Vulgarity, moreover, is a subjective response. After all, it can be argued that the ladies and gentlemen who "bought" the players were nothing more than shrewd businessmen. Thus, my righteous indignation is misplaced—and I should not forget, as so many "experts" point out, this crude bazaar is the "revolution" the game has been waiting for. Greed, as Gordon Gekko informed us, is "good".
I have no problem with the sale or even the offensive manner in which it was staged. My anger is directed at the BCCI which conceived, organised and presided over this prime-time rape of the game. The men who run the BCCI, past and present, have much to answer for, but president Sharad Pawar and his cronies are especially culpable. They must explain how this terminal perversion of the game is in the best interests of cricket. The richest board in the world must explain why it needs even more money—to do what? Certainly, not to promote the game across the country. Certainly, not to aid and abet other sports sorely strapped for cash. And can you imagine how a Baichung Bhutia or the Indian hockey team feels when they read about a crass Page 3 auction in which mind-boggling sums are squandered?
The BCCI is a destructive body determined to kill cricket. If anyone is planning a coup d’etat against it, count me in. The present lot must be removed before they inflict further damage. Meanwhile, all cricket lovers must hope the IPL is a complete and total flop. And the people who conjured up this dreadful scheme are badly burned.
