NEW DELHI, APRIL 30: As this chapter of the Cricket World Cup drew to a close on Saturday, there was at least one section that admitted to being relieved that India made an exit as early as it did. These were people who grew up listening to their cricket on All India Radio and who were subjected this time to commentary by “graduates” and some “cricket buffs”, stepping into the shoes of the legendary Raj Singh Dungarpur, King Vizzy (Maharaja of Vijayanagaram), Beri Sarvadhikari, Pearson Surita and Anand Setalvad.

What made matters worse was that a broke AIR couldn’t even afford the money to send these cricket buffs to the West Indies to cover the tournament. Which meant that these commentators — no experts, not even former players of any level — covered the tournament while sitting, like their listeners, in front of their television sets.

Disgusted with the incessant chatter on mostly non-cricket issues, “spiced up” with informal lingo, an AIR old-timer called it “easily a tragedy only second to India’s embarrassing early ouster from the tournament”.

Few expected AIR’s coverage of the World Cup to end this way. The broadcaster has many faithful admirers who still remember its crisp ball-by-ball documentary, taking cricket to every household at a time when there was no television and no one had heard of “cricket specials”, forget Mandira Bedi and noodle straps.

Even Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, defending Prasar Bharati’s decision to make sharing of telecast rights of games with the public broadcaster mandatory some time ago, had said: “It was not the private TV channels or corporate advertisements that made this country cricket-crazy, but AIR commentary which was heard in every Indian household.”

But at a time when the radio is again witnessing a boom — especially in the 12-20 age group, lending celebritydom to some DJs — AIR, apart from its FM Gold channel, has been struggling to catch up. Many feel the public broadcaster typically let an opportunity slip through its fingers by treating the World Cup so nonchalantly.

The 10-odd commentators who covered the Cricket World Cup 2007 were just “cricket buffs” who had taken time off from their other full-time professional commitments “to lend a helping hand” to the cash-strapped AIR. For their efforts, they each got Rs 1,050 per day. “Of course, we usually also provide them TA/DA, hotel accommodation, flight tickets.”

But this time round even the travel to West Indies could not be organised. AIR officials say cash was not the only constraint. “We could not make the internal travel arrangements as the matches were taking place on various islands. It was not possible to hire chartered flights for the commentators,” they said. So it was an entirely Delhi-based operation. For the nail-biting semi-final, especially the match played between Sri Lanka and New Zealand, Vineet Garg and Shankar Prasad sat glued to their TV.

Also on the AIR payrolls was Lt Gen Utpal Bhattacharya. The “in-service” Lt Gen took permission from the Army headquarters for the part-time assignment.

A little on the defensive, an AIR official said: “We didn’t choose these men on our own. We set up a panel of experts who did it for us. They gave a voice audition before being empanelled.” The expert panel had, among others, BCCI, CAB officials, Ajit Wadekar and Ayaz Memon.