Ganesh Subramanian talks about how he hates the ones who think supporting any one franchisee in the IPL is anti-India. He says one can support one team and still be patriotic, end of the day; this is just a tournament and a sport.
Ever since IPL started, people started supporting teams based on their birthplace or because they work there or more simply, just because they love the city. At the same time another group sprung up claiming that for them India is India and they do not have any regional biases when it comes to teams. They are here to enjoy only good cricket.
All this is done in the name of fake patriotism. This group makes it appear as if they are demi-gods sent to protect the last ounce of unity in India. Utter nonsense! Trust me; having spoken to a few of the so called “I support India, not any state” supporters, they have much more anti-region sentiments than the other franchisee supporters. I ask them, “Why not apply the same yardstick to Ranji Trophy, India’s premier domestic tournament?” Next time when Mumbai wins the Ranji Trophy, I would like these people to say that India won the Ranji trophy.
I mean, it flummoxes me to understand why people can’t like what they want to like. How often we have seen people wanting their franchisees to win but a player from the opposition to do well? Sachin Tendulkar and M S Dhoni are classic examples for this. Chennai rooting for a good innings from Sachin or Bangalore wanting an M S Dhoni helicopter shot are not uncommon.
IPL must be enjoyed for what it is – A domestic Indian tournament with a world-wide fan following and that too of a sport which is revered and worshipped in India only next to religion. You are free to like and support a team, but that doesn’t mean you demean other teams. I am all for regional support of teams, but not at the cost of speaking badly of other teams. Hate groups against teams in social networking sites like Facebook only leave a bad taste in the mouth of a true cricketing connoisseur.
IPL is a welcome diversion in the trouble-ridden lives of lots of people. Let us enjoy IPL in whatever way we want to for the 2 months of this magnificent spectacle. Let us also remind the other group that people who support a particular franchisee/city/state team in IPL are as much patriotic, are as much Indian, as everyone else.
Related articles
- It was hard to love the IPL. But CSK have made it easier. (highoncricket.wordpress.com)
- IPL fans forget I play for India too: Kohli (thehindu.com)
- Is the Indian in the IPL losing relevance? (ibnlive.in.com)
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