How is that a game which can occupy as many as five long days still entertains millions of people around the world? The spectators derive shear pleasure merely by watching a fast bowler come down the wicket to hurl the red cherry at the batsman standing 22 yards away from him or to watch a batsman send the ball over the fence for a six.

Yet, the game of cricket, once known as the gentleman’s game for its cleanliness, has in recent years seen several controversies overtake it. It’s no more cricket! Whether it is the match-fixing episodes, Muthiah Muralitharan’s ‘doosra’, Shoaib Akhtar’s tantrums, Harbhajan Singh’s bowling action, Saurav Ganguly’s over-rates or the Indian players’ contracts, the game has witnessed several controversies in recent months.

India’s first Prime Minister Pt Jawaharlal Nehru once said: Play the game in the true spirit of the game. But with so much money involved in the game of cricket, controversies have overtaken the true spirit with which it once used to be played, even if the two teams involved were enemies, off the field.

With the Pakistan cricket team scheduled to tour India for a full tour (involving three Test matches and five one-day internationals) in late February, another controversy has erupted on the choice of some of the venues in India.

So much hype and expectations were there when India toured Pakistan last year to play a full tour after 14 long years. That series brought the two countries closer as thousands of Indians went across the border to watch the teams play the ‘Friendship’ series.

But now, as Pakistan is preparing for the return tour, the Pakistan Cricket Board has raised a few objections to Ahmedabad being selected as one of the centres for a Test match.

More than the cricketers themselves, it is the politicians who are trying to sabatage the tour by raising objections. The Shiv Sena has threatened to stop the Pakistan team from coming here. Some of the BJP leaders have also issued statements saying that they would not allow the team to come if it does not want Ahmedabad as one of the venues.

Cricket, more than a game, is a passion and a religion for millions of people in both the neighbouring countries. When the cricketers and the spectators have no objection to the matches being played anywhere, one finds no real reason for the administrators or politicians to rake up unnecessary controversies.

The game must go on. Politicians and others with vested interests should keep petty politics away from sport. For too long sports in the sub-continent has suffered due to interference by people who have no interest in the game. Despite abundant talent, the main reason for India lagging behind other countries, especiallty the Europeans, is the fact that sports and sportspersons are not allowed to function freely.

The world would surely be a happier one if nobody muddles with sports and leave things to the people who toil day-in and day-out on the fields.