decision do to me? It saves me a good 180 hours. That's about a full month's work - eight hours a day for about 23 days.

I can watch 60 movies in these 60 days and still save some time. So 60 of the greatest movies can be now identified - that's my number 1 plan. I can read books - that's my second plan. I can use this time to write a new idea - that's my third plan. I mean if I actually use these 180 hours I could well get a first draft of my book done. (Maybe I should make this the Number 1 plan.)

Or I can just do nothing. I can meet people. All of which sound extremely promising. I am quite happy to let this one go by. And if I may suggest, you could do it too. You don't HAVE to watch it you know.

As for those who wish to go to the stadiums to watch - have fun you all.

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