There is a new buzz around the cricket world. But it is not just because cricket fans will get to see some real international action after a rather subdued month of September. It has to do with India’s wrangles with Australia who have long since replaced Pakistan as India’s feisty old rivals.
Indo-Pak battles had a pungent taste to them. Highly charged games in electrifying atmospheres, ferocity at its very best, little love lost between neighbours, pulsating encounters always teetering on the dangerous swerves of the game and tempers, all combined to make any cricket match between India and Pakistan a must-see event. Fans clamoured to see both teams in action against each other but also, felt the adrenaline rush of watching a fierce, give-no-quarters-take-no-quarters encounter.
But overkill proved killjoy. The turn of the millennium viewed one too many tours in successive years and the frequent flier miles to India were giving the Pakistan cricketers added mileage. But the same cricket fans reacted differently. Suddenly there was next to no buzz. No longer were fans across the border baring their fangs; there were no volleys of any kind. While spectators still wanted to watch a match between India and Pakistan, it no longer held the same thrill and rush-of-blood of overflowing passions and emotions. Suddenly sedate became the key word.
While part of that submissive behaviour can be attributed to too much cricket being played between both teams, another factor that cannot be ignored is that the Pakistan cricket team is no longer the strong one that it was. When the opposition proves to be hardly a challenge, it fails to inspire spectators as well. While partisan fans want their team to win, no one enjoys a predetermined battle or one sided affairs. That explains why England fans were booing South Africa on the recently concluded tour. They wanted England to win and the team did, but the opposition had failed to give them their money’s worth.
Pakistan no longer boast of the out-and-out terror bowlers. Their cricket board, players as well as the country itself have been mired in controversies and the instability with the cricket has denied them opportunities in recent times. Retirements have come in heaps as have the defections to the ICL now and Pakistan was already on the decline when it began this too frequent trips to India as though shimming to the market for groceries. Such had become the familiarity and cordiality between the two teams that tensions seemed passé and the spectators began to feel a dip in their own enthusiasm.
But while the fascination with Pakistan was on the wane, Indian fans found that Indian cricket had new challenges from the world champions, Australia. The 2001 series in India was perhaps the real starting points when spectators shifted loyalties from the favourite rivals to a new one. With India pushing Australia to the brink, fans relished the new contests and conquests and found another lingering duel to compensate for the one that seemed to be dying.
V.V.S. Laxman and Rahul Dravid became instant heroes and instant nemesis for the Australians and the Indian fans enjoyed renewing their support for the home team that was not showing the same submission that Australia had become accustomed to from other Test playing nations. With Shane Warne’s comments that Sachin Tendulkar gave him nightmares on the tour to India, the contests only acquired renewed status with big names head butting each other in the contest, metaphorically speaking.
Over the years, the battles have become more intense with the passage of cumulative history and the Australians became a constant fixture on India’s itinerary so much so that men like Brett Lee became country heartthrobs and blended in well with the Indian culture and ethos to the point where audiences forgot Lee was an Australian when he was seen sporting his sponsor’s watch brand or strumming his guitar and his way into Indian hearts. His activities outside the cricket field have made pay a dear price but it has not changed his reception here in India.

Now begins another interesting phase. The madness and chaos that determined the Andrew Symonds-Harbhajan Singh tiff down under not ten months ago were given a reprieve with the IPL when tensions gave way to a more compassionate embracing of the loved sport. Now with Symonds, one expects this Australian tour to be a case of less frayed nerves.
Another factor that will perhaps keep tempers in check is the fact that this will not necessary be old foes bumping into each other. Australia has a rather inexperienced side that has barely played in India while the Indian team is replete with veterans who would be more interested in doing their best to prolong their duty as part of the Indian cricket team rather than rake up new foes in the youngsters, both in the away dressing room as well as their own.

To read related articles, look back on the Crickblog archives:
Aussies Are in India!

Symonds Ready for More; But Indian Fans can Relax

Brett Lee: All in the Attempt to Preserve ‘the Brand’

No Monkey Business in India; Australia Hunt for a Spinner

Australia Can do without Symonds; Can India without Ganguly?

Lee Set to Resume Duty after Split with Wife Liz

Brett Lee Pulls out of Bangladesh Series; Split with wife Liz cited 325803