Let us hope those will be protected during the cricket World Cup to be played in the West Indies. At least some of the matches (including those that involve India) will be telecast when we should be not only in bed but fast, fast asleep. If there are to be no repeat telecasts the next day, or highlights, everyone but insomniacs will miss the lot. So the BCCI and SET MAX which will telecast the World Cup better not do a Sahara on us.

Another complaint (as always!) about the Sahara broadcast: the pre- and post-session analyses are too brief and unsatisfying. We are accustomed to Geoffrey Boycott, with Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, or an Ian Chappell on ESPN-Star Sports; or Imran Khan and Mike Atherton on Ten Sports; MAX hosted a full cricket team of former players during the last World Cup. Why, even DD’s Fourth Umpire is preferable—with or without the ladies in waiting.

Here, there is David Gower with Ian Botham and Srinath, standing each other up for a few minutes’ chat. Then it’s over to Dino for the presentation ceremony and back to Buniyaad or whatever. This is not cricket, or cricket on TV.

If we are speaking of cricket can Navjot Singh Sidhu be far behind? The Sardar of Spinning Yarns can’t keep himself out of the picture. Not content to discuss the Turning Point of every match and Cricket Controversies on NDTV 24x7, guffaw to many jokes on The Great Laughter Challenge Show—Dwittiya (Star One), he must now take to acting in the latest K serial, Kya Hoga Nimmo, Ka (Star One). Have heard of Sardar Sarovar but ‘Sardar all over’ is bit much.

... contd.